Installing a furnace demands thorough consideration and a handful of your time and effort. If you are considering to install a furnace in a crawling space, then you have landed on the right article.
In this article, we are going to walk you through the different aspects associated with installing a furnace in a crawl space. We are going to discuss the pros and cons of installing a furnace in a crawl space.
In addition, we will offer you a thorough insight into what kind of furnace you may install in such a space. So without further ado, let’s read ahead to learn all about the process.
Can you put a furnace in a crawl space?
You can put a furnace in a crawl space. But you will need to follow a handful of rules and regulations. Make sure that the furnace is accessible. You should keep at least six inches space in front of the unit. In addition, you will have to fire-proof the floor on top of the furnace.
You can put a furnace in a crawl space. This may seem like a great solution for people who live in cold regions, going through with cold floors. The furnace in the crawl space will keep the floor warm during the cold winter days.
In addition, it will save space in your home. You will not have to make additional space in the house for a furnace. The furnace will heat up the crawl space as well as the living room, so it turns out to be a win-win situation.
But installing a furnace in the crawl space is a sensitive task. There are many details involved in the process, which you will need to be very careful about.
So make sure that you are paying close attention to the process. Adhere to the building codes and regulations that the process entails.
Let’s take a look at different kinds of furnaces and whether you can put in a crawl space. Read further to find the answer:
Oil furnace:
You can put an oil furnace in a crawl space without much trouble. But you will have to make sure to adhere to the building codes and regulations that come with the installation. Other than that, there will be no issues.
Gas furnace:
You can put a gas furnace in a crawl space. It is completely fine as long as you adhere to the regulations and building codes that come with it. Note that the unit is oil-filled.
And it will need a vent in order to direct the fumes that it will release during operation. So take the necessary steps to ensure proper ventilation, and you will be good.
Electric furnace:
You can install a convection-based electric heater in a crawl space. But make sure that you operate the unit on a circuit that has the necessary amperage.
Also, pay attention to the cord of the circuit, make sure that it has high enough amperage to carry the load that the furnace may need.
What are the pros and cons of installing furnace in crawl space?
There are several pros and cons associated with installing a furnace in the crawl space of your home. Let’s take a look at some of the most significant pros and cons.
Pros:
Saves outside spac:
If not the crawl space, you might have to use the yard or porch of your home. The furnaces would take up a significant portion of space in your home if you do not use the crawl space.
If you can install the furnace in your crawl space, it will make the most efficient use of the floor space in your home. You can save a lot of wasted space in the house through this process.
Shields the furnace from elements of the nature:
If you install the furnace in the crawl space, it will shield the unit from the elements of the weather.
Even the strongest and the most durable furnaces will be affected by continuous affect of the nature. Especially the fans and the motors of the furnace are prone to damage.
Adds aesthetic values in your home:
An alternative to installing the furnace to the crawl space is installing it outside the house, perhaps in the porch or yard. This would hamper the aesthetics of your home. The furnaces look like huge metal boxes, which is not pretty at all.
So you do not want them standing outside your house, blocking its beauty. Instead, you want them hiding in the crawl space, all the while efficiently serving you with warmth and comfort.
In addition, furnaces are pretty loud because of their fans and motors. So they will hamper the calm of your home as well if you place them anywhere other than the crawl space.
Cons:
Inconvenience during maintenance:
You may experience some inconvenience during the maintenance of the filter. You will have to go down into the crawl space when it’s time to check on the furnace or change the filters.
This may prove to be quite inconvenient for some people, but you will soon get the hang of it. You may also get professional help for maintenance of the furnace, in which case, it will be no trouble at all.
Professionals are trained to get the job done very efficiently, even in the crawl space.
Extra cost during maintenance:
If you cannot opt for the maintenance process yourself, you may have to call professional service to take care of it. In which case, it will cost you some extra bucks every once in a while.
But rest assured, the cost will be worth reclaiming the floor space in your home.
Where should a furnace be located in a house?
A furnace should be located in the crawl space of your house. This will help you keep things neat in the house.
Furnaces are generally pretty large and bulky metal boxes. You don’t want them blocking the view of your house. So the porch or yard would not be an ideal location for the furnace.
In addition, they make loud noise when they are operating. This is because of their motor and fans. So you want the furnace to be tucked away.
Moreover, an ideal location for the furnace is along the middle of the house. Such a placement helps you keep the whole house warm with just one furnace.
What kind of furnaces can you have in crawl space?
There are several kinds of furnaces that you can install in a crawl space. You can opt for a gas furnace. You may also install an oil furnace in the crawl space of your house.
But you should be careful while installing an electric furnace in the crawl space. A convection-based electric furnace will work the best when you install in the crawl space.
Make sure that the furnace is placed close to the middle of the house, so that it can radiate heat evenly around the house.
Rules to install a furnace in crawl space:
There are several rules that you will need to adhere to while installing a furnace in the crawl space of your home. Let’s take a look at some of the most important rules:
Accessibility:
The furnace must be accessible to you. Even when you are tucking the furnace away in the crawl space, you must ensure that you can access it easily. This will prove to be helpful whenever it needs maintenance.
6 inches space:
Make sure that the furnace has at least six inches space in front of the furnace’s combustion opening.
Fire-proof:
Make sure that the floor above the furnace is fire-proof. This will protect your house from any accidents.
Can a crawl space furnace be relocated to main floor?
Yes, you can definitely move the furnace. A crawl space furnace can be relocated to the main floor. But the process will prove to be quite challenging and costly.
You will need to bring in professional help for this process. This will charge you some extra money. The relocating task will cost you about 1,000 USD.
And the charges will go up if the relocation process entails wall reconstruction, painting, electric rewiring.
So it is better to keep the furnace in the crawl space. When you install the unit in the crawl space, it protects the furnace from nature. You will be able to enjoy service from the furnace for much longer if you install it in the crawl space.
Final thoughts
You can put a furnace in the crawl space of your house without any worry. This is often recommended by experts for several reasons. But you will need to make sure that you are adhering to all the regulations and building codes that are associated with this process.