Natural gas furnaces need sufficient space and airflow to heat properly.

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

Regular furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your equipment working well. A regularly serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could decrease your utility costs.

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

Maintenance often helps us spot problems before they start. This could help reduce future repair costs and possibly lengthen the life of your unit.

So how much area should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re updating your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer directions and Monroe ordinances for clearance rules.

As a general recommendation, your heater should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service professionals to comfortably work on it.

You also need to make sure the space has enough airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This model of furnace pulls combustion air from the surrounding space. If there’s insufficient air, hazardous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

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

You don’t need to consider 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 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, place your litter box elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the stinky odors around your home.

You should also frequently clean by your furnace to block dust from building up.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you want 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 set up an appointment today.