Natural gas furnaces need sufficient space and airflow to heat right.

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

Routine furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your unit operating trouble-free. A routinely serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could lower your energy costs.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice troubles before they begin. This could help lower future repair costs and likely prolong the life of your system.

So how much clearance should your equipment 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 Rapid City ordinances for clearance rules.

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

You also need to make sure the space has enough 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 location. If there’s insufficient air, hazardous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to put in more 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 add air.

Keep Hazardous Items A Safe Distance from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms double as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of items 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 somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the unpleasant odors throughout your home.

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

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you want furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Rapid City, Precision Mechanical can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 605-206-3766 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment today.