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

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

Routine furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment running smoothly. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could lower your heating expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us spot issues before they start. This could help lower future repair bills and possibly lengthen the life of your system.

So how much area should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re finishing your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer instructions and Houston ordinances for clearance rules.

As a general rule of thumb, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service technicians to easily work on 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You also need to make sure the area has enough airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.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 type of furnace needs combustion air from the surrounding space. If there’s not enough air, unsafe gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could leak 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.

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 unit uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to add air.

Keep Flammable Items 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 elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the stinky odors all over your home.

You should also frequently vacuum around your furnace to prevent 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 regular maintenance in Houston, 249 Air can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 832-263-1969 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment now.