Natural gas furnaces need adequate space and airflow to work properly.

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

Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your system working smoothly. A regularly serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could reduce your energy expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us spot troubles before they begin. This could help lessen future repair costs and likely prolong the life of your unit.

So how much area should your system really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re finishing your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer specifications and Tucker ordinances for clearance guidelines.

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

You also need to ensure the space has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.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 draws combustion air from the surrounding space. If there’s inadequate air, unsafe gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a small 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 modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.

Keep Combustible Materials 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, place your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the unpleasant odors around your home.

You should also regularly clean near your furnace to prevent dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Tucker, ACS Heating and Air Conditioning can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 770-450-1539 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment right away.