Natural gas furnaces need sufficient space and airflow to work properly.

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

Annual furnace maintenance is crucial to keep your equipment running trouble-free. A routinely serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could lower your heating expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us spot troubles before they start. This could help lessen future repair costs and possibly extend the life of your system.

So how much room should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re remodeling your basement or closing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer specifications and York ordinances for clearance guidelines.

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 repair it.

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

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

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

If your furnace is placed in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to add extra openings. This could consist of a fully louvered door or vents in the walls.

You don’t need to assess 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 add air.

Keep Flammable Items A Safe Distance from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms double 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, situate your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could corrode your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the smelly odors throughout your home.

You should also regularly sweep near your furnace to stop 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 routine maintenance in York, Strine's can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 717-383-4479 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment now.