When you’re faced with the reality of installing a new furnace, it can seem like a daunting process. However, there are advantages to installing a new furnace, one of the major ones being making your home more energy, and therefore cost, efficient. Following is the process of how to install a new furnace.
Acquire Necessary Permits
As with any home improvement project, you need to determine whether you need a permit or not. This depends on your local ordinances, so make sure you check and get any permits you need before beginning.
Choose your furnace
Chances are it’s been a while since you’ve replaced your furnace, and you’ll be glad to know that they have gotten smaller and more efficient over the years. Make sure you choose a new one that has around the same heating capacity as the one you are replacing. You can also complete a load calculation to determine and ensure the proper furnace size and capacity. Ensuring you complete a proper load calculation can help improve the energy efficiency and comfort of your home.
Installation Materials
Installing a new furnace also requires some additional materials. Depending on what you are replacing, your installation might require new pipes, wires, pumps, and other materials. Rubber isolation pads are also a good idea to have to minimize the noise the unit makes when running.
Understand How a Furnace Works
In order to understand the installation, it is helpful to understand how your furnace works. In the most basic terms, cool air is taken into the furnace and warm air is expressed out. There are various wires, pipes, and tubes that need to be connected in order to make this process happen.
Hooking Up Your New Furnace
If you’re replacing an old furnace, you should make sure all of the connections with the new furnace line up. Once you take out the old furnace, the new furnace needs to be sealed to the metal intake box. Next, run pipe out of the house for exhaust. Usually when replacing an old furnace, you can hook up your new furnace to the existing gas line. You should be able to locate the shut off valve of the pipe in order to do this. Once you have the unit connected, make sure to properly check for any gas leaks. You also need to wire the furnace to electricity; it can be hooked up to a normal circuit. It’s a good idea to consider installing a switch to turn the furnace on and off. Furnaces produce some condensation, so make sure you have a pipe to collect this water and direct it to a drain or other appropriate area. Finally, connect your furnace to the thermostat to control temperature. Once all connections are made, seal them with metal foil tape or duct sealant.
Finishing Installation
Once you have connected and sealed everything, run your furnace through a heating cycle to make sure everything was done properly and there are no leaks. If everything was done properly, you have successfully improved the heating and comfort of your home!
