Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    PTROS2's Avatar
    PTROS2 Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #1

    May 5, 2007, 07:36 PM
    Accessible Furnace
    Hello evryone. I'm in the early planning stages of finishing my basement. My furnace and hot water tank are under my stairs in the middle of my basement. Not the best place. My question is how do I make my furnace and hot water tank accessible without placing a door in front of each unit? My furnace faces the south side of the basement while the hot water tank on the east side. Thanks. Peter.
    hvac1000's Avatar
    hvac1000 Posts: 14,540, Reputation: 435
    Heating & Air Conditioning Expert
    		  
    #2

    May 12, 2007, 09:41 PM
    If you enclose the appliances and you use gas to heat with you better make sure that whatever you do includes making sure that there is enough combustion air getting to the appliances/furnace/water heater.
    ThomasCKeat's Avatar
    ThomasCKeat Posts: 157, Reputation: 12
    Junior Member
    		  
    #3

    May 15, 2007, 06:28 PM
    I agree, don't close in your furnace, it needs air. Make sure air is available with vents.
    Be careful without enough oxygen supply your furnace could emit carbon dioxide fumes. And that means one day you don't wake up!
    PTROS2's Avatar
    PTROS2 Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
    New Member
    		  
    #4

    May 15, 2007, 06:44 PM
    Hello. My furnace is a high efficiency. Doesn't this mean that it's OK to box in??
    hvac1000's Avatar
    hvac1000 Posts: 14,540, Reputation: 435
    Heating & Air Conditioning Expert
    		  
    #5

    May 15, 2007, 07:06 PM
    NO. You have to follow the manufactures installation instructions. You also have to provide clerance for servicing the furnace and water heater as required by code or the manufactures paper work. Your water heater will need combustion air also. If you do not follow the code/instructions and you have a fire your insurance will not pay off. Been there and seen that.
    hvacservicetech_07's Avatar
    hvacservicetech_07 Posts: 1,083, Reputation: 75
    Ultra Member
    		  
    #6

    May 15, 2007, 07:24 PM
    The company installing the heating equip. should have the specs, how big is the closet? And is the furnace a 2 pipe system?
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
    Uber Member
    		  
    #7

    May 15, 2007, 08:04 PM
    Your furnace must have an adequate supply of combustion air. Many high efficiency furnaces have a duct to the outside for combustion air, the 2 pipe system, usually white PVC. If so, box it in as tightly as you want to and long as you leave room for servicing it. Otherwise, you need to find the specs somewhere on combustion air. My 80% furnace needs 40 sq. in. free area. A typical louvered door should easily meet that. Same thing for the water heater.

    Oh, by the way, although carbon dioxide can lead to suffocation, it is carbon monoxide that is the big killer.
    ThomasCKeat's Avatar
    ThomasCKeat Posts: 157, Reputation: 12
    Junior Member
    		  
    #8

    May 16, 2007, 01:31 PM
    labman you are correct my mistake, Both however are dangerous and proper venting is required
Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions
 

Question Tools Search this Question
Search this Question:

Advanced Search

Add your answer here.


Check out some similar questions!

Goodman furnace GMNT080-4 furnace runs good for a while then has to be manually reset [ 5 Answers ]

I have a Goodman GMNT080-4 (90%). I'm having the same problem As Streatherg did back in the Nov 2006 question. I reviewed his article and tried Every thing on there but seems to be doing the same thing. The furnace kicks on for about an hour then locks out and has to be manually reset threw...

Comfortmaker Furnace Fan blows in line fuse and will not allow furnace to work [ 1 Answers ]

I have a Comfortmaker Furnace (approximately 1998/99) and the fan will not turn on allow the furnace to heat. When I try to turn the furnace on it blows a 3 amp fuse at the blower motor. I removed the fuse and jumped it and all it will do is make a faint buzzing noise and not turn on. I can...

1 of 2 Drives Not Accessible (W2K) [ 4 Answers ]

Hey there, Well, I have 2 IDE hardrives, Drive C:\ and D:\. I use C: for programs and Windows 2000, while I store most of my files on D:\. Windows needed to be reinstalled, so I simply reformated C:\ and reinstalled a fresh copy of Windows 2000 on it. That seems to have worked fine... and I can...

Hard drive not accessible [ 4 Answers ]

I try to install windows XP on my computer, but the installation was frozen for a long time, so I press the restart button and restart the computer. When I try to boot from Windows XP CD to format and partition the hard drive, it tells me the drive is not accessible. I try to use windows 98 boot...

View more questions Search