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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your unit working smoothly. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could lower your energy expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover troubles before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair expenses and potentially extend the life of your furnace.

So how much clearance should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re updating your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer instructions and The Bay Area laws for clearance requirements.

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

You also need to make sure the area 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 kind of furnace pulls combustion air from the nearby area. If there’s insufficient air, dangerous gas fumes and poisonous 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 add extra openings. This could include a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.

You don’t need to think about airflow and ventilation as much if you have a newer, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your system uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to pull in 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, put your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the unpleasant odors all over your home.

You should also routinely sweep around your furnace to block dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you want furnace replacement or regular maintenance in The Bay Area, Contra Costa Heating & AC can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 510-343-9841 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment now.