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

Your furnace can shut down if it doesn’t have enough space. It also makes it challenging for our specialists to perform furnace repair.

Regular furnace maintenance is important to keep your unit running trouble-free. A regularly serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could lower your energy costs.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover issues before they begin. This could help lower future repair costs and possibly extend the life of your unit.

So how much area should your system really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re updating your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer instructions and Huntingburg ordinances for clearance requirements.

As a general rule of thumb, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service technicians to comfortably replace it.

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

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This model of furnace pulls combustion air from the surrounding location. If there’s inadequate air, unsafe gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is positioned 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.

You don’t need to assess 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 pull in air.

Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms double as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of items 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 spread the stinky odors all over your home.

You should also frequently vacuum near 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 have to have furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Huntingburg, Dearing's Service & Solutions can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 812-200-5844 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment today.