If you are looking to install a forced air furnace in your home, you have some options to consider: whether you want the mid- or high-efficiency design or the conventional furnace. Making the right choice is imperative to getting the most out of your unit and increasing the efficiency of your home, while decreasing the cost of keeping it comfortable this winter. These are the six best tips to follow for installation.
Don’t choose the conventional furnace
The conventional furnace isn’t made any longer, but it is still available in older homes. Since the heat given off from a conventional furnace is typically lost before it even makes the chimney, it isn’t a good choice for an upgraded forced air furnace. If possible, you should invest in modernizing your system. The cost of buying new and installing it is far less than the money you lose in low-energy efficiency from a conventional furnace.
Mid-efficiency furnaces in Winnipeg are designed to use a draft fan that helps to absorb the combustion material so that it reaches the furnace, where it can be properly disposed of. It is also a model that was created to generate more heat than the conventional furnace.
The high-efficiency model is the best and most energy-efficient. Without needing a chimney at all, it has two methods for the heat to exchange – one which is supposed to condense combustible gas to be disposed of.
Figure out what the right type of furnace is
Before you have a model installed, make sure that you do your research. Read reviews and compare models to find the best one for your square footage and the output you desire. If you choose by price alone, you just might get what you pay for – which may not be all that you need and could end up costing you more in the end.
Make sure the unit is prepared
Be sure that when you are installing the furnace, you prepare it properly. Use rubber pads to reduce the noise of installation. If you are going to install the unit in your basement, then you will need to use bricks or concrete blocks, so that it is raised four inches from the floor. You will also want to ensure that there is an outlet for the condensing ductwork where you will want the return air duct to be located. If you are going to do it yourself, follow the installation manual carefully to ensure that you are doing it to specifications.
Seal it up
Always use sealant to seal the ductwork so that there isn’t any way that air can leak. All the connectors going to and from the furnace must be sealed correctly; otherwise, you won’t get the efficiency you want.
Watch how you put the pipes together
You will want to slope the pipes one-fourth inch per four feet backward, so that they condense property. You will also want to find the shutoff valve on the furnace to install a drip line, so that you can supply gas to it.
Checking for leaks
Once you have installed the forced gas furnace, you will want to ensure that all the connections are sealed and connected. If you have small cracks or leaks, it will severely compromise the way that the furnace works. To check for leaks, dip a large sponge into some soapy water and squeeze it until it forms bubbles. Then take the sponge and rub it around the connections. If bubbles form at those connection spots, that will indicate that the connection has not been sealed properly and it is leaking air. You will want to do a check when it is first installed, and then you will want to do regular monthly checks monthly to ensure that the connections stay nice and secure.
If you are going to invest in a new furnace, a forced gas high-efficiency unit is the way to go. It will cost you more initially, but the savings you will get monthly will be well worth it. It is possible to install it yourself, but to make sure that it is running the way that you want, having a professional installation is much better. If you are going to install it on your own, make sure to check that you have done it properly, and that there are no leaks in the system.
