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

Your furnace can overheat if it doesn’t have enough space. It also makes it difficult for our specialists to perform furnace repair.

Routine furnace maintenance is important to keep your unit running smoothly. A regularly serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could reduce your utility 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 bills and potentially extend the life of your furnace.

So how much clearance should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re updating your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer instructions and Lexington ordinances for clearance rules.

As a general rule of thumb, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service professionals to easily replace it.

You also need to ensure the space has ample 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 adjacent location. If there’s inadequate air, dangerous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

If your furnace is located in a small 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.

You don’t need to consider airflow and ventilation as much if you have a modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your unit uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to pull in air.

Keep Hazardous Items Separate from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of clutter 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, situate your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the unpleasant odors throughout your home.

You should also frequently clean by your furnace to prevent 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 regular maintenance in Lexington, James Heating & A/C, Inc can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 336-853-6070 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment today.