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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your unit running trouble-free. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could reduce your utility costs.

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 costs and potentially lengthen the life of your furnace.

So how much room should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re updating your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer instructions and West Columbia laws for clearance rules.

As a general suggestion, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This allows our service experts to easily replace it.

You also need to make sure the room 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 model of furnace needs combustion air from the nearby location. If there’s inadequate air, dangerous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

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

You don’t need to consider 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 add air.

Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms double as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of clutter 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 elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the unpleasant odors around your home.

You should also regularly clean near your furnace to prevent dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or annual maintenance in West Columbia, Tri City Fuel & Heating can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 803-265-4208 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment now.