Natural gas furnaces need sufficient space and airflow to heat right.
Your furnace can shut down if it doesn’t have enough room. It also makes it difficult for our specialists to accomplish furnace repair.
Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment operating well. An annually serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could decrease your energy bills.
Related: How Does Furnace Maintenance Impact the Energy Efficiency of Your Home?
Maintenance often helps us notice issues before they begin. This could help reduce future repair expenses and possibly extend the life of your system.
So how much area should your system really have?
How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?
If you’re updating your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer instructions and Monroe statutes for clearance rules.
As a general rule of thumb, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service technicians to conveniently work on it.
You also need to ensure the area has ample airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.
Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider
This kind of furnace pulls combustion air from the nearby location. If there’s inadequate air, hazardous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.
If your furnace is located in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to install more openings. This could involve 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 newer, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to pull 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, put your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the stinky odors all over your home.
You should also frequently sweep by your furnace to stop dust from accumulating.
Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?
Request Expert Furnace Service
Whether you have to have furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Monroe, Lanz Furnace and Fireplace can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any furnace model or brand.
Call us at 608-291-3606 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment today.
