Natural gas furnaces need sufficient space and airflow to run right.

Your furnace can shut down if it doesn’t have enough room. It also makes it challenging for our professionals to accomplish furnace repair.

Annual furnace maintenance is important to keep your equipment working trouble-free. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could reduce your energy expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice problems before they become expensive. This could help lessen future repair bills and possibly prolong the life of your furnace.

So how much room should your system really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re remodeling your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should research manufacturer directions and Litchfield Park laws for clearance requirements.

As a general rule of thumb, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This allows our service professionals to easily replace it.

You also need to make sure the room has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an aging furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This kind of furnace pulls combustion air from the surrounding location. If there’s insufficient air, dangerous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

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

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

Keep Flammable Items A Safe Distance from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms double as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of things 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, situate your litter box somewhere else. 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 sweep near your furnace to stop dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Litchfield Park, Cooler Tymes LLC can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 623-208-6444 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment right away.