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Is the Area Around My Furnace Too Crowded?

Furnace Repair
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Like many homeowners in Indiana, there is a good chance your home uses a gas furnace. Gas furnaces continue to be among the best heating systems on the market, and are a great choice for many types of houses. However, one thing about furnaces everyone should know whether they are looking to install a new one or maximize the efficiency of their current unit is that they need space to function. If the area around your gas furnace is too crowded, the airflow of your system will be restricted, which can result in damage to the unit and pose a risk to the safety of your home at the same time.

Why You Should Leave Space Around Your Furnace

Most furnaces require roughly 30 inches of space on all sides to function properly. This will not only ensure the unit experiences adequate airflow and ventilation, but will allow enough room for a certified HVAC technician to service it. If your furnace does not have enough room, dangerous gas fumes and even poisonous carbon monoxide could build up around the unit and flow into your home. This is particularly true for older furnaces, with a metal flue. Modern, high-efficiency furnaces that use PVC piping are not as temperamental, though if your furnace is in a cramped room, or installed near your water heater, you should still check to make sure the unit is not obstructed.

Because furnaces are often located in basements, storage spaces, or laundry rooms, you should check to see if your system is surrounded by items like cleaning products/detergent, gas or paint thinner, rags, and boxes, all of which may create potential fire hazards. For some homeowners, your furnace may be in the garage, in which case you may be storing any number of items near it. If you have a cat, make sure its litter box is not near your furnace, as the ammonia in cat urine can corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger, not to mention the fact that your system may redistribute this odor around the house. You should also vacuum at the base of your furnace annually, to prevent dust and debris from building up in/around the unit.

Call for Furnace Service Today

With winter upon us, now is the perfect time to make sure your furnace is operating at peak performance. Call our Griffith HVAC experts at Meyer’s Companies, Inc. to inspect your furnace, and let our experienced HVAC technicians provide all the fast and efficient repairs you need. We also offer top-of-the-line replacements, and free estimates, so you can always afford to call us for a furnace check-up.

Dial (219) 240-0610 for 24/7 emergency repairs, or click here to request furnace service online.

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