Where is my Furnace? Typically your furnace is centrally located in the home. It is usually located in an area such as a utility closet (by a cold air return), garage, attic, basement, or crawlspace; in the case of a heat-pump (a dual-system) it will be located outside of the home.
It turns out that for many homes, a very convenient place to place a furnace is in the attic. There is a common misconception that this is not possible for high efficiency furnaces.
Q: Where is the heater located in a house? A: If you have a furnace, it is typically located centrally in the home. Areas to check could be a utility closet, garage, attic or basement. If you have a heat pump, it would be located outside of the home.
Most often, air handlers are located in the attic, basement or a dedicated closet, and may closely resemble the shape of a gas furnace. As its name suggests, an air handler “handles” the air inside your home and delivers warm or cool indoor air throughout your entire home.
Central Location
If possible, the furnace should be centrally located in the home to reduce the amount of ducting needed which can help save you energy and money. This can be a centrally located closet with big enough clearance to accommodate the unit without limiting access.
Typically your furnace is centrally located in the home. It is usually located in an area such as a utility closet (by a cold air return), garage, attic, basement, or crawlspace; in the case of a heat-pump (a dual-system) it will be located outside of the home.
Placing this equipment in an attic will reduce the efficiency of the system. Since warm air rises and cold air sinks, it would be ideal for the furnace to be in the basement. As the cold air passes through the furnace, it becomes warm and filters through the home going upward.
Homeowners who choose to have their HVAC units installed in attic spaces can save themselves from the typical racket caused by loud and obnoxious systems. Due to the mere fact that attic spaces are seldom used, homeowners can steer clear of noisy headaches that can occur where HVAC units are traditionally installed.
What Does a Furnace Look Like? Typically, a furnace has a rectangular shape, and the housing is made of metal. The intake side will have a spot for an air filter to prevent dust and debris from dirtying the inner workings. If it is a gas furnace, you will see a gas line running to it.
You can find the model and serial numbers (M/N and S/N) for your furnace by removing the top-front service panel and looking to the left side of the interior cabinet or the top of the blower deck, depending on whether your system is an 80% or 90% AFUE unit.
Cooling Components
A furnace does not have a built-in cooling component. It's a standalone heating system and cannot provide air conditioning or cooling capabilities. In hot climates, a separate air conditioning system is required. Conversely, an HVAC system includes both heating and cooling components.
As we mentioned in our blog about replacing your furnace and air conditioner at the same time, your heating and cooling system share the same air handler. And since that's the same area where your air filter is housed, both systems share the same filter as well!
Space-Saving Solution
A key advantage of attic HVAC installation is the space it saves. Modern systems include an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, and placing the indoor unit in the attic frees up valuable closet or floor space. This was especially useful in older homes where energy efficiency wasn't a major concern.
If you have vents in your ceiling or walls where warm air blows into the room, you have a furnace. Location in your home: You can typically find a furnace in the attic or basement of a home, while a boiler can be situated in a bathroom, kitchen, or laundry room. It may even be located in the basement.
If your attic is sweltering, odds are some of that heat is seeping into your home through the vents, insulation, or the attic door. Your attic should be hot in the summer, but excess heat can drain the cool air from your home faster than your A/C unit can pump it in.
A furnace is typically installed in the basement, but moving your furnace to the attic or having a furnace installed in your attic can provide greater convenience and safety. If your attic is fully insulated, installing a furnace in the upper portion of your home may be a good consideration.
Most furnaces are installed in the center of your home, either in a special utility closet or downstairs in the basement. If your home doesn't have a basement, it may also be in a crawl space or the attic. You may find other equipment like the water heater or your washing machine in the same area.
There are two options for locating ductwork in an attic. The first is to move the building's thermal boundary from the attic floor to the roofline, which places the ductwork inside conditioned space. The other is to bury ducts in a layer of insulation on the attic floor, leaving the balance of the attic unconditioned.
The difference between a furnace and an air handler is that a furnace creates heat while an air handler moves air. They are two different pieces of HVAC equipment.
Protection from damage: Placing the air handler in the attic helps protect it from potential damage caused by flooding, accidental impacts, or pests. Better air distribution: When the air handler is in the attic, it allows for more even air distribution throughout your home.
Your air filter may be in a basement, attic, or the back of a closet. If you have not found your filter in a duct, the air handler, or grill openings, check the less occupied areas of the home including your basement, attic, or even the back of a closet.
An air handler is usually located inside the house, often in the attic, basement, or a dedicated closet space. It's connected to the ductwork that runs throughout your home, allowing for the distribution of conditioned air to different rooms. But, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
In many new builds, the garage is designed with a special “alcove” that holds the furnace without sacrificing space for parking vehicles. Utility Rooms: Some homes—especially those without basements or garages—have a specialized room in the center of the house that holds the furnace and water heater.