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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your equipment working well. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could decrease your energy expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice troubles before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair bills and possibly prolong the life of your furnace.

So how much area should your system 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 directions and Port St. Lucie statutes for clearance requirements.

As a general suggestion, your system 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 ensure the space has ample airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an aging furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This type of furnace draws combustion air from the nearby space. If there’s inadequate air, dangerous gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is located in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to add more openings. This could involve a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.

You don’t need to assess airflow and ventilation as much if you have a newer, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to pull in air.

Keep Combustible Materials A Safe Distance 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, put your litter box elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the stinky odors all over your home.

You should also frequently vacuum around your furnace to block dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Port St. Lucie, Custom Air Systems Inc can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 772-247-2283 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment right away.