Natural gas furnaces need enough space and airflow to run correctly.
Your furnace can shut down if it doesn’t have enough space. It also makes it hard for our professionals to complete furnace repair.
Regular furnace maintenance is important to keep your unit operating smoothly. An annually serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could decrease your heating expenses.
Related: How Does Furnace Maintenance Impact the Energy Efficiency of Your Home?
Maintenance often helps us discover troubles before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair expenses and potentially prolong the life of your furnace.
So how much room should your furnace really have?
How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?
If you’re updating your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer specifications and Houston ordinances for clearance guidelines.
As a general suggestion, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service technicians to easily repair it.
You also need to check the space has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.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 pulls combustion air from the surrounding location. If there’s not enough air, unsafe gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.
If your furnace is positioned in a small room with a gas water heater, you may need to install extra openings. This could involve a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.
Uncertain if your furnace or water heater has proper ventilation? We can take a look!
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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, place your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the stinky odors all over your home.
You should also frequently 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 annual maintenance in Houston, Marcos AC & Heating can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any heating equipment model or brand.
Call us at 713-469-3357 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.