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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your equipment operating trouble-free. A routinely serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could decrease your heating costs.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover issues before they begin. This could help lessen future repair expenses and potentially lengthen the life of your furnace.

So how much room should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re updating your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer directions and Erie laws for clearance rules.

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

You also need to make sure the area has ample airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.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 draws combustion air from the surrounding space. If there’s not enough air, unsafe gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

If your furnace is positioned 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 think about 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 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, place your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the smelly odors around your home.

You should also regularly sweep by 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 Erie, Patterson & Stirling can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 814-308-0416 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment today.