Natural gas furnaces need sufficient space and airflow to work properly.

Your furnace can shut down if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it difficult for our specialists to complete furnace repair.

Regular furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment working smoothly. An annually serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could reduce your heating bills.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover issues before they become expensive. This could help lower future repair bills and possibly lengthen the life of your unit.

So how much clearance should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re finishing your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer specifications and Dresden laws for clearance requirements.

As a general recommendation, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This allows our service technicians to conveniently repair it.

You also need to make sure the room has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.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 needs combustion air from the adjacent space. If there’s not enough air, dangerous gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

If your furnace is placed in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to put in more openings. This could consist of 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 unit uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.

Keep Combustible Materials A Safe Distance 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, put your litter box elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the stinky odors throughout your home.

You should also routinely vacuum around your furnace to block dust from building up.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or routine maintenance in Dresden, McFadden Heating & Cooling can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 519-683-2339 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment now.