Furnace Set up Course of From Begin to End

Furnace set up is difficult. Don’t let anybody inform you in any other case. One of many greatest misconceptions we encounter is with those that assume HVAC tools is akin to a fridge or microwave: plug it in, and it’s good to go.

Every HVAC system requires particular design necessities to match it to the house it’s being put in into. This requires specialised coaching and instruments to do the job proper.

You don’t need to develop into a furnace installer to know the method behind it, although. That’s the place we are available in. This text is designed to get you up to the mark on the method. It can get technical at occasions, however the aim is to offer you a greater understanding of how your furnace works and why good set up practices are so necessary.

It additionally helps to know what to anticipate, as a way to maintain your HVAC contractor accountable. Sadly, lots of the necessary steps we’re about to stipulate get skipped quite a bit in furnace set up. You deserve higher.

Alright then. Able to develop into an professional on furnace set up? Let’s get began.

Earlier than the Furnace Set up

We’re going to begin the day you meet with a gross sales consultant. Why? As a result of quite a bit that issues for the set up ought to be taking place on today.

The Dangerous Technique to Do Issues:

1. Take the sq. footage of your property and make a fast advice for a furnace.

The Good Technique to Do Issues:

1. Do a correct load calculation of the house, taking into consideration issues like insulation, quantity, dimension, and high quality of the home windows, and different elements that have an effect on how highly effective your furnace ought to be.
2. Verify to ensure the ductwork is correctly sized to facilitate the airflow of a brand new system. This consists of the provision from the furnace to air ducts and the return air provide that feeds again into the furnace’s blower motor.
3. Measure the bodily space that the brand new furnace will likely be put in, to ensure it will probably match (not all furnaces are the identical dimension).
4. Verify gasoline strains and electrical wiring to make sure that they’re arrange correctly for the set up. For instance, if galvanized piping is there from a earlier set up, it may be unlawful to depart them, however most householders gained’t know that.
5. Relying on the furnace chosen, a brand new chimney flue liner or PVC drain line could have to be put in. Measurements will likely be taken to account for these prospects.
6. Relying on the air conditioner that’s already put in, it could necessitate a sure kind of apparatus in order that the 2 are suitable. That is primarily as a result of the blower motor within the furnace strikes air for each heating and cooling, and must be calibrated for every.

All of those are necessary as a result of they will all result in big issues in the event that they’re not checked.

Say you could have improperly sized air ducts. This occurs greater than you would possibly anticipate, and the consequence will likely be 10-30% greater utility payments for the lifetime of your system, and tools that should work tougher and can break down sooner consequently. That’s hundreds of {dollars} in bills, simply because somebody didn’t take the time to do the right checks after they visited your property.

This data ought to be handed alongside to the installer, who will come ready for any crucial alterations.

Many issues that householders expertise with furnaces aren’t from inevitable put on & tear however are from improper set up practices. Beginning off on the proper foot is the easiest way to make sure that you keep away from these long-term issues.

Day of the Set up

So it’s time to get out your hammer and wrench and get to work…

Okay, probably not. It’s really time to sit down again and chill out whereas a trusted HVAC companion installs your new furnace. However that doesn’t imply your involvement will likely be solely passive.

On the day of the set up, a number of issues ought to occur earlier than the precise putting in course of begins:

• The lead installer ought to focus on the small print of the tools with you, to be sure you’re getting the right furnace and (if relevant) right equipment. If you happen to’re ever doubtful, ask to see the mannequin variety of the furnace unit being put in.
• The set up crew ought to put flooring coverings down the place they’ll be touring, to guard your property.
• The world across the furnace ought to be “ready” to ensure it’s protected for each the house and the installers who will likely be working within the space.

Security Checks

Any set up crew value its salt can have a sequence of security checks that they run by means of each earlier than and through set up.

Earlier than an set up, this typically consists of issues like shutting off any electrical breakers that run to the furnace, shutting off gasoline or gas strains, and checking the world for different hazardous supplies or objects that would fall throughout set up.

Lastly, it’s necessary to notice that whereas a single individual can set up a furnace, it’ll each take longer and be much less protected. It’s not {that a} single installer can’t undergo the identical security checks, however there’s at all times at the very least a small likelihood of an accident. Sharp metals, heavy objects, and energy instruments are used all through the method. Even well-trained installers ought to ideally have a companion to work with.

At Fireplace & Ice, we solely use particular person installers for easy jobs that carry far much less danger. It additionally permits us to carry out thorough installations with out dashing.

Eradicating Previous Tools

By now, {the electrical} energy and gasoline provide (if relevant) has been turned off.

In eradicating the outdated furnace, the primary issues that must go are objects which are linked to the primary furnace unit.

So the set up crew will likely be disconnecting venting, any electrical wiring, gasoline strains, ductwork, and anything that’s tied bodily to the primary unit.

It’s throughout this stage that preparation may also happen to the world to make it prepared for the brand new furnace unit. What does this imply? It relies upon, however could embody the next:

• Cleansing below the unit, which is able to usually have dust or mud.
• Cleansing the entry factors to the ductwork. Usually, mud and dust have accrued right here over years and even many years. Whereas it’s not a full ductwork cleansing, it will probably do quite a bit for the well being of your system.
• The evaporator coil (for the air-con aspect) is usually being maneuvered, and now is a good time to make sure that it’s clear. This generally is a fast however necessary step to maintain the whole HVAC system operating easily after set up.

Lastly, the world itself may have some alterations relying on the scale and orientation of the brand new tools. For instance, if the scale of the brand new furnace are completely different from the outdated one, alterations to the ductwork could also be crucial to make sure clean airflow as soon as it’s put in.

One other consideration is entry. Relying on the place issues just like the furnace’s filter are housed, the orientation of the furnace could have to be altered, or slight alterations to partitions could have to be made.

None of this ought to be a shock to you on the day of set up. Whether it is, the putting in firm didn’t do its job. Ideally, your gross sales consultant prepped you days or even weeks forward of time to let you already know what steps could be concerned.

Putting in a New Furnace

We’re mixing the steps collectively a bit bit right here. The preparation of issues like plenums, ductwork, gasoline strains, and wiring talked about within the final part may be very a lot a part of the complete set up course of. Nevertheless, when most individuals consider the set up, they’re pondering of the first furnace unit.

Airflow is the important thing. If that isn’t correctly managed within the set up, the whole undertaking will likely be sub-par. In order the brand new unit is available in, changes to the plenum, the flue lining, electrical wiring, and different components have to be structured in such a manner that every thing flows collectively.

You need a direct shot from into the plenum, and from there into the ductwork system. In some instances, a “transition” will have to be constructed that runs to the plenum, to make sure that you don’t have extreme air leakage.

It’s right here that the installers will likely be working with electrical instruments, probably woodworking instruments, and definitely sheet metallic instruments. They want to have the ability to lower, bend, or fold the metallic correctly to create the right airflow. This generally is a meticulous course of.

As soon as the primary unit is in place, it’s adjusted to ensure it’s plumb and degree. There must also be one thing separating it from the ground. Usually this can be a rubber pad, however different options are simply as frequent. The necessary half is that the metallic of the furnace isn’t touching the bottom. Whether it is, the metallic will instantly suck the moisture out of the bottom and start to rust.

RELATED: How A lot Does a Furnace Price? A Complete Breakdown

Reconnecting and Sealing

As soon as the primary unit is in place, the method of sealing the unit and reconnecting all strains takes place.

A caulk gun is used, with specialised HVAC caulk that’s designed to resist pressures inherent within the furnace system.

Electrical and gas strains are additionally reconnected at the moment. Relying on the technological sophistication of the furnace, extra wiring could have to be run. That is uncommon however generally is a consideration when upgrading to a contemporary system.

Much more uncommon is needing to put in a brand new breaker. A licensed electrician will likely be wanted for this. Nevertheless, if this step isn’t wanted, the HVAC technician can deal with all electrical work. Normally, the furnace is on an remoted breaker, and the wiring stays equivalent or much like the older system.

As soon as that is full, it’s tempting to assume the set up course of is “executed.” We’re not fairly there but, however we’re getting shut.

Commissioning HVAC Tools – The Forgotten Step

Commissioning a furnace is a flowery manner of claiming that we check it. However the level isn’t simply to check whether or not or not it activates and runs. Thorough commissioning – the sort that can be certain that your system is operating as effectively as doable – can take as much as an hour and includes dozens of calculations.

What’s being calculated? Fairly a bit. Static stress, temperature rise charges at numerous levels of furnace energy, CFM (cubic toes per minute) of airflow, and plenty of different pressures and parameters.

We’ve written an extended article all about commissioning (linked beneath) so I gained’t go right into a ton of element right here. However I need to make two crucial factors about commissioning:

1. The entire assessments are to make sure the tools is working to producer and security codes.
2. A variety of HVAC contractors don’t do that step in any respect.

Failing to make changes from commissioning can (and sometimes will)  end in cold and hot spots in your house, improper airflow, noisier tools, greater utility payments, and lowered lifespan of your furnace.

Much more shocking, it will probably make issues worse on the air-con aspect too. The explanation for that is that the blower motor (which strikes the air) is tied to each methods. If it’s improperly calibrated, you’ll have inefficient airflow for cooling in addition to heating.

RELATED: The Significance of Commissioning in HVAC

Cleanup and Evaluation

As soon as commissioning is accomplished, it’s time to assessment every thing with the house owner. A part of this will likely be rehashing what was put in, however it’ll additionally embody a walkthrough of the brand new tools.

Amongst different objects, the installer ought to present you exchange the furnace filter, so that you simply’re in a position to do that your self as wanted. They need to additionally stroll you thru any new performance that you simply may need in your thermostat and warmth settings.

Lastly, it is best to be capable to hear the brand new unit turned on and operating, and be given an opportunity to ask any remaining questions of the set up crew.

After Your Furnace Set up

The job is accomplished, and also you’re having fun with your new furnace and comfy, heat dwelling!

Whereas the set up itself is full, there are some steps it is best to take to ensure that you simply’re getting essentially the most out of your funding:

• Based mostly on the schedule for changing your filter, set reminders in order that the filter doesn’t develop into clogged (which might be very dangerous for the furnace).
• Schedule a reminder to talk along with your HVAC firm to schedule upkeep on the unit one 12 months after set up.
• Even higher is that if they provide upkeep plans that can mean you can “set it and overlook it” with upkeep to your whole HVAC system.

The distinction between a well-maintained system and one which’s uncared for might be 30-50% greater vitality payments, and years off of the lifetime of your tools. These steps are essential to keep away from that ache.

The Significance of a Good Set up

If you happen to’ve gotten something out of this text, we hope it’s that thorough set up practices are vitally necessary for the well being, security, and luxury of your new furnace.

Much more necessary is that you simply select an HVAC companion who will exit of their manner to ensure they’re doing every step, and never chopping corners to avoid wasting themselves time or cash.

Need to know what inquiries to ask an organization earlier than you rent them, to ensure they’ll do job? Click on the graphic beneath to obtain our questionnaire guidelines.

And in the event you’re prepared to your free in-home estimate to interchange your present furnace and improve to a contemporary system, we hope you’ll take into account Fireplace & Ice. Verify our service space beneath to get began!

ADDITIONAL READING: