Furnace 101: All the Basics You Need To Know
A furnace is a device that heats several rooms or an entire building with hot air. The heat of the furnace is produced by burning natural gas, propane, oil, coal, and other fuels. There are many different types of furnaces available for purchase on the market today and all offer their benefits and drawbacks. In this article, we will discuss all things you need to know about the furnace so that you can make an informed decision when purchasing one for your home.
What Is A Furnace?
A furnace is a device that heats air or water and then distributes it to an area, such as the rooms in your home. This process makes heating easier because you can simply control the temperature of one room instead of many different ones. Furnaces are typically powered by electricity or natural gas. The type of fuel used determines how efficient the system will be and what its costs might be over time. Furnaces also come with different features depending on their intended purpose, some furnaces for example may have dampers that allow them to heat only certain areas, like bedrooms at night without waking up everyone else in your house. This kind of system use ductwork throughout your home that allows air from inside the furnace to be spread to different rooms.
Types of Furnace
There are several types of furnaces available including gas, oil, and electricity, however, most homes use natural gas or propane for their fuel source. The different types are the following:
- Freestanding Furnaces
This is the most common in all types of furnaces. They have a firebox, which is where you put your fuel or wood to create an open flame that heats the air inside the furnace. The more efficiently it does this, the better off your house will be in terms of being warm and cozy during those cold winter nights.
- Wall-Mounted Furnaces
This type of furnace is the cheapest option to install. Also, it is easy to maintain, and most importantly it does not need any clearance around its sides, which makes installation very simple. However, if you are looking for a unit that can heat your entire home or business this might not be the right choice because these units cannot provide enough heat depending on their thermal unit rating.
- Floor Standing Furnaces
Floor standing furnaces are the most popular type of furnace. They are also known as vertical furnaces or step-down furnaces. Floor standing units have to be installed in a pit that is about one meter deep, and it has to be at least 30 cm wider than the furnace.
How Does A Furnace Work?
There are many different kinds of furnaces, but they all work in the same basic way. A furnace is a device that heats air to very high temperatures and then circulates it around your home or business with a fan. The hot air warms up objects in the room like furniture, rugs, and many more, which releases heat into the room. Furnaces use gas or oil for fuel, but most modern furnaces also have an electric-powered component called a blower motor that pushes the heated air through ducts to distribute it throughout your space.
Parts Of The Furnace
A furnace is a complex machine, and many parts go into making it work. Here are some components of your furnace so you can understand how they all fit together:
- Thermostat And Gas Valve
The thermostat is the brain of your furnace. It controls when your furnace comes on, off and how long it runs for during each cycle. If you are looking to save money or reduce energy usage then consider buying a programmable thermostat that allows you to schedule automatic changes in temperature at different times during the day depending on where you are in your work or sleep routine. A gas valve takes fuel from your home’s natural gas line and feeds it into the burner assembly inside the furnace, which mixes with air drawn through vents by its blower fans.
- Heat Moves To Heat Exchanger
The flames from the burner component heat a metal heat exchanger. The heated air circulates through loops of tubes in this important part, transferring its energy so you can feel warm all over. An efficient and well-maintained heat exchanger is essential for a working furnace because it takes care of all the combustion gases that need to get out safely.
- Blower Motor And Fan Moves The Heat (Air Handler)
A Furnace’s blower motor moves the hot air throughout your home. The fan is similar to a propeller on an airplane, with blades that spin around and push out the warm or cold air from your furnace into ducts called registers inside of your home. In addition to moving heat through its system, this device also helps keep itself running properly by pulling in cool outside air for combustion purposes. A dirty filter can cause low airflow because it restricts the amount of fresh air coming in and makes it difficult for everything in your furnace to operate correctly at all times.
Furnaces are a necessary part of our home comfort. Knowing what kind is best for your needs can make that decision easier. From free-standing furnaces to wall-mounted or floor-standing models, there’s plenty of options out there. We have some tips on the different types so you can find one that suits your space and budget just right. If you’re looking for something more customized than what’s in this post, give us a call today.
Do You Need a Home Furnace Installer You Can Trust?
Superior Mechanical Services, Inc. began in 1948 as a family-owned business with a vision to provide value-minded service with a down-to-earth approach to customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. As the premier Commercial and Residential HVAC Service provider for Livermore, Dublin, and Pleasanton, Superior Mechanical can do it all, from heating and air conditioning services to boiler services, to plumbing services. Our technicians are certified professionals who will ensure every part of your project is done right using a careful checklist to guide and test each step. At the end of your appointment, we’ll show you how to get the most out of your new system and give you tips on maintenance so it lasts for years to come. Contact us today for amazing service tomorrow!
