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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is essential to keep your system working well. An annually serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could reduce your energy bills.

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

Maintenance often helps us discover troubles before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair expenses and likely prolong 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 remodeling your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer specifications and Kearney laws for clearance rules.

As a general rule of thumb, your heater should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This allows our service professionals to conveniently repair it.

You also need to check the area 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 needs combustion air from the adjacent location. If there’s inadequate air, unsafe gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

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

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

Keep Hazardous Items Separate 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, put your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the unpleasant odors all over your home.

You should also frequently vacuum by your furnace to stop dust from developing.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you want furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Kearney, Thurston Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 308-624-3485 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment right away.