Where is the Best HVAC Installation Location? Is It Worth Relocating a Unit?
Where is your HVAC system located? Depending on the age and design of your home your heating and cooling unit is in a basement, a crawl space, an attic, or in the main level utility closet.
If you’re preparing for a new HVAC installation, you’re likely wondering if you should relocate the unit.
Read our guide to the best locations for an HVAC system. We’ll also touch on whether relocation is worth the effort and cost.
HVAC Systems and Heat
Your HVAC system generates a lot of heat during operation. If you’re running a gas furnace, your unit can generate around 140,000 BTU per-hour. That’s a minimum — higher capacity furnaces can generate even more.
Other appliances, like water heaters and clothes dryers, also generate a significant amount of heat. If you have all of these located in one utility closet, you’ll want to discuss relocating the HVAC unit with your technician.
The sole concern isn’t heat generated by the furnace, it’s also the air needed to remove gas byproducts. We’ll look at that next.
Fighting for Air
In the process of burning natural gas, a furnace creates gas byproducts including methane, carbon monoxide (CO), and other emissions.
A gas furnace needs air for intake and for diluting hazardous byproducts. Gas water heaters and clothes dryers also need fresh air. Stuffing them all into a small space means they’ll compete against each other for air.
Forcing a furnace to compete with other appliances could create one or more dangerous scenarios. First, the furnace can’t complete its combustion process, leading to a buildup of CO. Second, if there’s not an adequate supply of air, you run a risk of backdraft gases entering your home.
Let an HVAC Technician Determine Location
In some cases, it makes sense to relocate an HVAC unit. For example, if your current system sits in a small space and your new unit doesn’t fit, relocation isn’t an option — it’s a must.
A qualified heating and cooling professional should vet a new location before your new HVAC installation. Knowing whether relocation is necessary begins when shopping for a new system.
Your technician should measure your home and help you select the right-sized furnace (gas or electric). Next, based on the air supply needs of the furnace, they make sure your space gets an adequate air supply. Finally, the tech will calculate the air supply needs of any other appliances and vents that share the space.
There’s a cost associated with relocating. A simple move from one space to another is one thing, but in many cases, your tech will need to run new ductwork, outlets, and wiring. Unless the move isn’t negotiable, if you won’t enjoy more efficient heating and cooling, it’s likely not worth the cost.
Ready to Schedule Your HVAC Installation?
Several factors go into determining where you locate a new HVAC system.
The size of the space vs. the air supply needs. How much heat the combined appliances in one space generate. You’ll also want to consider cost vs. efficiency and energy savings.
Your technician will advise whether the best location is the current one.
If you’re ready to schedule a new HVAC installation or need other HVAC services, contact us today. We’re available 7 days a week.