Natural gas furnaces need sufficient space and airflow to heat right.

Your furnace can shut down if it doesn’t have enough room. It also makes it difficult for our specialists to perform furnace repair.

Regular furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your equipment working well. An annually serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could lower your energy expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice troubles before they start. This could help lessen future repair costs and potentially lengthen the life of your unit.

So how much clearance should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re finishing your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer instructions and Florissant and St. Charles statutes for clearance guidelines.

As a general recommendation, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service technicians to easily replace it.

You also need to make sure 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 needs combustion air from the nearby location. If there’s inadequate air, hazardous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

If your furnace is located in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to add 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 system uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to pull in air.

Keep Flammable Items Separate from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function as 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, place your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the stinky odors around your home.

You should also routinely sweep around your furnace to block dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you want furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Florissant and St. Charles, B & B Heating & Cooling can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 314-325-7552 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment now.