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

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

Routine furnace maintenance is important to keep your system operating trouble-free. A routinely serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could decrease your heating expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice troubles before they become expensive. This could help reduce future repair bills and possibly lengthen the life of your unit.

So how much area should your system really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re remodeling your basement or enclosing your furnace room, you should research manufacturer specifications and Manassas ordinances for clearance guidelines.

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

You also need to ensure the space 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 kind of furnace pulls combustion air from the surrounding location. If there’s insufficient air, unsafe gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could back draft into your home.

If your furnace is placed in a small room with a gas water heater, you may need to install supplemental openings. This could involve 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 up-to-date, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your system uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.

Keep Flammable Items 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, situate your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the unpleasant odors throughout your home.

You should also regularly sweep around your furnace to stop dust from developing.

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 Manassas, Fire & Ice HVAC can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 703-595-4157 or use our online scheduler to set up an appointment today.