One good thing about furnaces is that you can keep them almost anywhere in your home. It’s very common to find furnaces in the garage or even outside. However, there’s an increased chance of accidental bumps in these areas, which can ruin your furnace, making it a necessity to build a furnace enclosure.
Some furnaces have specific requirements on how to build enclosures, depending on the clearance requirements. As such, you can build a general enclosure to house your furnace.
Your enclosure size will depend on the size of your furnace. It should be built before you bring it into your space. Before building, you should factor in space for utility connections and clearance requirements. You can refer to the manual when determining how much space you’re supposed to allow on either side of the furnace. Make a vent in the door of the enclosure to allow free airflow.
Next, use concrete blocks to elevate the enclosure at least 4 inches from the ground to ensure that water won’t get into the furnace. The base for the furnace inside the enclosure should be raised at least 18 inches. Leave a space of 6 inches minimum between the furnace and the walls. This space lets exhaust gases out through the top.
You can also use basic wall framing with a top and bottom plate. First. brace the side walls by using horizontal blocking boards. You’ll need to use gypsum drywall to build the enclosure because it’s fire resistant. Make sure you leave enough space for a person to access the furnace for repairs and regular maintenance.
For more expert advice on how to build a furnace enclosure and other HVAC systems, please contact C.R. Wolfe Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving Middletown since 1945.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Middletown, New York about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about furnaces and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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