Natural gas furnaces need enough space and airflow to heat right.

Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it challenging for our technicians to perform furnace repair.

Annual furnace maintenance is important to keep your unit running well. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could decrease your utility costs.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover issues before they begin. This could help lessen future repair costs and likely lengthen the life of your unit.

So how much area should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re remodeling your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer directions and West Jefferson statutes for clearance requirements.

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

You also need to make sure the room has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This type of furnace pulls combustion air from the nearby space. If there’s insufficient air, hazardous gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

If your furnace is placed in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to add more 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 modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to add air.

Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function as 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, put your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the smelly odors around your home.

You should also routinely vacuum by your furnace to stop dust from building up.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

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

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