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

Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough space. It also makes it difficult for our specialists to complete furnace repair.

Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your unit working trouble-free. A regularly serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could decrease your heating costs.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice issues before they start. This could help lower future repair bills and potentially lengthen the life of your system.

So how much clearance should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re remodeling your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer instructions and Thousand Palms laws for clearance guidelines.

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

You also need to make sure the space has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an older furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This type of furnace pulls combustion air from the adjacent space. If there’s not enough air, hazardous gas fumes and poisonous 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 supplemental 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 newer, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your unit uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.

Keep Hazardous Items Away 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 in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the unpleasant odors around your home.

You should also frequently clean near your furnace to block dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request a Free Quote for Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Thousand Palms, Marios Air Conditioning can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 760-314-4766 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment right away.