Furnace installation guide

Squatting is one of the best exercises. When it comes to home furnaces, there are three types: A few years ago the furnace died and i repaired it. However, to install a gas furnace, you do not always need help from a professional. Have the right tools for your furnace installation. I was able to diagnose the problem as a failed motor. We are a factory authorized dealer for bryant but also service and install all major manufacturers including carrier, payne, goodman, keeprite, lennox, york, trane, american standard and more.

If you take good care of your furnace and system once it is installed, it should give you many years of successful use. Diy furnace and ac installation. To install a gas furnace, the next step is to connect the gas supply. Should you install your own furnace? If the furnace shuts off. Correcting furnace installation mistakes quickly helps saves time and money. Thought i'd give everyone a good laugh. Be sure to install a service disconnect at the furnace.

But you just need to connect it to one normal 15 amp household circuit. I'm considering replacing my , btu gas furnace because it is old at least 15 years and maybe 30 years old , loud and inefficient. We are a locally owned and operated family business helping our customers with their heating and cooling needs in mississuaga, oakville and milton.

You may be working with black iron pipe that needs to be custom cut and threaded. This should get your furnace to kick on. What should I expect during the installation? Most furnace installations will be done by two professionally trained technicians. A good installation team will come on time and prepared with all the parts necessary to get the job done.

The technicians should also be wearing booties over their shoes to protect your home, rolling out additional carpet and floor protection where needed. The furnace installation itself can take a few hours and once it has been installed, the team will fire it up and conduct tests to make sure it is working properly and in sync with your other systems.

Then they clean up completely, removing the old furnace, all parts and packaging. How should I prepare for a furnace inspection? Before the installation, you should ensure the furnace room and any other work areas are clean, clutter-free and well lit.

Manual thermostats are economical and simple to control but the temperature in your home will only be adjusted when you manually change the settings of the thermostat. Programmable thermostats can help save on heating and cooling costs by adjusting the temperature inside of your home automatically throughout the day. These thermostats are very easy to operate and can be set to meet your changing needs — such for a work week vs.

Advanced models of these types of thermostats can even switch between heating and cooling during seasons like spring and fall where you may need both. One of the newer trends in smart home technology are smart thermostats that you can control from your computer or smartphone.

These thermostats learn, remember and adjust to how, when and where you use your system. They can help you to save on your energy consumption by adjusting the temperature only when it knows you need it.

This feature means your thermostat can receive warnings and error codes from your furnace and ensure everything stays running smoothly. They also allow the equipment to operate at its peak efficiency and to modulate its output.

Do I need a furnace humidifier? Winter poses a particular challenge because when air is heated, its relative humidity drops. Low humidity makes your home feel colder, which can lead you to turning up the heat, increasing your heating bill, causing more discomfort. A humidifier helps add humidity in the air in your home, in turn, increasing your comfort and making you feel warmer.

Whole home humidifiers. Whole home humidifiers work in conjunction with your heating and cooling system to increase humidity throughout your house. Here are some of the advantages of whole home humidifiers:. Remember to replace or clean your whole home humidifier pad once or twice each year.

This is just as important as replacing or cleaning your furnace filter. Air filters remove dust and allergens from the air inside your home, contributing to improved air quality for you and your family. In addition, filters help to stop dirt and dust from entering your equipment. When dirt gets into your system, this may make your equipment less efficient, and work harder than it has to. This can affect the expected life of the appliance, increase maintenance costs, and the chances of failure.

When it comes to selecting an air filter, there are a range of options varying in quality and price. Generally, the higher the MERV rating, the more effectively the air filter. Here are a few of the options you can consider when upgrading your furnace filters:. Fiberglass air filters help protect equipment but are less effective for indoor air quality.

These filters should be replaced every month. Electrostatic air filters MERV : Disposable electrostatic filters use self-charging electrostatic cotton or paper fibers to attract and trap small particles. They can be appropriate for homes with children, pets or smokers. You should replace them approximately every three months.

They are made from polyester or cotton. Pleated filters should be replaced approximately every three months or as needed. The lifespan of these filters can vary so be sure to follow the manufacturers recommendations or change as needed. MERV ratings range from Air filters with lower MERV ratings will remove a smaller percentage of pollutants.

Filters with a MERV between 7 and 12 are considered good quality. Are you ready for the heating season? A Canadian winter can come in a flash, and you want to make sure that you and your home are ready for the cold before the temperature drops. Especially as your furnace ages, some parts become worn or dirty over time such as pilot lights, belts, motor bearings, and the burner assembly.

You want to make sure that your furnace is maintained regularly to help avoid a costly breakdown during the winter. Why should I have my furnace maintained?

Can I inspect the furnace myself? By all means, check and change your filters, but unless you are a qualified HVAC technician, it is not safe to attempt to fully inspect your own furnace. Do not try to open or repair a furnace.

Unless you are a qualified furnace technician, never attempt to remove the door or open the furnace in any way. Electronics and anything inside your furnace are for professionals only.

Who should maintain my furnace? There are a few things that you will want to keep in mind when deciding which HVAC company you want to have tune-up your furnace:. What should I do before the furnace inspection? Before the technician arrives, help ensure safety for everyone by clearing the furnace room and the path to the equipment of any clutter or other items.

Replace bulbs to ensure adequate lighting. It is a good idea to have a spare furnace filter on hand. The technician can then check the filter system, and if needed, install the new filter for you. Part of making sure your furnace stays running smoothly all winter long and keeps your home comfortable starts with making sure that the furnace accessories are also properly maintained.

Here are a few of the common questions you may have about maintaining both your air filter and humidifier:. Why are clean filters important? You can help to ensure a high level of indoor air quality by ensuring your filters are replaced or cleaned regularly.

Air filters help both your indoor air quality and your furnace run smoothly. Because air filters do so many jobs, filling up quickly with pollutants, debris, hair and allergens, they have a short lifespan.

They must be replaced or cleaned frequently, to maintain good performance. Replacing air filters more frequently during heating season helps keep the air flow moving. You could set up calendar reminders for filter checks, or arrange furnace maintenance and leave it to the professionals. How often should I replace my air filter? The frequency of filter replacement or cleaning will depend on the kind of furnace you have and the kind of filter it uses.

The home environment will also have an impact of filter replacement. In general filters should be changed every three months, when they are dirty or according to the recommendations of your equipment manufacturer. How many filters are there? Usually there is only one filter for a furnace, one pad for a humidifier, and one to two filter for a heat recovery ventilator. There may also be a separate filter for your air conditioning, depending on the model and configuration.

Some homes have an electronic air filter, powered by the furnace control board when the circulation blower fan turns on. How do I replace my furnace filter? Humidifier pad maintenance. Your humidifier pad should also be changed or cleaned periodically and the frequency will depend on the type of humidifier that you have, as well as the quality of the water connected to it.

Be sure to ask your service technician about the proper humidifier pad maintenance for your equipment during your regular maintenance. Try not to leave it until the last minute when snow is piling up outside.

But life happens, and your service company should be happy to undertake a checkup even well into winter. Try to book furnace maintenance for September and October before the rush. Consider a protection plan. Put your furnace inspections and regular service on autopilot, by signing up for a compressive protection plan to make sure you are always covered. Learn more here. Make sure the furnace is turned on. It seems obvious, but it does happen that the furnace gets turned off and not turned back on.

If your thermostat has batteries, check the batteries. Now might be a good time to also check the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.

Some people choose to check their batteries twice a year at the same time they adjust their clocks for daylight savings time.

Just check the temperature level and turn it up about 5 degrees higher. Your furnace should come on within a few minutes. If it does not come on, there is a problem with either the thermostat or the furnace. Change the batteries if applicable and if that does not help, call a professional and have them inspect your furnace and thermostat. When you are doing maintenance around your home, be sure to replace the batteries and test both your fire alarm and carbon monoxide detector.

This should be done at least twice a year. Change the air filters. Furnace filters, humidifier pads, ventilator filters all require checking and regular replacement. The best way is by changing or cleaning your furnace filter, humidifier pad and any other equipment filters in your system. For more information on filters see the filter section below or click here.

Clean and unblock areas in front of heating grills, radiators, intake vents and outside exhaust vents. De-clutter the furnace room. Keep your furnace room and all areas around your furnace clean and clutter-free. If your furnace room is also your laundry room, do not hang wet items on furnace equipment as it can create a serious fire risk. Store all items away from your heating equipment and provide clear access to your furnace at all times.

If your furnace is in need of repair, it is important not to leave it. Depending on the problem you are facing ignoring the issue will not only leave you cold this winter, but may also further damage the equipment.

For most problems, it is best to call a licensed and trained HVAC technician to come and inspect and repair the system to ensure the system is fixed properly. For more information about having your furnace fixed, here are a few frequently asked questions for the most common furnace issues:. If it is not working or not working right, the on switch might be off, the breaker may have tripped, the thermostat might be set wrong, and the filter might be very dirty, the air ducts might be physically blocked or the dampers might be closed.

If you have checked these items and it still is not working, it is time to call a professional and have it inspected. If it is blowing cold air your thermostat fan setting might be set to ON. Change it to AUTO so that it only blows when there is warm air to blow. If your furnace is leaking water, it is usually related to condensation leaking from a blocked or damaged hose used in a high efficiency furnace, air conditioner or humidifier.

It might also be the water supply to the humidifier. All leaks should be referred to a qualified technician. Popping or banging sounds especially if they occur after the blower turns off, are usually caused by expansion and contraction in the ductwork.

A squeaking noise during operation may mean worn out fan bearings. A scraping sound could be a blower wheel fault. Tapping may indicate something caught up in the blower blades. Buzzing often relates to a problem with a transformer box. All furnace sounds should be checked by a qualified technician. Cost increases can be caused by different occupants, usage patterns, or weather, higher fuel prices. If none of this sounds right, check that your filters are clean, your vents are unblocked, and that your thermostat settings are proper.

If none of that solves the problem, you might need a cleaning and inspection. This should really be left to a professional, but carbon monoxide alerts, odours, soot, changes to burner flame and metal discolouration might all point to a cracked heat exchanger.

Professional technicians may use a special camera or combustion analyzer to provide a more accurate diagnosis. There are many different factors that can determine how long a furnace will last including age and operating conditions. Conditions include the kind of furnace, the local climate, proper regular servicing and heavy or moderate usage.

Warning signs that it might soon be time to look at new furnaces include increasing repairs, noise, or rust. No one wants to break the bank trying to keep their home warm and comfortable during the cold winter months. Help to keep your energy costs down as the temperature dips by implementing a few of these simple tips:.

Upgrading both your furnace and your air conditioner to efficient models at the same time will help you maximize your energy savings.

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Buying a new heating system — where to start? Select heating system type:. Heat Pump. Furnaces — what to know To tailor a solution to your home, we recommend having a trained professional assess your needs and recommend what is best for you and your home.

Furnace Types. Available Technology. Fueling Options. How a Furnace works. Different Furnace Types There are three main types of furnaces: single stage, 2-stage and modulating furnaces. Single stage furnace: Single stage furnaces are the most basic and commonly installed type of furnaces. Two-stage furnace: Two-stage furnaces have two different settings when your furnace is on, a high setting as well medium intensity setting to deliver a wider range of operation.

Modulating furnace: Modulating furnaces offer an advanced type of heating technology that delivers more even heating throughout your home. Electronically commutated motors ECM An Electronically Commuted Motor ECM is a motor technology in forced air heating applications that works to reduce the electrical consumption of the furnace motor.

Electronic ignition Modern furnaces come with electronic ignition, which is a technological advancement replacing the pilot light system. Different fueling options Before you purchase a new furnace, consider which fuels are available in your area. Gas furnaces. Propane furnaces. Oil Furnaces. Electric Furnances. Inexpensive Depending on the area you live in, gas is typically more cost effective than oil or propane.

Affordable Installation Gas furnaces installations are usually very straightforward; a professional and licensed team should be able to install your unit at an affordable rate. Wide Selection There are many models of gas furnaces available, making it easy to find the right solution for your home and budget.

Things to consider when buying a gas furnace: Availability In rural areas, gas may not be available and there may be a more readily available or affordable fuel Ductwork Gas furnaces require ducts to circulate heat throughout your home Maintenance Gas furnaces need to be inspected regularly so it is important to schedule annual maintenance Size Gas furnaces are generally larger than a ductless split unit and will take up more space.

Benefits of an oil furnace: Availability Oil furnaces are often a good choice when other fueling options are scarce or unavailable Most regions of Canada have access to oil Smart home compatible Temperature can be controlled remotely when you pair with a smart thermostat Things to consider when buying an oil furnace: Price Oil furnaces are usually more expensive to operate than gas or propane furnaces Storage A tank needs to be installed outside of your home to hold the fuel Efficiency Oil furnaces tend to operate less efficiently than most modern gas and propane options Ductwork Ductwork is required to circulate heat throughout your home Maintenance Regular maintenance is required to keep the system operating efficiently.

Benefits of an electric furnace: Contribute almost nothing to carbon emissions in their own operation, when using clean renewable electricity Electricity can come from renewable sources or from using fossil fuels A flue pipe or chimney is not needed making them easier to install Viable options in areas where electricity is inexpensive Things to consider when buying an electric furnace: More expensive to operate than gas, propane or oil furnaces, in most regions Be sure to compare heat pumps or, other electric options like baseboard heating, before investing in an electric furnace.

How a gas furnace works. Set your thermostat to a desired temperature, or program a temperature schedule. The thermostat sensor monitors the temperature, and when needed, calls on the furnace for heat. The furnace control board switches on the induced draft motor. A pressure switch senses a pressure change and the igniter is activated. The fuel is released to the burners.

Burners ignite in sequence, warming the heat exchanger s. A flame sensor allows fuel flow to continue as long as it is burning. The blower fan moves heat into the ducts. Air flow is monitored by limit switches. The thermostat signals that it is satisfied and the control board shuts off the gas. Heat pumps and boilers Depending on your home, budget and desired level of efficiency, a furnace may not always be the right option for heating your home.

Air-source heat pump splits. Central air-source heat pump. Geothermal heat pumps. Benefits of an air source heat pump split: Installation can be done by most well-trained service experts Ductwork is not required, making it a great option for homeowners in condos or older homes Provides all-season comfort as a highly efficient , clean energy option Often less expensive to operate than fossil fuel based or electrical appliances Depending on the area that you live in, you could be eligible to apply for government incentives Considerations of an air source heat pump split: Up-front installation costs for heat pumps can be high Older models may be limited in their heating capability in cold climates Some models are unable to manage humidity as well as other options A backup heat source is often required.

Benefits of a Central air-source heat pump: Typically very efficient and low cost to operate Provide a clean energy solution for heating and cooling Have similar capacity and distribution to a furnace Considerations of a central air-source heat pump: High up-front installation costs Ductwork is unique and may require renovations Backup heat source is often required. How it works Geothermal takes advantage of a fundamental of basic physics: during cool seasons the temperature underground is warmer that the temperature of the outside air; and during warmer months it is cooler than the outside air.

Benefits of a geothermal heat pump: Clean energy option One of the lowest operating costs of any heating and cooling system Works well with hydronic systems and radiant systems Has excellent cold or hot climate performance Tends to last longer with less ongoing maintenance than other systems Relatively quiet You could be eligible to apply for government grants to assist with the cost of installation Considerations of a geothermal heat pump: Installation requires specialized skills and cannot be performed by every HVAC team Tend to be the most expensive to install May require a large land area Not all soil types allow for installation.

Combi-units A combi-unit is a heating source that can also provide hot water through your home. Benefits of a Boiler: Ductwork is not required for operation Underfloor tubing can be laid under most flooring material to give you the luxury of heated floors Combi-unit options can accomplish both your home heating and water heater needs Operational noise is confined to the system and normally cannot be heard throughout the home Considerations of a Boiler: Often come at a higher upfront cost than a traditional furnace Replacement parts can be expensive Cannot be used to cool your home.

Getting your new furnace Beyond selecting the right furnace type for you and your family, there are several other things to consider to ensure your unit is the right choice for your home and budget.