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

Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough clearance. It also makes it challenging for our professionals to accomplish furnace repair.

Regular furnace maintenance is important to keep your system running well. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could decrease your utility bills.

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 bills and potentially prolong the life of your furnace.

So how much area should your system 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 Wilmington statutes for clearance requirements.

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

You also need to ensure the area 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 draws combustion air from the nearby area. If there’s insufficient air, hazardous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is positioned 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 think about 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 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 create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the smelly odors around your home.

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

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Wilmington, Brandywine Heating & Air can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 302-261-3596 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment right away.