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

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

Routine furnace maintenance is important to keep your system running trouble-free. An annually serviced furnace may heat more efficiently, which could decrease your heating costs.

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 reduce future repair bills and potentially prolong the life of your unit.

So how much room should your furnace really have?

How Much Space Will a Furnace Take Up?

If you’re finishing your basement or sealing off your furnace room, you should take a look at manufacturer instructions and Winnipeg ordinances for clearance rules.

As a general rule of thumb, your furnace should be 30 inches away from furnace room walls on all sides. This permits our service professionals to comfortably repair it.

You also need to ensure the area has plentiful airflow and ventilation, especially if you have an outdated furnace with a metal flue.

Related: Furnace Service or Furnace Replacement: What to Consider

This type of furnace needs combustion air from the adjacent space. If there’s inadequate air, dangerous gas fumes and toxic carbon monoxide could flow back into your home.

If your furnace is located in a small room with a gas water heater, you may need to put in 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 system uses one pipe as an exhaust vent and the other to draw in air.

Keep Combustible Materials Away from Your Furnace

Although furnace rooms function as laundry and storage space, you should keep yours free of clutter 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 create wear on your furnace’s heat exchanger. Plus, the furnace could circulate the unpleasant odors around your home.

You should also frequently clean around your furnace to prevent dust from accumulating.

Related: Is it Time for Furnace Service or Replacement?

Request a Free Quote for Furnace Service

Whether you have to have furnace replacement or regular maintenance in Winnipeg, Kirkfield Heating & Air Conditioning can expertly handle your needs. Our highly trained technicians can repair any heating equipment model or brand.

Call us at 204-272-8128 or use our online scheduler to request an appointment today.