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

Your furnace can overheat if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it hard for our specialists to accomplish furnace repair.

Regular furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment operating trouble-free. A regularly serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could reduce your utility expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover issues before they start. This could help reduce future repair expenses and potentially prolong the life of your unit.

So how much area should your furnace 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 directions and Odessa statutes for clearance guidelines.

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

You also need to check the room has ample 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 draws combustion air from the nearby location. If there’s inadequate air, unsafe gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

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

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

Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms double 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, situate your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the smelly odors all over your home.

You should also frequently sweep near 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 regular maintenance in Odessa, Redhawk Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 432-237-0168 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment now.