Natural gas furnaces need enough space and airflow to work properly.

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

Routine furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your unit operating smoothly. An annually serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could decrease your energy costs.

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

Maintenance often helps us spot issues before they start. This could help lower future repair expenses and possibly extend the life of your system.

So how much clearance should your system really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re updating your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer instructions and Mobile statutes for clearance requirements.

As a general suggestion, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service experts to easily repair 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 adjacent location. If there’s inadequate air, hazardous gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

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

You don’t need to think about 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 double 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, situate your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the stinky odors throughout your home.

You should also frequently sweep by your furnace to stop 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 Mobile, Farnell Heating & Air Conditioning Inc can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 251-471-2674 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment now.