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

Your furnace can get too hot if it doesn’t have enough space. It also makes it hard for our specialists to perform furnace repair.

Routine furnace maintenance is important to keep your equipment running smoothly. A routinely serviced furnace may run more efficiently, which could lower your heating expenses.

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

Maintenance often helps us notice problems before they start. This could help lessen future repair costs and likely lengthen the life of your furnace.

So how much room should your equipment really have?

How Much Space Does My Furnace Need?

If you’re updating your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should research manufacturer specifications and Cedar Rapids statutes for clearance rules.

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

You also need to make sure the area has enough airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This kind of furnace draws combustion air from the surrounding area. If there’s not enough air, dangerous gas fumes and deadly carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

If your furnace is positioned in a little room with a gas water heater, you may need to install more 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 newer, high-efficiency furnace with PVC piping. Your unit 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 spread the unpleasant odors throughout your home.

You should also routinely sweep near your furnace to prevent dust from building up.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request Expert Furnace Service

Whether you need furnace replacement or routine maintenance in Cedar Rapids, Ilten's can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any HVAC model or brand.

Call us at 319-208-2351 or use our online scheduler to get an appointment right away.