Natural gas furnaces need enough space and airflow to heat properly.

Your furnace can overheat if it doesn’t have enough space. It also makes it hard for our technicians to complete furnace repair.

Routine furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment operating smoothly. A regularly serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could decrease your heating expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice problems before they start. This could help lower future repair bills and possibly extend the life of your system.

So how much area should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re updating your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer specifications and Narvon laws for clearance guidelines.

As a general suggestion, your heater should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service professionals to comfortably replace it.

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

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This type of furnace pulls combustion air from the nearby space. If there’s inadequate air, unsafe gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a little 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 consider airflow and ventilation as much if you have a modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.

Keep Combustible Materials A Safe Distance from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of clutter 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 create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the unpleasant odors all over your home.

You should also routinely vacuum 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 need furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Narvon, Ameri-Tec can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 717-479-4950 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.