Natural gas furnaces need sufficient space and airflow to heat properly.
Your furnace can overheat if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it difficult for our professionals to perform furnace repair.
Regular furnace maintenance is essential to keep your system working well. A routinely serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could lower your energy costs.
Related: How Does Furnace Maintenance Impact the Energy Efficiency of Your Home?
Maintenance often helps us spot problems before they begin. This could help lessen future repair costs and likely extend the life of your unit.
So how much area should your system really have?
How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?
If you’re remodeling your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer directions and Wausau statutes for clearance requirements.
As a general rule of thumb, your heater should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This allows our service professionals to comfortably repair it.
You also need to ensure the area has ample airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an older furnace with a metal flue.
Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider
This model of furnace pulls combustion air from the nearby space. If there’s not enough air, hazardous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.
If your furnace is placed in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to install more openings. This could involve a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.
Uncertain if your furnace or water heater has adequate ventilation? We can assist you!
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You don’t need to consider airflow and ventilation as much if you have a modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your system uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.
Keep Combustible Materials Away 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, situate your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the stinky odors throughout your home.
You should also routinely sweep near your furnace to block dust from developing.
Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?
Request Expert Furnace Service
Whether you want furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Wausau, Gilray Heating and Cooling can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any HVAC model or brand.
Call us at 715-301-0727 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.