Most of the issues that furnace might experience in an attic are due to extremely cold weather in this poorly insulated space.
Furnace in crawl space or attic.
Just installing the furnace in the attic crawl way of a single story home gives protection from most flooding.
A horizontal furnace in a crawl space must also be elevated approximately 4 6 inches to allow clearance for the.
Rarely will a sealed foam insulated attic deviate more than 15 degrees from the living space temperatures below it.
So why put an hvac system up in the attic at all.
Most homeowners should not place a condensing furnace in an unconditioned space because the unit will produce water as it heats the air.
As a result their designated space for a furnace is often no longer a.
Our house is a 2 story forced hot water system without ductwork.
Condensate drain elevation space.
During the fall we disconnected the old furnace and decided to install a new one in our attic space running new ductwork.
So when we have a choice we prefer hvac systems located under the house.
A two room addition on the 1st floor has limited attic space and a 4 crawl space.
In flood prone areas instaling a furnace in the attic provides protection.
The furnace may be placed horizontally in a crawl space on a pad or other noncombustible material which will raise the unit for sufficient protection from moisture.
Most updated central air conditioned homes have a new air conditioner split system meaning the ac is broken up into parts.
Things seemed to be fine until we had a sustained cold and windy period.
Older or historic homes for instance often featured much smaller heating systems than the modern ones we install today.
In homes with limited space the furnace can be installed in the attic.
The university of maine recommends proper venting of a crawl space to prevent radon gas buildup.
The hvac s air pickup is in the crawl space and it spreads the radon laden air into the house.
Compare that with the daily 140 degree temperatures found in vented attics.
An outdoor unit which houses the fan condenser and compressor and an indoor unit which holds the evaporator and fan.
High efficiency furnaces aren t usually recommended for an attic.
A furnace can suffer from a drop in energy efficiency if it s in an unconditioned space such as an attic.
However not every home has a pre existing designated space for a system.
Attic hvac systems save space.
Even when furnaces are put on the main floor floodwaters often overrun the first floor causing severe damage to the unit.
Well mainly it s a way to save space.
That moisture can freeze if it receives exposure to exceptionally cold temperatures.