Natural gas furnaces need enough space and airflow to work right.
Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough space. It also makes it hard for our specialists to complete furnace repair.
Routine furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment working well. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could reduce your energy bills.
Related: How Does Furnace Maintenance Impact the Energy Efficiency of Your Home?
Maintenance often helps us spot issues before they begin. This could help reduce future repair bills and possibly prolong the life of your furnace.
So how much area should your system really have?
How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?
If you’re finishing your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer specifications and Hodgenville ordinances for clearance rules.
As a general rule of thumb, your heater should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This allows our service professionals to easily repair it.
You also need to check 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 kind of furnace draws combustion air from the surrounding location. If there’s not enough air, unsafe gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.
If your furnace is placed in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to add extra openings. This could consist of a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.
Unsure if your furnace or water heater has enough ventilation? We can assist you!
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You don’t need to consider 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 add air.
Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace
Although furnace rooms function 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, put your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the smelly odors around your home.
You should also regularly sweep around your furnace to block dust from accumulating.
Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?
Request Expert Furnace Service
Whether you want furnace replacement or routine maintenance in Hodgenville, Phelps Heating & Cooling can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any HVAC model or brand.
Call us at 270-358-3167 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.