Yelm Garage Furnace Installation | Trane High-Efficiency Upgrade in 98597

The Challenge

The heating system in this Yelm home had reached the end of its useful life. The existing furnace was operating at only 80% AFUE, meaning nearly one in five BTUs of gas burned was going to waste. The ductwork was in poor shape as well, with visible wear that was affecting both airflow and efficiency.

The homeowner needed a full solution, not just a furnace swap. That meant addressing the ductwork at the same time to ensure the new system could actually perform the way it was designed to.

What this job required:

• Replace an aging 80% efficiency gas furnace in a garage-based location
• Upgrade deteriorated ductwork to restore proper airflow
• Install a new high-efficiency flue system suited to a condensing furnace
• Add improved air filtration to support better indoor air quality
• Manage condensate drainage with a dedicated pump

Our Solution

Pacific installed a Trane S9X2 two-stage gas furnace rated at 96% AFUE, a significant efficiency jump from the old 80% unit. The system was configured for a downflow application in the garage and vented with a new sidewall PVC flue kit designed specifically for high-efficiency condensing furnaces. A condensate pump was added to route moisture drainage cleanly away from the unit.

The old ductwork was also addressed as part of the project, giving the new system a clean, properly flowing path to every room in the home. An Aprilaire MERV 11 air cleaner was installed to improve filtration and help keep the equipment running cleanly over time.

The installation team included Technicians Jesse Hill, David Malcher, and Evan Horst.

Equipment List

• Gas Furnace: Trane 96 Stage Gas Furnace, two-stage, 96% AFUE, ECM Constant Torque motor, downflow configuration, 38,800 BTU output, 17.5” cabinet width
• Air Cleaner: Aprilaire MERV 11 Air Cleaner, 4” media filter for improved whole-home filtration
• Venting: 2” Sidewall Vent Kit, horizontal PVC intake and exhaust for high-efficiency condensing applications
• Condensate Management: Condensate pump with 20-foot lift capacity for reliable moisture drainage

Performance and Comfort Benefits

• Moving from 80% to 96% AFUE means more heat from every dollar of gas burned and lower monthly energy costs
• Two-stage heating adjusts output based on demand, keeping temperatures more even throughout the home and reducing the loud on-off cycling of a single-stage system
• The ECM Constant Torque motor runs quietly and efficiently, using significantly less electricity than a standard blower motor
• Ductwork improvements mean airflow reaches every room as intended, not just the spaces closest to the furnace
• The Aprilaire MERV 11 filter captures particles that a standard 1” filter misses, supporting cleaner air for the household and protecting the new equipment
• A dedicated condensate pump keeps moisture managed cleanly, which is critical for garage-based equipment

Why This Matters for Yelm Homeowners

Yelm sits in the southern Thurston County corridor, where winters are reliably cold and heating systems work hard from October through April. Homes in this part of Western Washington often have older gas furnaces that were installed when 80% AFUE was the standard. Those systems have done their job, but they leave real money on the table every heating season compared to today’s high-efficiency options.

Garage-installed furnaces bring their own considerations. The unit needs to handle temperature swings in an unconditioned space, proper venting is critical given combustion air requirements, and the physical installation often requires more planning than a closet or utility room setup. Pacific’s engineering and installation teams do this work regularly across Thurston and Pierce counties, which means the planning, permitting, and code compliance work gets handled correctly the first time.

Ductwork condition is also something homeowners often overlook when planning a furnace replacement. Installing a high-efficiency furnace on a duct system that can’t support proper airflow is like buying a new engine for a car with a clogged exhaust. Addressing both at once, as Pacific did here, is the right approach to get the full benefit of the upgrade.