Back in the middle ages, the open ceiling fire was the primary heat source for warmth and cooking. Though it was a rudimentary means of survival, it did the job and as time progressed, so did ways to keep warm. Take a walk back into history with your Huber Heights Heating & Cooling family as we glance over the rise and history of the modern furnace.
What Was the Furnace’s Progression in the 17th Century?
Since the heat source was through an open fire, it required an unreasonable amount of wood to keep the fire continually blazing. This was not a sustainable method of keeping warm due to the material needed, and the time it required to tend to the fire. By the time the 17th century rolled around, coal had risen to the top as the next form of fuel. Despite being a great option as another resource, it still proved unsustainable for the same reasons wood-fed fires.
What Was the Furnace’s Progression in the 18th Century?
The 1800s was a great century for inventors. In 1855, Franz San Galli invented the first cast iron radiator. Because of its material makeup, his invention was a more economical design that allowed people of all social classes to afford it. This was a huge progression in furnace history! Thirty years later, in 1885, Dave Lennox invented the first riveted steel-coal furnace. Lennox’s design transferred heat utilizing natural convection. To this day, Dave Lennox’s name is commonly known across the HVAC world.
What Was the Furnace’s Progression in the 19th Century?
The turn into the 19th century did not stop discoveries and development. Alice Parker patented the first natural gas-fuel central heating system in the year 1919. Although she received the patent for it, her design was never implemented due to regulation issues. Although her design was not implemented in her time, her work was a precursor to the modern-day furnace today. 1935 was the year the forced air furnace surfaced. It functioned through the use of coal as a fuel source. Then an electric fan was used to distribute the heated air throughout the home appropriately. Gas and oil furnaces were developed not long afterward. But when the energy crisis hit in the 70s, people started looking for cheaper ways to keep their homes heated. Electric-based furnaces were introduced, which provided the long-sought relief homeowners needed.
What Is the Furnace’s Progression in the 20th Century?
Here we are now in 2022. Technology has changed immensely. And the modern-day furnace is no exception! It’s incredible to think how humans stayed warm centuries ago by using primitive open fires, and today we can control our furnace’s settings from an app on our smartphones.
We are proud to let you know Huber Heights Heating & Cooling is open 24/7. Our customers are our #1 priority! If a furnace issue or a need arises, give us a call as soon as possible. You don’t want to sit on a furnace issue and let it fester into a more significant problem. We will send one of our NATE-certified technicians to your home as quickly as possible to get your issue resolved! Call us at (937) 226-9675, or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here!
