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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment working smoothly. A regularly serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could decrease your energy expenses.

Related: How Does Furnace Maintenance Impact the Energy Efficiency of Your Home?

Maintenance often helps us discover troubles before they begin. This could help lessen future repair bills and potentially prolong the life of your furnace.

So how much area should your system really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re finishing your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer directions and Lincoln ordinances for clearance guidelines.

As a general recommendation, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This allows our service technicians to comfortably replace it.

You also need to make sure the area has enough airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This model of furnace pulls combustion air from the surrounding location. If there’s insufficient air, hazardous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

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

You don’t need to consider 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 Flammable Items Separate from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of items 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 elsewhere. 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 routinely vacuum around your furnace to block dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Lincoln, AW Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any HVAC model or brand.

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