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

Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it hard for our specialists to accomplish furnace repair.

Regular furnace maintenance is essential to keep your system operating smoothly. A routinely serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could reduce your utility costs.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover problems before they start. This could help reduce future repair costs and potentially extend the life of your unit.

So how much clearance should your system really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re remodeling your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer specifications and West Jefferson statutes for clearance rules.

As a general recommendation, your heater should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service experts to easily replace it.

You also need to ensure the space 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 type of furnace needs combustion air from the adjacent area. If there’s insufficient air, hazardous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to put in more openings. This could include 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 system uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to add air.

Keep Flammable Items Separate from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function 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 in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the smelly odors throughout your home.

You should also routinely clean near your furnace to prevent dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or regular maintenance in West Jefferson, West Jefferson Plumbing and Heating, Inc. can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 614-879-9091 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment today.