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

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

Annual furnace maintenance is important to keep your unit running 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 issues before they start. This could help reduce future repair bills and possibly lengthen the life of your unit.

So how much clearance should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Should My Furnace Have?

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

As a general suggestion, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service technicians to conveniently replace it.

You also need to make sure 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 model of furnace needs combustion air from the surrounding location. If there’s inadequate air, unsafe gas fumes and poisonous carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

If your furnace is placed in a tiny room with a gas water heater, you may need to install more 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 newer, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your furnace uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.

Keep Combustible Materials A Safe Distance from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms are often also used for 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, put your litter box in another room. Cat urine contains ammonia, which could deteriorate your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could move the unpleasant odors around your home.

You should also routinely clean near your furnace to block dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you want furnace replacement or annual maintenance in Manassas, Air-Right Energy Design can expertly meet your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any furnace model or brand.

Call us at 703-260-1148 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment now.