Natural gas furnaces need adequate space and airflow to run correctly.

Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough space. It also makes it difficult for our professionals to accomplish furnace repair.

Routine furnace maintenance is essential to keep your unit working trouble-free. An annually serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could lower your energy costs.

Related: How Does Furnace Maintenance Impact the Energy Efficiency of Your Home?

Maintenance often helps us notice troubles before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair costs and potentially prolong the life of your system.

So how much clearance should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re remodeling your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer directions and Justin ordinances for clearance rules.

As a general suggestion, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service technicians to comfortably replace it.

You also need to check the space has ample airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an aging furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This model of furnace needs combustion air from the nearby location. If there’s not enough air, hazardous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

If your furnace is placed in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to add extra openings. This could consist of a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.

You don’t need to consider airflow and ventilation as much if you have a up-to-date, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your unit uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.

Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms are often also used for laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of items that could be fire hazards.

This includes:

  • Clotheslines
  • Cleaning or laundry products
  • Gasoline, paint or paint thinner
  • Rags and papers
  • Wood scraps and sawdust
  • Used filters

If you have a cat, place your litter box elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the stinky odors throughout your home.

You should also frequently clean around your furnace to block dust from building up.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Justin, Pepper AC & Heat can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 940-202-1184 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.