Today’s furnaces are a staple in so many homes and businesses across the globe. These awesome pieces of machinery heat entire structures and can do so automatically, without the need for much human involvement. For more on these popular heating systems, read on.
How They Work
Furnaces work by generating heat inside of a compartment and then distributing that heat throughout the home using a fan and ductwork. Typically, these systems make their heat with the use of electrical resistance or the combustion of a gas such as natural gas or propane. In addition, furnaces include numerous mechanisms that monitor temperature, flame, fan speed, and other functions for safety and operational purposes. The resulting mix of components is an awesome system that has been used for more than two centuries.
The History of Modern Furnaces
Interestingly enough, the first known furnace heating system was erected in the Massachusetts Medical College in 1816. This system utilized a furnace in the building’s basement that connected to ductwork that ran throughout the rest of the building for heat distribution. This was actually a gravity-hot air system that would be subsequently developed further into a more recognizable semblance of our furnaces today in 1835 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Even more variations of this basic system would later be created, eventually resulting in today’s versions of the modern furnace.
Furnace Fun Facts
The following are just a few more facts about modern furnace systems.
- It’s believed that the word “furnace” is actually Greek in origin, with its original form being “fornax.”
- In Europe, the term “furnace” refers to furnaces used to smelt down metals for metallurgic purposes.
- Furnaces have a typical lifespan of 18 to 25 years.
- A six-room home generates an average of about 40lbs of dust per year, and furnaces filter a large percentage of this via their built-in filters.
It’s certainly true that furnaces are a popular and important method of home heating, and that’s why we specialize in all types of furnaces in addition to the many other types of heating systems out there today. Here at Evans Mechanical, we always aim high and provide premium HVAC install and service work on water heaters, boilers, cooling systems, and more. If you reside in the Eureka area, give us a call today, and don’t forget to ask about our awesome preventive maintenance program for some great money-saving opportunities.
