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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your system running smoothly. A routinely serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could reduce your energy expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover issues before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair costs and possibly lengthen the life of your furnace.

So how much room should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re remodeling your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer specifications and Highlands Ranch ordinances for clearance guidelines.

As a general recommendation, your heater should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service technicians to conveniently work on it.

You also need to ensure 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 adjacent location. If there’s inadequate air, dangerous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

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

You don’t need to consider airflow and ventilation as much if you have a up-to-date, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your system uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to add 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, place your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the stinky odors all over your home.

You should also routinely vacuum by your furnace to prevent dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request a Free Quote for Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Highlands Ranch, PS Cool Heat can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can fix any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 720-613-2210 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment today.