Natural gas furnaces need enough space and airflow to run correctly.
Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it challenging for our specialists to accomplish furnace repair.
Routine furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your system operating trouble-free. A regularly 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 notice issues before they begin. This could help reduce future repair bills and possibly prolong 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 closing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer instructions and Pflugerville statutes for clearance requirements.
As a general suggestion, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service professionals to easily replace it.
You also need to make sure the space has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.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 pulls combustion air from the adjacent location. If there’s inadequate air, dangerous 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 install supplemental openings. This could consist of a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.
Uncertain if your furnace or water heater has proper ventilation? We can assist you!
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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 Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace
Although furnace rooms are often also used for 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, put 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 regularly sweep by your furnace to stop dust from developing.
Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?
Request Expert Furnace Service
Whether you want furnace replacement or routine maintenance in Pflugerville, Evenaire Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any heating equipment model or brand.
Call us at 512-355-1482 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment right away.