Knowing the disadvantages of attic install and the crawl space install.
Hvac in attic or crawl space.
Installing a heating ventilation and air conditioning hvac unit in a crawl space presents an entire series of pros and cons.
If there is a dirt or gravel floor put down a vapor barrier then seal it off with concrete slurry.
After understanding what benefits and detractions are in place a homeowner can make an informed decision whether to place or not to place an hvac unit in the crawl space.
I vote for the attic.
It s one thing to install hvac in a crawl space during construction but 15 20 years in the future after your flooring above that crawlspace is installed it s going to be tough to replace a hvac unit in a 36 tall crawl space.
Strap ducts out of insulation with 3 ductstraps per specifications.
In that case the condenser is located outside and the air handler located inside the house attic garage or crawl space.
Insulate the exterior walls.
While the attic install isn t ideal it beats the problems that come with ducts.
The evaporator coil is in the air handler.
There can be moisture issues in the crawlspace but i would deal with that before choosing to put the ducting in the attic.
Now your sealed and insulated attic and your hvac duct system is protected from extreme temperatures like your crawlspace or basement.
A heat pump can either be a package system which has one cabinet mounted against foundation or on rooftop or it can be a split system with two cabinets.
That same ac system that could never cool your bedrooms now with a sealed and insulated attic is providing supply airflow temperatures on par with the same unit located under a house.
Having your hvac system in your attic isn t dire though you ll need to do some work to keep your air conditioner or furnace system running as efficiently as possible.
27 reviews of attic bright hvac services crawl space solutions my family and i have had a rodent problem in our attic for which some time now and we ve constantly been trying to handle it on our own but it just wasn t good enough.
And you win big time.
Insulate and air seal the floor with open cell foam put ductwork and mechanicals in the attic install a radiant barrier and mastic seal the ducts.
A crawl space by nature is a special area of the home having both benefits and detractions when locating a unit.
Throw some heat cooling down there and turn it into conditioned space.