# Gas furnace in the attic?



## nick13 (Jul 6, 2010)

I have a 75,000 BTU gas furnace which heats the lower floor of my 1400 sq.ft. house through forced hot air ducts. The upstairs has electric heat which I'm getting rid of. I wanted to run ductwork upstairs but I was told it would be too difficult because of the plaster walls. A friend told me to add another furnace in the attic and run the ductwork from there, it's a pretty common thing. So my house would have 2 zones which is great and could eventually add central air. Is it common to have a gas furnace in the attic? Is it for whatever reason dangerous? What would be the pros and cons? Would I need some sort of ventilation up there? Thanks.


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## rander (Jul 6, 2010)

Having a furnace in the attic space is very common in many areas of the country. Most HVAC manufacturers make attic models and most dealers/installers can set them up correctly.  However there are some problems with the arrangement. One big one is that the attic is usually an unheated space and the ductwork must be well insulated and sealed to prevent a lot of heat loss and expense. Another is that unless you have good access it can be a bear of a job to install and service an attic furnace.  On the positive side they are usually pretty easy to vent and a lot easier to install duct work for the upper floor.


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