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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment working smoothly. A regularly serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could decrease your utility bills.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice issues before they start. This could help lessen future repair bills and likely extend the life of your furnace.

So how much room should your system really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re updating your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer instructions and Reinholds ordinances for clearance requirements.

As a general rule of thumb, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service technicians to easily repair it.

You also need to make sure the room has ample airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.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 needs combustion air from the nearby space. If there’s inadequate air, hazardous gas fumes and poisonous 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 supplemental 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 add air.

Keep Flammable Items A Safe Distance from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms are often also used for laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of things 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, situate your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the stinky odors throughout your home.

You should also routinely clean around your furnace to prevent dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request a Free Quote for Furnace Service

Whether you want furnace replacement or routine maintenance in Reinholds, County Line Mechanical LLC can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 717-216-0846 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.