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 hard for our professionals to complete furnace repair.

Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your system working smoothly. An annually serviced furnace may work 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 issues before they begin. This could help reduce future repair costs and likely extend the life of your system.

So how much clearance should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re finishing your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should research manufacturer directions and Lexington laws for clearance rules.

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

You also need to make sure the room has ample 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 space. If there’s inadequate air, hazardous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a small room with a gas water heater, you may need to install supplemental openings. This could include 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 up-to-date, 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 Separate from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms double 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 elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the unpleasant odors all over your home.

You should also routinely clean near your furnace to block dust from building up.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or routine maintenance in Lexington, James Heating & A/C, Inc can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 336-853-6070 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.