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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is important to keep your equipment operating well. A routinely 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 discover problems before they begin. This could help reduce future repair costs and possibly prolong the life of your furnace.

So how much area should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re remodeling your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer instructions and Bishop ordinances for clearance requirements.

As a general suggestion, your heater 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 space has enough 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 nearby location. If there’s not enough air, hazardous gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is placed in a small room with a gas water heater, you may need to add supplemental 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 newer, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your unit uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to add 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, put your litter box elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the smelly odors around your home.

You should also frequently vacuum around your furnace to prevent dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Bishop, Bishop Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 760-784-9034 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment now.