Depending on the components involved, moving parts of your home’s HVAC system can be a complicated and costly task. Because of the importance and complexity of your heating and cooling system, it’s essential that a skilled, certified professional handle any HVAC relocation.
When HVAC Relocation Makes Good Sense
Moving an HVAC system component can be beneficial or even necessary in certain situations, such as these:
- You want to change the location of your furnace in order to remodel your basement into finished living space.
- You’re planning updates like a home addition, swimming pool or new deck, or redesigning your landscaping.
- You want to relocate the outdoor unit so it’s no longer visible from the street.
Possible Drawbacks of Relocating HVAC
There are two potential downsides to relocating your HVAC:
Difficulty
It can take considerable time and labour to move an HVAC component, and it’s a job that must be handled by trained and experienced technicians to ensure the system isn’t damaged and works properly afterwards. To help you understand the difficulty, here are some of the steps that may be necessary when moving a furnace/air handler, indoor evaporator or outdoor condenser/compressor unit:
- Pumping out refrigerant and extending or replacing the copper lines.
- Re-positioning and levelling the unit.
- Disconnecting, extending and reconnecting any electrical wiring.
- Clearing out moisture from the refrigerant lines to prevent flow issues.
- Recharging the system with refrigerant and testing for leaks.
- Disconnecting, modifying and then reattaching the fuel lines, supply and return ductwork, and vent system.
- Completing various checks and tests to make sure the system is operating efficiently and safely after the relocation is complete.
Cost
The cost of an HVAC equipment relocation can vary greatly, based on the components being moved, the materials used, and the amount of time the task takes. For an accurate cost estimate, your HVAC contractor will need to assess your current system and planned changes.
If you’re considering an HVAC relocation in your Calgary home, contact us at Arpi’s Industries for expert advice.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide.
