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Furnace Installation Checklist

This article will discuss a furnace installation checklist – the steps to follow when replacing your furnace. We need furnaces to keep our homes comfortable during cold weather. It keeps houses warm by moving air, steam or hot water. And because they generate a lot of heat, a furnace can pose risks when not installed correctly. 

Ensure the furnace contractor you hire follows stringent guidelines during the furnace installation to ensure that it stays safe once you start using it to safeguard you and your family’s health and life.

The list includes a pre-installation inspection report, electrical fitness, and proper sizing. Whether you’re installing a model 4400 or a model 5500, a furnace installation checklist is essential for a successful installation. Here’s a sample checklist for you to use when completing your new furnace installation. After reading the checklist, you can confidently install your new furnace.

Installing a new furnace

Depending on your specific situation, installing a new furnace may take a couple of hours or even a day. Fortunately, most homeowners only have to do this task a few times. Before beginning the installation process, clear any clutter around the area where you are installing the new furnace. A clean work area is safer and more efficient for technicians, who take care not to damage any valuable items during the process. If necessary, touch-up paint is also available to cover any marks made by old equipment.

Pre-installation inspection report

A Pre-installation inspection report for a new furnace installation includes a comprehensive checklist of items to check before installing the heating system. It details the status of the furnace’s gas valve assembly, thermostat, and air seal. The label should be present if the furnace has changed from natural draft to LP. The inducer fan motor should be operational and working correctly. Standard two-stage furnaces may also include pressure switches or condensate traps and drainpipes.

Proper sizing

Before a professional heating technician installs a new furnace, you must determine how many square feet of your home you have. To do this, you must measure the length and width of each room in your home. Then, multiply these numbers to determine the total square footage of all the rooms. Take care not to include any rooms without ductwork or heating plans. Most furnace sizing charts assume a ceiling height of eight feet. You will need a more extensive heating system if your ceiling is higher.

Accessibility

If you’re considering installing a new furnace, follow an accessibility checklist to ensure that you’re complying with all the necessary regulations. Local building codes and the manufacturer’s installation instructions detail accessibility requirements for heating systems. For an accessible installation, an unobstructed and level access path must be present. The accessible passageway must be at least twenty feet long and 24 inches wide for attics. Similarly, accessible ductwork must provide an open workspace of at least 30 square inches.

Safety

Before installing a furnace in your home, you should review a safety checklist for installation. This document outlines the necessary steps for any furnace installation job. This checklist includes checking and maintaining the furnace, such as cleaning and adjusting the fan switch. It also provides measures to inspect and maintain safety controls, review the electrical service disconnect switch, and safely connect the furnace to the power grid. The checklist helps keep your processes safe and running smoothly and can prevent costly second truck rolls due to unsafe conditions.

Furnace Installation Checklist

  1. Load calculation – contractors should carry out a load calculation to determine your home’s heating and cooling requirements. Some contractors take the size of your home (in square feet) as the basis for your heating and cooling needs. But this is a bad practice. It will not yield the correct information on your home’s total load.
  2. Furnace Replacement – it is not advised to change any furnace parts with a similar part since there is a likelihood that the original ones weren’t correct in the first place.
  3. Ventilation –you can still use an old ventilation system if it matches your newly installed furnace. When working around blower-type furnaces, you will need a minimum of 2 square inches to check every 1,000 BTU. You can make do with just two combustion registers with every other furnace.
  4. Garage furnaces – you should observe at least 18 inches of height elevation from the garage floor surface until you reach the point of ignition. Also, remember to place your furnace away from the path that leads to your garage.
  5. Restricted areas – do not install a gas furnace in the bedroom, bathroom, and closet. Moreover, take note that when installing the furnace in the attic. Ensure a minimum of five feet between the floor and the ceiling and 30″ x30″ within 20 ft. of the furnace.
  6. Underfoot furnaces – Install a light switch nearby so you can turn on the light and see it well while installing. Meanwhile, position a suspended furnace about 6 inches away from the ground.
  7. Inspection – for installation inspection done by a building inspector, ensure the contractor leaves behind the installation description. They will also likely check your chimney to verify whether it complies with the standard 350°.

Summary – Furnace Installation Checklist

Look for licensed, fully bonded and insured heating contractors for any typical furnace installation so that you can guarantee safe and efficient installation and a no-fuss system onwards. If you choose a top-of-the-line furnace, working alongside a contractor who offers a warranty on their work is vital. Most of the time, furnace manufacturers offer a lifetime warranty on heat exchangers and a five-year warranty on parts. There are even some who offer money-back guarantees. It’s a win-win situation for you, then. Investing in a furnace, as well as a good and professional furnace installation, is non-negotiable if you want a furnace that can provide sufficient heat to your home for a long time without any hassle.