Natural gas furnaces need enough space and airflow to heat right.
Your furnace can overheat if it doesn’t have enough room. It also makes it hard for our technicians to accomplish furnace repair.
Routine furnace maintenance is essential to keep your system operating trouble-free. A routinely serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could lower your energy bills.
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 expenses and possibly lengthen the life of your furnace.
So how much clearance should your furnace really have?
How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?
If you’re finishing your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer directions and Franklin Lakes ordinances for clearance guidelines.
As a general recommendation, your heater should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service experts to easily repair it.
You also need to make sure the space 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 adjacent area. If there’s inadequate air, hazardous gas fumes and deadly 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 more openings. This could consist of a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.
Not sure if your furnace or water heater has adequate ventilation? We can assist you!
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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 pull in air.
Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace
Although furnace rooms are often also used for 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, put your litter box elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the smelly odors all over your home.
You should also regularly vacuum by your furnace to block dust from building up.
Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?
Request Expert Furnace Service
Whether you want furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Franklin Lakes, Total Comfort can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any heating equipment model or brand.
Call us at 201-268-5663 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment now.