Furnace Room Safety Tips Every Homeowner Should Know

Most homeowners may not give a lot of thought to their furnace rooms unless something goes wrong. And considering the majority of these spaces are in utility closets, basements, or even out in the garage, they're very easy to forget about. It's also common for these rooms to become default storage areas, which can cause safety issues to crop up without homeowners even realizing it. 

That said, because a furnace produces heat and needs unblocked space to operate properly, the area around it — and the furnace room itself — needs regular monitoring to remain safe. A few basic safety tips include ensuring good airflow is present around the furnace, checking for potential hazards on a regular basis, and following the furnace decluttering rule each winter season. Whether done as part of seasonal maintenance or built into a regular routine, all of these can go a long way toward keeping you, your family, and your furnace room safe.

While it is very important to follow the do's and don'ts of prepping your furnace for the chilly winter season, it is equally important to prep the actual furnace room as well. One of the most important furnace room safety tips is keeping the area around the furnace unit completely clear. Sure, it's easy for items to pile up throughout the year — especially when the space isn't used for anything else. But when items are stored too close to the furnace, they can block the airflow and increase the risk of it overheating. As such, many manufacturers recommend keeping at least 3 feet of clear space around your furnace. With that in mind, creating the habit of keeping this important room uncluttered is one of the simplest ways to reduce safety risks.

Once clutter and airflow around the furnace are under control, there are a few other important furnace room safety concerns that every homeowner should know about. First, pay attention to any items that are stored in the furnace room. You might even want to reorganize your basement storage area so you can keep potentially flammable items away from the furnace area. This includes things like paint cans, cardboard boxes, stacks of newspapers, gasoline, and cleaning supplies — all of which should never be stored near the furnace. Keeping these items stored elsewhere will, in turn, help reduce the risk of fires and dangerous spills. If at all possible, try to keep from storing anything in the furnace room other than replacement air filters.

Additionally, furnace rooms can be fascinating places for curious kids to explore, but they also have many hidden hazards. A safety tip that many homeowners might overlook is keeping children and pets out of the furnace room.  After all, these systems can have hot parts, moving components, and knobs or buttons that may look like toys to children who don't realize they can actually be dangerous. Pets can also be at risk, especially since many animals are drawn to the warmth of the furnace during the colder months. If your children are too young to understand being told to stay out of the furnace room, keeping the door closed or using a simple barrier can limit their access.