Are you thinking about finishing or remodeling your basement? If you are, you may be looking at the location of your furnace and water heater and wondering if you could move them. This is a common thought and we often get asked if it is possible to move a furnace and water heater to a different spot in the basement. Most of our clients wonder if they could move the units either closer to the exterior wall or to the middle of the basement. While every house is unique and we can’t say for sure for your home, here are some things to consider:
- Overall, moving your water heater and furnace to a different spot in your basement can be quite expensive. The most expensive part of moving your units comes from the labor involved with changing plumbing, ductwork, drains and vents.
- When you move your water heater there are several things to tackle. Your contractor would have to move the gas pipe and the drain in case your water heater breaks.
- If your furnace is closer to a wall, there is good reason for it. You need to have a vent for your furnace to the outside to prevent carbon monoxide in your home. Furnaces that are located in the middle of the basement may have to be vented through the roof, which can be very pricey to install or even impossible.
- The last thing to consider is your air conditioner. Remember that the coil that sits on top of your furnace is piped outside to your air conditioner. Moving the furnace requires a new pipe to your AC, which isn’t always possible.
If you have any questions about moving your furnace and water heater in your home, please contact Dan with Sensible Heating today at 720.876.7166 or email him at [email protected].
