Natural gas furnaces need adequate space and airflow to run properly.

Your furnace can shut down if it doesn’t have enough room. It also makes it difficult for our specialists to complete furnace repair.

Regular furnace maintenance is important to keep your unit operating well. An annually serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could reduce your energy expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us spot problems before they start. This could help reduce future repair costs and potentially prolong the life of your furnace.

So how much room should your system really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re finishing your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer instructions and Reinholds statutes for clearance guidelines.

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

You also need to ensure the space has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This type of furnace draws combustion air from the surrounding location. If there’s not enough air, dangerous gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a small room with a gas water heater, you may need to install extra openings. This could consist of a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.

You don’t need to assess airflow and ventilation as much if you have a modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your unit uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to pull in air.

Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms are often also used for 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, put your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the unpleasant odors throughout your home.

You should also routinely sweep around your furnace to prevent dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you want furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Reinholds, County Line Mechanical LLC can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 717-216-0846 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment right away.