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

Your furnace can overheat if it doesn’t have enough space. It also makes it difficult for our professionals to complete furnace repair.

Routine furnace maintenance is important to keep your unit running well. A routinely serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could reduce your energy expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us spot problems before they become expensive. This could help lower future repair bills and potentially lengthen the life of your system.

So how much room should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

If you’re finishing your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer instructions and Greater Richmond statutes for clearance rules.

As a general recommendation, your system should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service experts to easily repair it.

You also need to make sure the room has enough airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an aging furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This model of furnace needs combustion air from the adjacent area. If there’s inadequate air, dangerous gas fumes and poisonous 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 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 modern, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your unit uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to add air.

Keep Hazardous Items Separate from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms are often also used for 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, put your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the stinky odors around your home.

You should also frequently sweep near your furnace to block dust from building up.

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 Greater Richmond, Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 804-302-6657 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment now.