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

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

Regular furnace maintenance is important to keep your unit operating smoothly. A routinely serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could reduce your utility 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 lower future repair costs 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 updating your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should consult manufacturer specifications and Newark statutes for clearance guidelines.

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

You also need to check the space has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.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 pulls combustion air from the adjacent location. If there’s insufficient air, unsafe gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could leak into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a small room with a gas water heater, you may need to put in more openings. This could include 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 add air.

Keep Combustible Materials Away 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, place your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could spread the smelly odors throughout your home.

You should also routinely clean near your furnace to stop dust from building up.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Newark, Luikart Heating & Cooling can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 740-200-5591 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.