Furnaces Through the Ages

People have been heating their homes for nearly two million years and the history of furnaces shows that we’ve learned a lot about doing it efficiently, safely and conveniently. Best of all, today’s heating systems deliver it so that it’s clean and comfortable.

Over time, most heating was done by using the principles of radiant heating, first from campfires, then from fireplace hearths, and lastly, by wood stoves. The most recent kind of heating method, convective, wasn’t invented as we know it until 1935 when scientists used a coal furnace, fan and ductwork to distribute heat.

Heating Systems Today

Now forced-air furnaces or heating is the most common kind used in the U.S. Natural gas is clean, relatively safe, widely available and affordable. The furnaces are easy to install and energy efficient. They’re easy to access when they need service or repair, and they last for nearly two decades.

No furnaces over the history of furnaces have been as efficient as they are now. Wood was the primary fuel for eons, and in recent history, it’s been replaced oil and natural gas-burning systems. Recent advances in gas furnaces make it possible to reach nearly 100 percent efficiency.

These appliances, called condensing furnaces, use a second heat exchanger to remove the heat from the water vapor that burning gas creates. Water holds a lot of heat and taking it out to use to heat the house before sending it up the chimney saves a lot of fuel.

Other advances in forced-air furnaces include variable-speed fan technology and fuel delivery. Some of them use both to match their heat output to the amount of heat that’s needed to warm your home. They save money because they only run at top speed when the demand for heating is high. Most of the time, they run on low speed, which cuts energy use.

The history of furnaces demonstrates the progress that’s continuously made in the HVAC field to help people save energy and increase their comfort. For more information, contact Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning, providing HVAC services for Lorain-area homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Guide or call us at 440-201-2959.