I live in the Seattle area and have a late 70’s split level. For some odd reason, when they build the house they decided not to finish the basement, and to put the furnace in the basement “living area”. I’m looking at finishing the basement and would like to enclose the furnace in a “closet” so to speak. Any other ideas other than using a louvered door for ventilation? Any code implications, or thoughts from your area about having a furnace enclosed in a closet? Does it need a louvered door? Any thoughts on the idea is greatly appreciated!
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no air to the furnace, no fire, no fire, no heat. Ya GOTTA have combustion supply from SOMEWHERE..I feel outside air is best, but that may not b a viable option for you.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Restoring, Remodeling, Reclaiming The Quality..
Thanks Sphere! So, louvered door?
The leading CO Analyst, Jim Davis, says he has tested many closets with louvered doors where they don't admit sufficient air.I haven't seen it myself, but I'd go with high and low registers.And don't forget service and replacement needs.
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Sojourners: Christians for Justice and Peace
Rounder,
Our house is a split level built in 1978. Our lower level is finished and the oil furnace is in a 3' x 7' "closet" with the water heater. It has louvered doors and has never had a problem.
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
At the very least there must be two sets of louvers, one high and one low.
In addition to what Bob and DanH said, make it bigger than you think it needs to be. The HWH is generally in the same location, so allow more supplier vents for it, and the additional square ft, for service work on both appliances.
Trying to do any service work on a HWH or HVAC system in a cramped closet will just cost you more $$ in tech. time on the job. Also add some good lighting to the space. Nothing worse than a PITA small closet that is dark too.
Sorry about the small rant, but when a customer complains about excessive time for service work, it is ussually because I don't have room to work, and my drop light and flash liights are just barely adequate for the job at hand. Then there is the problem of removing equipment from a room that was built around it. That can be a real challange also. Make the closet big.
Dave
I can't thank you all enough for your words of wisdom! Thanks much! Great info, and I will make the closet as big as I can! Thanks again!
I just replaced a direct drive motor in a squirrel cage fan last weekend. Had to work sideways in an 16" space in front on the furnace. My elbows, arms, shoulders and neck are still sore form all the gyrations I went through to get that puppy out and back in. Should have been a 4 hr. minimum job, but took 5 1/2 because the HO didn't want to lose another foot of floor space from the new basement family room. The HO called me because he couldn't even fit in the space to look for the problem.
Good luck with your project.
Dave
Code has a lot to say about furnaces and clearances:
Minimum 3" to side, top, and bottom walls. Total width minimum 12" wider than the furnace. 6" minimum to the inside of the closed door. 24" minimum width of door. 30" minimum from the front of the furnace to the nearest parallel wall. Receptacle required within 25 ft.
It sounds like 30" should have been available where you had 16".
-- J.S.
John, this is Ky.
Even in the metroplitan Louisville area, my guess would be that 90% of the DIY basement finishes by HO are not permitted or inspected.
You mention a code violation to one of them and you get "well Billy Bob at the Ge plant and Joe Bod at the Ford helped, and said it was ok."
That job was an emergency repair for a guy from work. He was so proud of his handiwork, I couldn't bust his bubble. Just charged him for the extra time, and listened to him b!tch as he wrote the check. He later apologized for gripeing so much. After another buddy that works for a large HVAC contractor told him what one of thier service runs would have cost him.
dave
Maybe contemplate someway to make the walls easily knockdown. You know, don't hang and tape rock, maybe just build the walls out of MDF with some elegant trim screws to keep it in place. Then you can go to bear minimum size and when you need access or replacement, one hour, pop, walls gone.
It's a just a basement rec room or something right? I wouldn't do this in my dining room, but heck if it's just a place for the kid's toys or the tv, sounds good and you get maximum space in the room. Don't forget minimum clearances and those vents. Lots of vents! High and low.
MERC.