Natural gas furnaces need adequate space and airflow to work right.

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

Regular furnace maintenance is important to keep your equipment operating well. A regularly serviced furnace may work more efficiently, which could lower your utility expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice problems before they become expensive. This could help lessen future repair costs and potentially extend the life of your system.

So how much area should your system really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re finishing your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer instructions and Longview ordinances for clearance requirements.

As a general rule of thumb, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This lets our service experts to conveniently work on it.

You also need to check the space 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 kind of furnace draws combustion air from the nearby location. If there’s inadequate air, dangerous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could leak 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 involve 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 furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to pull in air.

Keep Combustible Materials Away 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, place your litter box somewhere else. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the smelly odors all over your home.

You should also frequently vacuum near your furnace to block dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Longview, Goode Bros AC & Heating can expertly take care of your needs. Our highly trained technicians can work on any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 903-284-2612 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.