One of the least visited, but most important spaces in your home is the furnace room. And with it comes the need for furnace room safety rules. While the furnace is a rather innocuous-looking contraption, it can be quite dangerous if mismanaged.
At Woodbridge GTA ClimateCare, we specialize in home heating. Our team can tell you anything you need to know about home heating, including whether the furnace room door should be open or closed, and how often to change your filter.
Here, we’ll share some tips on keeping up with furnace room safety in your house.
Keep the Room Clear
One of the main things to consider when designing your furnace room is space. How much space do you have in the room to store items unrelated to your furnace?
As a rule, you should try to keep clutter from building up in your furnace room. Avoid storing items which may lean against your furnace, such as:
- Bikes
- Building materials
- Mops and brooms
- Unused furniture
Your furnace room may be shared with other appliances, such as your washer and dryer. If this is the case, be sure to leave a clear path to your furnace. Keep flammable items, such as dryer lint, clothing, and detergents away from your furnace.
When in doubt, most furnace room safety experts suggest keeping a minimum of 2 feet around the perimeter of your furnace. You can measure and tape, or paint physical lines to remind yourself that objects should be outside of this space.
To learn more about the safety of your furnace room, contact the experts at Woodbridge GTA ClimateCare. We’re here to help you. Call our experts today!
The Best Flooring for a Furnace Room are Solid and Stain Resistant
There are many options for the floors in your basement, but the best flooring for a furnace room is non-flammable, stain-resistant, and durable.
Furnaces get messy. This is especially true while changing a filter or under repair. You don’t want to ruin your floors every time your furnace needs maintenance.
The best flooring for a furnace room should also be in tune with furnace room safety standards. You want to choose a material that isn’t flammable. Something like linoleum for example might melt under extreme heat.
Even if you have a finished basement with hardwood floors or carpets, your furnace room is best left with a smooth coat of epoxy paint. You can use clear epoxy as a topcoat for a more decorative floor, or seal cement with epoxy.
Use a Vented Door for the Furnace Room
It sounds extreme to add a vented door to the furnace room, but it’s simpler than you think. A louvred door is the best and most aesthetic solution. This lets air pressure stabilize between the furnace room and the rest of the house.
If you can’t swap your door out for a vented door to ensure furnace room safety, you can simply leave the door open. Never shut your furnace door all the way if it isn’t vented.
Don’t Store Toxic Items Near the Furnace
We already touched on keeping your furnace room uncluttered, but it’s worth noting that here are some things you should never store near a furnace. Storing paint in the furnace room, for example, is never a good idea.
Any product which could have a chemical or flammable reaction to the heat from your furnace could be problematic, including:
- Paint
- Cat litter
- Gasoline
- Cleaning products
- Motor oil
Contact Woodbridge GTA ClimateCare for More Furnace Tips
Woodbridge GTA ClimateCare specializes in heating, cooling, water and air quality for residents across Toronto, Vaughan and surrounding areas. Contact our specialists today!
