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

Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough room. It also makes it challenging for our professionals to complete furnace repair.

Routine furnace maintenance is essential to keep your unit operating trouble-free. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could decrease your heating expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice issues before they begin. This could help reduce future repair expenses and possibly prolong the life of your furnace.

So how much room should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re finishing your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer instructions and Lafayette laws for clearance requirements.

As a general rule of thumb, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service experts to comfortably replace it.

You also need to check the area has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.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 model of furnace pulls combustion air from the adjacent area. If there’s inadequate air, hazardous gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to install 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 modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to add air.

Keep Hazardous Items Away from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function 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 in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the smelly odors around your home.

You should also routinely clean around 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 routine maintenance in Lafayette, AC Sales can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at (337) 234-2345 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment right away.