Garage Heater Installation

How do you install a furnace in a Garage?

Heating from a garage furnace is an excellent solution for expanding your living or working area during the cold months of the year. Turn your garage into a heated workshop, family play area or game day hangout.

A licensed HVAC contractor performs this How-To guide.

The gas furnace we chose is 96% efficient. That means of all the gas you buy to heat the space, only 4% will be expelled with the exhaust.
The Installation Manager visits the job site before the install date to consult on location and measurements for furnace placement and electrical and gas connection locations. The unit must have a dedicated circuit for power. The gas line is a continuous one-piece connection from the gas source to the furnace.

Total Time Needed: 1 day

Required Tools:

- Pipe Wrenches

- Plyers

- Tin Snips

- Drill with masonry bit

- Hole Saw

- Ladder

- Scaffolding

- Electrical Testers/Multimeter

- Battery Powered/Cordless Drill

- Tape Measure

- Hammer

- Screw Drivers

- Hex Head Nut Drivers

- Caulking Gun

- Level

- Shears

- Folding Bar

- Hand Seamers

- Crimpers

- Tubing Cutter

- Manifold Gauges

Materials Needed:

- Furnace Unit

- Black gas pipe and fittings

- Pipe sealant

- Sheet Metal

- Power Switch and cable

- Flexible gas hose

- Ball valve

- Level platform 30"x36"

- Air Filter

- Hose clips and screws

- Caulk

Steps to install a garage furnace:

Step 1 : Select the right furnace for your application.

The Goodman furnace has tubular heat exchangers with high-efficiency intake and exhaust. This system is best if you are working with flammable vapours in your shop. Air intake draws from outside and exhaust gas vents to the outside. As a result, there is no open flame like some other propane garage heaters. Another advantage to using a residential-style furnace when heating a garage is the air filter. The homeowner can add a HEPA filter to trap dust particles and help keep the garage work area and the furnace blower clean and dirt-free.

1. Garage Furnace Installation - Tubular heat exchangers

Step 2 : The technician attaches the gas fittings.

2. Garage Furnace Installation – The technician attaches the gas fittings.

Step 3 : Install a level mounting shelf.

The garage in this installation is a three car space. 25 feet by 31 feet. The ceiling height is 14 feet. We wanted to mount the furnace upright in the corner and off the ground to make the space under the furnace useable.

Step 4 : Measure the space for the plenum.

The Installation Manager measures the space above the furnace to fabricate the stainless-steel plenum.

Step 5 : The plenum is lifted onto the furnace.

Step 6 : Clip the gas hose to the wall.

The Installation Manager uses clips to attach the gas hose to the exterior drywall. The garage space is insulated and drywalled in this installation.

Step 7 : Secures the flexible gas supply hose to the furnace.

The Installation Manager secures the flexible gas supply hose to the gas inlet on the furnace.

Step 8 : Install electrical shut off.

The Technician installs the main shut off power switch.

Step 9 : Attach drain hose.

The Technician attaches a drain hose to the condensation valve inside the furnace.

Step 10 : Drill holes in wall for PVC.

The Installation Manager prepares the location for the PVC air intake and exhaust by drilling a pilot hole through to the exterior wall.

Step 11 : Dry fit PVC pipes through wall.

Here you can see one of the PVC pipes going through to the exterior of the garage.

Step 12 : Connect PVC piping.

The technician cuts and connects all of the pieces of PVC piping going from the top of the furnace to the exterior of the garage.

Step 13 : Secure the gas line in the basement.

The Installation Manager secures the gas line with clips to the joist of the unfinished basement near the gas source.

Step 14 : Install gas shut off valve.

A shut-off valve is installed from the main gas source.

Step 15 : Attach gas line to shut off valve.

The flexible gas line is attached to the shut-off valve.

Step 16 : Prepare for startup.

The furnace is nearly ready for startup.

Step 17 : Adjust controls for startup.

The Installation Manager makes some final adjustments to the furnace controls.

Step 18 : Install support hangers for PVC pipes.

The Technician installs supports for the intake and exhaust PVC pipes.

Step 19 : Perform leak test.

The Installation Manager performs a final leak test on the gas connections.

Step 20 : Run furnace.

The installation is complete with a digital thermostat and a gas tag. A simple air return is all that we need in this one-room setup. Warm air blows out of the top of the furnace from the plenum and through a single large vent. This two-stage gas furnace has a high and low setting on the gas burner. It also has a quiet two-speed induced draft blower. The blower can output 743 CFM on low and 939 CFM on high. The entire garage air exchanges once every 10 minutes. If the garage thermostat is set for a lower temperature when not in use, it won’t take long to heat the garage to a higher temperature when needed.

Step 21 : Complete masonry around PVC pipes.

Venting on the outside is complete with masonry around the PVC pipes.

Click here to get a Quote for a garage heater installation in York or Durham Region.

Bulletin – Indoor Air Quality for Residential Buildings

Air Filtration and Indoor Air Quality - Unionville Heating and Air Conditioning

Unionville Heating and Air Conditioning is continuously monitoring and gathering information to provide their customers with the best recommendations and implementation for residential HVAC systems. Our goal for learning about advancements in technology is to apply these learnings to help keep us all safe. We care!

This bulletin is issued by ASHRAE to address the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s effects on HVAC

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, (ASHRAE) is a global professional society of over 55,000 members committed to serve humanity by advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and their allied fields. ASHRAE has established a Task Force to help deploy technical resources to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and possible future epidemics as they relate to the effects of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems on disease transmission. Guidance and building readiness information for different operational conditions have been developed for several building types, including commercial; residential; schools and universities; and healthcare facilities.

Home is usually the safest indoor space and we stay there as much as possible to protect ourselves and to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. ASHRAE recommends following CDC guidance on minimizing contact, wearing cloth face masks and creating a household plan. ASHRAE’s residential building guidance supplements the CDC guidance with general recommendations for minimizing virus transmission through the air using the home’s HVAC equipment and controls. ASHRAE’s website provides additional details and the most up-to-date information on residential buildings, as well as answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Please consult the full guidance for important details and consider reaching out to qualified design professionals for detailed analysis as needed.

Maintain thermal comfort: Avoid extremes of temperature by operating and maintaining the building and the heating and cooling equipment to keep temperature and humidity in normal ranges, which are generally 68-78 Fahrenheit (20-25 Celsius) and 40-60% relative humidity.

Filtration for Homes with Forced-Air Systems: Upgrade filters to high-efficiency filters (MERV 13 or the best the system can accommodate), if practical. Adjust the fan setting to run even if not currently heating or cooling.

Ventilation (with outdoor air): Increase mechanical ventilation, if practical. If the house is not equipped with a mechanical system that provides whole house ventilation opening multiple windows is an acceptable alternative for a single-family home. Whole-house “summer cooling” fans or economizers may also be used to increase outdoor air ventilation. Weather may make this impractical at times.

Restrooms: Operate exhaust fans in bathrooms, toilets and lavatories preferably continuously. Toilet lids should normally remain closed, especially prior to flushing. Do not allow plumbing traps to become dry.

Air Purifiers: Stand-alone air cleaners (often called air purifiers) with HEPA particle filters can help remove suspended small airborne particles that can contain viruses and the fine particles typical of wildfires. When either is a risk, operate the device(s) continuously. In general, the larger the flow the better. Those with ultraviolet disinfection can further reduce virus risk.

Multi-Family Homes: Minimize the use of open windows to limit the potential transfer of infective air from nearby apartments. Seal any large openings in walls or ceilings or gaps around plumbing or electrical penetrations that could allow air to flow into the dwelling unit from other units in the building.

Create an Isolation Space for Infected Household Members: Barriers should be used between the isolated and common spaces. The isolation space should have flow into it from other spaces which can be achieved using exhaust fans temporarily installed in windows or bathroom exhaust fans if the isolation space has its own bathroom. Air purifiers should be considered.

Create a Protected Space for High-Risk Household Members: Barriers should be used between the protected and common spaces. The protected space should have air flow out of it to other spaces which can be achieved using supply fans temporarily installed in windows. Air purifiers should be considered.

The information above is provided as a service to the public. While every effort is made to provide accurate and reliable information, this is advisory, and is provided for informational purposes only. They are not intended and should not be relied upon as official statements of ASHRAE.

Furnace Backup Power During Electricity Outage

Get backup power to your furnace during a power outage.

All you need is CarGenerator™ and an extension cord. When the power goes out due to high winds, heavy rain or ice, just plug in CarGenerator.

You already own 75% of a backup generator, sitting right there in your driveway! Add CarGenerator to your vehicle, and you have the world’s most reliable, longest running, ultralight, no maintenance backup power solution.

Your car equipped with CarGenerator is a backup generator and will run 1000W of appliances and devices.

Your home furnace and sump pump, to keep your house warm and dry when the power goes out.
Your fridge, to keep the food (and beer) cold in the summer weather
A few lights and TV’s, computers, and more
Medical devices: if you haven’t been camping in a while because you need your CPAP, oxygen machine, and other medical device, now you can go!

Modern furnaces are constructed with electronic circuit boards and are sensitive to the quality of electrical power. Like most electronics a furnace requires pure sine wave clean power. CarGenerator provides this type of power which makes it safe to run with sensitive electronics.

How much power can this provide?

The amount of power provided varies by vehicle. The first and most important goal is to power your gas furnace to keep your house warm. CarGenerator testing shows that a typical furnace needs between 100-400 watts of solid power to run. After that everything else is a bonus up to the maximum your vehicle can provide. Once your furnace is running and you see how much power it uses, you can then add cellphone chargers, laptops, ipads, tablets, computers, a few lights, fridges and freezers depending on what your car provides. You can also rotate devices in shifts, so plug in fridges/ freezers for a few hours then switch to power other devices for a few hours to maximize your available power.

Unionville Heating and Air Conditioning is currently offering a discount on the all CarGenerator All Weather 1000W unit (regular price $895) for purchase at $795 when accompanied by a new furnace purchase.

Please contact our sales department to place your order.

HVAC – Essential Business During COVID-19

Stay Safe during COVID-19 Unionville Heating and Air Conditioning Message

The province has enacted a declaration of emergency to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and protect the public.

Ontario business-owners are encouraged to continue their operations through work-from-home policies and innovative business models.

Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation, the Ontario government will be ordering at-risk workplaces to close-down, while encouraging businesses to explore opportunities to continue operations through work-from-home and innovative business models. At the same time, the government reminds businesses to put in place protocols for physical distancing and regular hand-washing in order to protect the health and safety of employees and the general public.

March 23, 2019, Premier Doug Ford was joined by Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Rod Phillips, Minister of Finance and Sylvia Jones, Solicitor General to announce that the government will be closing at-risk workplaces to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Essential businesses include, but are not limited to grocery stores and pharmacies, telecommunications and IT infrastructure service providers, and businesses that support power generation, natural gas distribution and clean drinking water. Essential businesses are being asked to put into place any and all measures to safeguard the wellbeing of their employees on the front-lines. (Official List of Essential Workplaces)

HVAC – Essential Businesses That Provide Support and Maintenance Services

Institutional, Residential, Commercial and Industrial Maintenance

Businesses that provide support and maintenance services, including urgent repair, to maintain the safety, security, sanitation and essential operation of institutional, commercial industrial and residential properties and buildings, including, property management services,plumbers, electricians, custodial/janitorial workers, cleaning services, , security services, fire safety and sprinkler systems, building systems maintenance and repair technicians and engineers, mechanics, (e.g. HVAC, escalator and elevator technicians), and other service providers who provide similar services

The health and safety of our people, customers and communities is our top priority. Unionville Heating and Air Conditioning will continue to provide emergency services to its customers. We will make every effort possible to keep our customers and our staff safe by following the guidelines set by health professionals at the Government of Canada and Ontario Ministry of Health.

Here are some of the step we will take to make sure we are all safe:

reducing contact with others by following the guidance for self-monitoring, self-isolating, or isolating
practicing social distancing and proper hygiene
wearing masks, if necessary

Please contact our office (905-479-1290) if you have an HVAC emergency to schedule a service visit.

Cost to remove an old furnace

recycling old furnace and air conditioning parts

How much does it cost to remove an old furnace?

With Unionville Heating and Air Conditioning there is no additional charge to remove and dispose of your old HVAC parts. We care about the environment and would not leave you with the burden of having to remove your old furnace. Old furnace and A/C removal cost is free with Unionville Heating.

Once your new A/C or furnace is installed, we’ll take your old unit away. You recycle every week at the curb side separating cardboard, cans and glass. However municipal waste collectors will not pick up your old furnace or air unit. Just because an item doesn’t belong in your recycling bin doesn’t mean that you can’t get rid of it responsibly. Unionville Heating and Air Conditioning will do that for you.

We make sure your old furnace or air conditioning unit doesn’t end up in the land fill. We separate the components and work with a recycling expert to ensure the materials enter the recovery stream according to the type of waste.

Unionville Heating has been recycling furnace and air conditioning units for over 35 years. We have recovered close to 20 tons of refrigerant since then.

Regular maintenance benefits.

Regular inspection, old furnace repair, or replacement is important. Repairs will give you better furnace service life. A new furnace will provide safe and cost-effective heating that you may not have realized you were living without.

Have your furnace and air conditioning unit serviced once a year. Find a company you trust and stick with them. The cheapest guy on the block is probably not going to do the best job, so look for a professional, not just Jimmy down the street who is HVAC certified. Keep records of HVAC service. One day if you sell the house, documents of well-maintained large components will help with the salability of the home.

Regulations Amending the Energy Efficiency of Gas Furnaces

Regulations Amending the Energy Efficiency Regulations

Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) has sent a message to manufacturers and installers of gas furnaces in Canada.

What this means to Canadian consumers:

Gas furnaces installed in Canada effective December 12, 2019 must meet the new minimum requirements as described in the Energy Efficiency Act. Consumers need to be aware that less efficient units may be flooding the market in manufacturer’s attempts to liquidate their old stock.

Message from the HRAI: This message is intended to clarify the new requirements for residential gas furnaces contained in Amendment 15 to the federal Energy Efficiency Regulations, which was published in the Canada Gazette II on June 12, 2019. NRCan has advised HRAI that they have been hearing about some confusion in the field about the new requirements.

The federal government has set the new minimum standard for gas furnaces at 95% AFUE. Effective December 12, 2019, any product with a date of manufacture after July 3, 2019, must meet the 95% AFUE level.

As an example, after December 12, 2019, a 90% AFUE furnace that was manufactured on August 2nd cannot be shipped into the country or across provincial borders for the purpose of sale or lease.

For product manufactured in Canada, shipments will be subject to the federal regulation at any provincial border. Where provincial regulations exist for those products, they would apply well.

About the Regulation:

Regulations Amending the Energy Efficiency Regulations
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2019/2019-06-12/html/sor-dors164-eng.html

About HRAI:

Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) is a non-profit national trade association of manufacturers, wholesalers and contractors in the Canadian heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) industries.

Time for a new furnace?

Get $250 off a new high-efficiency furnace from Unionville Heating and Air Conditioning

Get $250 back when you replace your furnace with a new high-efficiency model.*

Reduces home heating costs by 25% per year.

Your new central heating system must have an Electronically Commutated Motor (ECM).

Improve home comfort and indoor air quality while reducing home heating costs when you make the switch.

Why updgrade to an ECM?

Every furnace uses and electronic fan to circulate warm air throughout your home, whether the furnace is electric, natural gas, oil or propane.

An electronically commutated motor (ECM) is a more energy-efficient fan motor for your furnace.

Benefits of an ECM

Lower electricity usage
More even temperatures
Quieter operation

Unionville Heating and Air-conditioning is a participating contractor in this Hydro One rebate program. Contact us to find out more and book an appointment. *Must be replacing an existing system and be equipped with an ECM. Program ends March 31, 2019.

Garage Heater Installation