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

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

Regular furnace maintenance is essential to keep your unit operating trouble-free. An annually serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could decrease your heating bills.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover troubles before they begin. This could help lessen future repair costs and likely prolong the life of your system.

So how much area should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re updating your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer instructions and South Beloit and Belvidere statutes for clearance guidelines.

As a general recommendation, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service professionals to conveniently repair 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 model 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 placed in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to put in more 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 newer, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your unit uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to pull in 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, put your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the smelly odors around your home.

You should also frequently clean near your furnace to prevent 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 South Beloit and Belvidere, Fleming Heating & Air Conditioning Inc can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 877-389-2465 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.