When homeowners picture a furnace in their mind, they might imagine something akin to an old cartoon. Some large iron trap that burns fuel at a comically high temperature to heat an entire building. While these depictions aren’t wrong, and make sense specifically when you look at old furnaces, they’re not quite what we use today. You’ve probably seen the casing of your furnace, and maybe some of our readers have seen the inside, but do you know how it actually works?
For all those gas and electric furnace owners out there, this blog post is for you! Furnaces are the most common heating appliance in America, and it only makes sense that we should do a bit of a PSA to ensure everyone knows how they work. And remember, for all of your furnace installations in Hampton, NJ, give our team a call. We’ve got your back!
Gas Furnaces
Gas furnaces are the most common type of furnace we encounter. They’re affordable, powerful, and many of the newer models have excellent fuel efficiency, to the point where you can heat your entire home with minimal natural gas burned.
These systems run by burning natural gas inside of a small chamber. That chamber exchanges heat with another chamber, called the heat exchanger. Why does it do this? Well, when natural gas is burned, it creates fumes like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide that are not healthy to breathe. So, those fumes get sent to the outside while the warmth is transferred to the air you breathe and feel. Then, the system uses a blower motor to send that heated air throughout your home and voila!
Don’t be fooled by the name: gas furnaces are very safe. They’ve got many mechanisms in place to ensure that they don’t leak or cause disruptions to your life. Just make sure you get your furnace maintained regularly and repaired when you hear an unusual noise.
Electric Furnaces
Electric furnaces are also great options for many homeowners, since they only require an electrical connection and don’t need any natural gas. They’re some of the most affordable heating systems on the market, and they tend to be excellent if you’re off the grid.
Electric furnaces run by heating an electric coil that warms all of the air around it. Then, it simply blows that air through your ductwork to the rest of your home so you can feel it. It’s basically a large and more energy-efficient space heater, with a lot more bells and whistles to ensure that it heats a much larger amount of space.
Looking to switch away from gas to a more renewable energy source like solar, but don’t have the funds for a heat pump? Then an electric furnace might be a great option!
Why Are They So Common?
Furnaces represent heating made simple. They’re a hearth at the center of your home, providing powerful heat to every room. It doesn’t matter how cold the winter gets or your unique comfort preferences. As long as your furnace is installed by a professional and maintained regularly, it will get the job done.
Interested in a furnace? Well, don’t hesitate to contact Schaible’s Plumbing & Heating Inc. for your needs.