Natural gas furnaces need sufficient space and airflow to run right.

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

Regular furnace maintenance is essential to keep your equipment working well. An annually 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 troubles before they begin. This could help reduce future repair bills and likely prolong the life of your unit.

So how much area should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re updating your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer instructions and Jefferson ordinances for clearance rules.

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

You also need to make sure the space has enough airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This kind of furnace needs combustion air from the nearby area. If there’s insufficient air, unsafe gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is located in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to put in 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 Hazardous Items A Safe Distance from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms double 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, situate your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the unpleasant odors all over your home.

You should also routinely vacuum by your furnace to block dust from building up.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Trust the Local Pros for Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Jefferson, Pratt Brothers can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 920-347-8495 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment right away.