Can I Add Air Conditioning to My Propane Furnace?

Central Heating is Required

• Examine your propane furnace. Is it a central furnace? Does it heat throughout the house using a system of ducts to spread the air? If it does not, then you cannot install air conditioning. Central furnaces are marked by their ability to spread heat throughout the house, and air conditioners use this same system of vents to spread the air. If you do not have these vents, the air conditioner cannot work. You can have the necessary ductwork installed, but since ducts run through all areas of the house and through many walls, installing ductwork in a pre-existing house will be very expensive.

  Look at the areas nearby the central furnace, both outside and inside. Do you have enough room to install other components? Check to see if you have a floor drain underneath your furnace. If not, you will need to install a pump to move condensate water away from the system, so measure out room for the pump. Part of the air conditioner, including the condenser, will need to be installed outside, so choose an area that is level, free of bushes and next to one of your outer walls. If you do not have such an area, you will probably not be able to install the air conditioning system.

Learning More About Your System

• Begin the installation process by calling a professional HVAC contractor. These contractors specialize in the installation of air conditioning systems in a variety of locations and will be able to offer you invaluable advice. Ask them about codes in your area, and how wide the ducts will need to be to properly fit with an air conditioning system. Determine the square footage of your house and give that information to the contractor so that together you can choose the right size of air conditioner for the job. Count the number of conductors coming from your furnace. If there are four conductors, the furnace should be able to accommodate most air conditioning systems. If there are only two, you may need to pull additional wiring. Check your main electrical panel and make sure it has enough room for a pole breaker for the conditioner system. All these factors will need to be adjusted if they are insufficient for an air conditioning system.