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

Your furnace can overheat if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it challenging for our professionals to perform furnace repair.

Regular furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your unit operating well. An annually serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could lower your utility expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us spot troubles before they start. This could help reduce future repair costs and likely lengthen the life of your unit.

So how much room should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re remodeling your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should research manufacturer directions and Arlington statutes for clearance rules.

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

You also need to check the room has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an aging furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This kind of furnace pulls combustion air from the nearby space. If there’s insufficient air, hazardous 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 more openings. This could involve a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.

You don’t need to assess 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 add air.

Keep Hazardous Items Separate from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of things 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 in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the unpleasant odors all over your home.

You should also frequently vacuum 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 need furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Arlington, Service Max Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 360-255-5857 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.