Installer coming Tuesday Goodman GMH950904cx

[branson]

I was talking to my installer when my new unit arrived. We unboxed the unit and I signed for it. The installer's helper was finishing up the ductwork in the basement and we were talking so I asked what was left. He said to me that he would attach the final ductwork to the side of the furnace with the air cleaner. I asked him how the air got from the air cleaner into the furnace and he said he would cut a hole in the side panel. I was like "OK, see you Tuesday." I got to thinking about it so I looked at the unit and I don't see any markings on the side of this thing that say "cut hole here" and then I looked at the manual and it there is a picture in the diagram that says cut-out but the dimensions damn sure don't match the size of my 25X20-25x10 return air boot. In fact the boot doesn't look like it's the same size as the Goodman air cleaner. I started to panic. That's when I found this site and then I read the thread by oldgoodman. I'm thinking about calling the installer up and grilling him this hole cutting business but I don't want to be an a-hole if I'm wrong. Is cutting a hole in the side panel of the unit standard practice? Am I missing some special air entry side panel? I'd rather have to get a new installer instead of a new furnace.

[catmanacman]

it's ok to cut the furnace although I would rather sit the furnace on a base can if height is not problem

[AJS HVAC]

With the size of the evaporators now, your lucky to have space for a humidifier.

[BaldLoonie]

GMH? Get a REAL 2 stage, at least a GMVC!

Yes, there usually are markings on the side for the cutout.

[pwg11386]

it IS standard practice to cut into the side of the blower section of the furnace. Only in an upright vertical orientation though, which i'm sure is what you have. If there's room, i would ask the installer to make a short sheetmetal transition between the filter and furnace, but if not, it is acceptable to attach the air cleaner directly to the furnace even if the sizes dont exactly match.

[beenthere]

Last Goodman I did, you could barely see the marks on the side. Its norm al to cut out one or both of the sides for the return.

[hvacvegas]

Last Goodman I did, you could barely see the marks on the side. Its norm al to cut out one or both of the sides for the return.

Also, those marks aren't the minimum and maximum area. You can go a little bigger.

The reason oldgoodmans setup is weird, is because they came through the bottom (which you can do), and had to patch the side for some reason.

The only side you can't cut a return in, is on the back of the unit.

[HVACTechNC]

If space permits I would ask him to set the furnace on a return box and have the ductwork tied into that with the air cleaner mounted to the return box. If there isn't enough space then they can attach it directly to the furnace...