Natural gas furnaces need enough space and airflow to heat right.

Your furnace can shut down if it doesn’t have enough room. It also makes it challenging for our technicians to accomplish furnace repair.

Routine furnace maintenance is important to keep your equipment operating trouble-free. An annually serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could decrease your energy costs.

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 lessen future repair costs and potentially prolong the life of your unit.

So how much clearance should your system really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re updating your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer specifications and Lincoln statutes for clearance guidelines.

As a general suggestion, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service professionals to conveniently repair it.

You also need to check the area has enough 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 nearby area. If there’s inadequate air, unsafe gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

If your furnace is placed in a small room with a gas water heater, you may need to install supplemental openings. This could consist of a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.

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

Keep Hazardous Items A Safe Distance 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 somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the stinky odors all over your home.

You should also frequently sweep near your furnace to stop dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you want furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Lincoln, AW Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 402-438-7992 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment now.