Natural gas furnaces need adequate space and airflow to heat right.
Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it difficult for our specialists to perform furnace repair.
Routine furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment working smoothly. A regularly serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could decrease your energy expenses.
Related: How Does Furnace Maintenance Impact the Energy Efficiency of Your Home?
Maintenance often helps us spot problems before they begin. This could help reduce future repair bills and possibly lengthen the life of your unit.
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 directions and Holdrege 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 comfortably replace it.
You also need to ensure the space has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an older furnace with a metal flue.
Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider
This kind of furnace pulls combustion air from the adjacent space. If there’s not enough air, unsafe gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.
If your furnace is placed in a small room with a gas water heater, you may need to install extra openings. This could involve 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 furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.
Keep Combustible Materials Away 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 somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the smelly odors throughout your home.
You should also routinely clean near your furnace to prevent dust from accumulating.
Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?
Request Expert Furnace Service
Whether you want furnace replacement or routine maintenance in Holdrege, Durable Service can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any heating equipment model or brand.
Call us at 308-995-8177 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.
