Hello Everyone,
I’m currently in the process of finishing my basement also. My question is about a door around the furnace. I have a gas FHA furnace and AC unit directly under my steps. I want to put bi-fold doors around the furnace and try to reduce the sound of the unit while it is running. It is not a loud unit. I was wondering if it would be acceptable to use a solid bi-fold door or use a louvered bi-fold door around the unit? Does a unit as such require a lot of ventilation? Any suggestions or recommendations?
Thanks
Best Regards,
Fredd
Replies
Each unit is different. Call your installer for the specs you need.
Thanks,
The house is 6 years old. I have no idea who the installer was. Any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Most codes (e.g., the mechanical code) call for 1 sq in of free vent space for every 1,000 BTU of input capacity. That space has to be divided high and low.
So, if you have 100,000 btu furnace, you need 100 square inches of free vent space. Say your 10 x 10 return type grill has a free vent space of 50%, you need 2 of those 10 x 10. Put one toward the top of the wall, one toward the bottom.
Now, that's assuming the return duct in the furnace space is prefectly sealed (i.e., doesn't try to draw any of the combustion air into the return plenum.) Seal it up as well as you can and give yourself some excess capacity.
Is it important? YES! A good furnace technician will red tag / disable a furnace with insufficient compbustion air because it can cause dangerous CO conditions (and mess up the furnace, as well.)
Don't forget to have the furnace serviced evry year. Wouldn't be a bad idea to get your heating technician to advice on the best way to provide combustion air for your situation.
Oh, yeah: don't forget to maintain adequate clearnaces for the flue (6" for single wall; 1" for double wall B-vent) away from any combustible material (framing or other lumber, drywall (has paper liner) etc. Might not catch fire today, but could a few years down the road due to pyrolysis.
Edited 8/19/2002 6:51:47 PM ET by Bob Walker