Clearance of wall-enclosed furnace in basement - Ontario, Canada

I want to enclose my gas furnace in the basement where I have my workshop for safety purposes and to keep the dust away from the furnace.

How far away from the furnace can I build a wall around the furnace while respecting the Ontario Canada building code? Some people say 14" others 3 feet. Which one to believe? I would be prepared to put double doors on each side so that easy access could be had for repair or evn for replacement of the furnace. I would have a dust seal around those doors so that the furnace would not get the workshop dust.

Thanks in advance

Gil

Reply to
gilles
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It's nice to see your codes are as clear as ours.

Reply to
Mark

Really the information is in the installation instructions that came with your furnace. Many can be walled right up to the cabinet on the sides and back, zero clearance, with 6 inches or less to the front. Some need 6 inches or more on the sides and back, and a foot or more on the front. If your furnace is a lower efficiancy model with a metal chimney you will need to supply cumbustion air to it somehow. If all else fails, talk to the building inspectors in your area. They have the final word. Greg

Reply to
Greg O

I once looked up the spec you need, but unfortunately, I can't remember the details. Try calling your gas utility (Enbridge?) and see if they can help (or check their web site for info).

However, unless your furnace has an air intake from outside, you won't be able to seal it up. It won't get enough air to burn.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Daly

Mike is dead on. I had my HVAC guy come in and do to the estimates on the air flow based on the BTU's and whatever else they figure for them calculations. You have two choices.

1.) Air exchange from the outside through a boot. This will bring in fresh COLD air from the outside. You have to be careful with this approach. My HVAC guy said that this sealed off room will be noticeably colder. Be mindful of the plumbing.

2.) Create the wall and sealed door but intall filters. This will allow for the air to pass through the filters and reduce the dust particles.

I have taken this approach in my shop and I actually created a double barrier. The mechanicals in my home are in the southwest corner of my basement. I have a double wall on twith a wall on each side of the main loadbearing beam and a 6" airspace between. This provides a good barrier from the noises from the mechanical room. There is no door on these walls. The entrance to the mechanical room is through from My shop to a 14 Ft square storeage room and them to my mechanicals room. I have cutouts framed for filters on the wall between my shop and the storage and another from my storage area to my mechanical room. I also plan on adding a ceiling mounted air cleaner by the filter in my shop.

I have not completed the work on my shop yet due to setbacks and I think this approach will work. If not I will revert to an outside air exchanger.

Good luck.

Rich

Reply to
RKON

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