My garage came with a gas furnace hung from the trusses. It's quite effective. I am wanting to work on insulating the walls and put up wall cover and plan on using 4x8 sheets of what is effectively whiteboard for the majority of the garage. But what about here? Distance from the front opening where heat is passed to the stud nearby is 8.5 inches. Should I consider something like aluminum thermal shield like what is used around automotive exhaust components? Is drywall the better solution for around the furnace?
Here's the setup;
Drywall has some heat resistant properties. Building codes allow it to be a heat barrier. I would drywall, then add a small metal shield in the most heat prone area (maybe even with small standoff).
YMMV
I like the standoff idea. Could the standoff be steel under the aluminum heat shield or is steel too thermally conductive?
Duke
MegaDork
10/26/22 1:13 p.m.
Call Lennox and ask what the minimum clear space is around that model unit heater.
You may not even need anything over the drywall.
There should be a label on that thing showing minimum allowable clearances to combustible materials.
On a new unit, it's 1" top and sides. 18" back and bottom, 18" to the access panel and 6" to the flue.
You shouldn't have any issues with drywall as long as the clearances are observed.
Would the (I think) concrete board used in shower stalls resist heat better? Agree with Toyman's suggestion, safety first!
When I installed my wood-burning fireplace, it didn't call for anything other than X inches of clearance to combustibles, but I went the extra mile and lined the cavity with 1/4" Hardiebacker.
If you're doing something highly conductive like metal, yes... definitely standoffs to keep an airspace. That is, if you need anything at all.
