Natural gas furnaces need adequate space and airflow to run right.
Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it hard for our technicians to perform furnace repair.
Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your system operating smoothly. A regularly serviced furnace may heat 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 troubles before they begin. This could help lessen future repair costs and potentially prolong the life of your system.
So how much room should your equipment really have?
How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?
If you’re updating your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer instructions and Bishop statutes for clearance rules.
As a general suggestion, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service experts to easily repair it.
You also need to ensure the space 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 draws combustion air from the surrounding location. If there’s insufficient air, unsafe gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.
If your furnace is placed in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to install more openings. This could consist of a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.
Uncertain if your furnace or water heater has enough ventilation? We can help!
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You don’t need to think about airflow and ventilation as much if you have a modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.
Keep Combustible Materials Away 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 somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the unpleasant odors all over your home.
You should also routinely vacuum by 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 regular maintenance in Bishop, Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any furnace model or brand.
Call us at 760-784-9034 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment today.