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

Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough room. It also makes it hard for our specialists to perform furnace repair.

Regular furnace maintenance is essential to keep your system running well. A routinely serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could reduce your utility expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover issues before they start. This could help lower future repair expenses and potentially prolong the life of your unit.

So how much area should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re remodeling your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer specifications and Circleville statutes for clearance requirements.

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

You also need to check the space has ample airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an aging furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This kind of furnace needs combustion air from the adjacent location. If there’s inadequate air, hazardous gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

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

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

Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function as 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, place your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the smelly odors around your home.

You should also regularly vacuum by your furnace to prevent dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Circleville, Stephen Hurst Pack Heating and Cooling can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 740-474-5940 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.