Natural gas furnaces need adequate space and airflow to work correctly.

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

Regular furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment running smoothly. A regularly serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could lower your energy bills.

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

Maintenance often helps us spot problems before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair bills and possibly extend the life of your unit.

So how much area should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re updating your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer instructions and Lawrence laws for clearance rules.

As a general recommendation, your system 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 check the room has enough airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an aging furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This kind of furnace needs combustion air from the adjacent location. If there’s not enough air, dangerous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is placed in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to put in extra openings. This could involve a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.

You don’t need to assess 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 draw in air.

Keep Flammable Items A Safe Distance 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, situate your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the stinky odors all over your home.

You should also routinely vacuum by your furnace to stop dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Lawrence, Scott Temperature can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 785-269-0465 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.