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

Your furnace can shut down if it doesn’t have enough room. It also makes it challenging for our professionals to perform furnace repair.

Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your unit running smoothly. An annually serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could reduce your energy bills.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice issues before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair expenses and potentially 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 updating your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer specifications and Milwaukee laws for clearance rules.

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

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

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This model of furnace pulls combustion air from the surrounding area. If there’s inadequate air, dangerous gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is located in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to install 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 pull in air.

Keep Flammable Items A Safe Distance 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, situate your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the stinky odors throughout your home.

You should also regularly vacuum around your furnace to block dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request a Free Quote for Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Milwaukee, Done Right Air can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 414-207-4034 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment today.