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

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

Regular furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your equipment running trouble-free. A regularly serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could decrease your heating costs.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice problems before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair costs and likely prolong the life of your furnace.

So how much clearance should your equipment 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 instructions and Auburn and Opelika statutes for clearance requirements.

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

You also need to make sure the area has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This type of furnace draws combustion air from the nearby location. If there’s inadequate air, hazardous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

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

You don’t need to assess airflow and ventilation as much if you have a up-to-date, 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 Separate 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 somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the stinky odors around your home.

You should also frequently sweep by your furnace to block dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request a Free Quote for Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Auburn and Opelika, Farnell Mechanical, Inc. can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 334-524-2458 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment now.