Throughout our time on this planet, human beings have never ceased to overcome obstacles in order to inhabit every part of the world despite the local climate. Thousands of years ago, people bundled up in furs and animal skins to navigate through the ice-cold regions near the Arctic. They’d take shelter where they could, often in caves, and huddle around a fire at night. Learning to make fire was one of the great breakthroughs of human history, but it was thousands of years before our ancestors improved on technology. In recent centuries, people finally began to develop what we now call a furnace.
Humble Beginnings
In the time of the Roman Empire, people would burn fuel under a brick-and-mortar building. The heat would rise to warm the structure. As time went on, the chimney was invented, making it a safer alternative. The fire could then be isolated to one area of the building. This minimized the possibility of the flames spreading. The fireplace eventually gave way to the much more efficient Franklin stove, and the population switched from wood to coal late in the 19th century. The furnace was finally devised to more efficiently use this fuel and direct the heat to its desired destination. We’ve come a long way from the first models.
The Furnaces of Today
The furnaces today have features like heat exchangers, blowers, gas control valves, external thermostats, and burners built in. It is important to know whether you have an older furnace or a newer system. The older furnaces usually are not very efficient because they have only one exchanger. This means that more than 20 percent of the heat escapes the building. The most up-to-date furnaces will have a secondary exchanger. This increases the efficiency to about 90 percent. Signs you may have an outdated furnace include:
- Loud sounds from the equipment
- Allergies or flu-like symptoms
- Unusually high energy bills
- Undesirable levels of heat
Consult the Furnace Experts
Fortunately, you can rely on experts in Aurora to ensure your home has the most efficient furnace available. Service Plus Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. is a family-owned business that serves the people of Aurora for all of their heating and cooling needs. We perform installation, maintenance, and repairs. Contact us at Service Plus Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. today for an appointment.