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

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

Regular furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your equipment operating well. A routinely serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could reduce your heating bills.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice issues before they start. This could help reduce future repair expenses and possibly prolong the life of your unit.

So how much clearance should your system really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re updating your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer instructions and Mission Viejo ordinances for clearance requirements.

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

You also need to check the room 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 type of furnace pulls combustion air from the surrounding space. If there’s insufficient air, hazardous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to add more 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 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 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, place your litter box elsewhere. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the smelly odors throughout your home.

You should also regularly vacuum around your furnace to stop dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Mission Viejo, 1st Choice Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 949-204-0859 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment now.