Natural gas furnaces need enough space and airflow to work properly.
Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it challenging for our professionals to perform furnace repair.
Regular furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your unit running smoothly. A routinely serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could reduce your energy costs.
Related: How Does Furnace Maintenance Impact the Energy Efficiency of Your Home?
Maintenance often helps us notice troubles before they start. This could help lessen future repair bills and likely lengthen the life of your furnace.
So how much room should your furnace really have?
How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?
If you’re remodeling your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer directions and Logan statutes for clearance guidelines.
As a general suggestion, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service technicians to conveniently work on it.
You also need to make sure the room has enough airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an older furnace with a metal flue.
Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider
This type of furnace pulls combustion air from the nearby area. If there’s not enough air, dangerous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.
If your furnace is located in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to add extra openings. This could involve a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.
Uncertain if your furnace or water heater has adequate ventilation? We can help!
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You don’t need to consider airflow and ventilation as much if you have a modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your system uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to add air.
Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace
Although furnace rooms function as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of clutter 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 smelly odors around your home.
You should also frequently clean around your furnace to stop dust from accumulating.
Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?
Request Expert Furnace Service
Whether you want furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Logan, Western Mechanical, Inc. can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any HVAC model or brand.
Call us at 435-753-5515 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment right away.