Gas furnaces are crucial in keeping many homes warm and comfy once the outside temperature starts to plummet to the negative. And it is safe to say that the gas furnace is among the most costly investments homeowners buy for their home. If you live somewhere cold, you’d probably be using one most of the year. It is best if you have an idea how a gas furnace works, so you can use it the right way, maintain it properly and regularly, and effectively do minor repairs when necessary.

Otherwise known as a home or a residential furnace, people use it for heating their homes. This typical furnace only uses a smaller volume of heat used in making your home warm.

When it was first used, homeowners often relied on wood, coal, or oil to fuel it. But with pressing environmental issues becoming a global concern, many have opted to switch to natural gas. Nowadays, it is the most common fuel source in the United States. The most common is LPG or liquefied petroleum gas, while others started using biogas or methane.

How a Gas Furnace Works

Before you can grasp just how a gas furnace works, you must first be familiar with its parts. It is mainly divided into three parts. The first part is comprised of the burners, draft inducer, heat exchangers, and venting. The second part is comprised of the controls as well as safety devices. And lastly, the third part is comprised of the blower and the air movement. They all contribute to the way a gas furnace operates.

A gas furnace combines fuel and air and proceeds at igniting this mixture. The flame that results is used for heating the air before it circulates all over the house. This process begins in the furnace burner that is regulated by the thermostat. There are times when the air volume to be heated is huge, which will require at least a couple of burners for heating. Once the home temperature starts to go down, the thermostat sends a signal to the furnace. This combination of air and gas gradually gets inside the burner to be ignited by the electronic igniter. The air within the burner is heated and starts going up the heat exchanger found on top of the burner. It circulates within the house warming it up while the exhaust is vented out of the furnace and directed outside your home.

Meanwhile, the fresh air is pulled by the fan into the furnace. The air gets inside the furnace via a big fat grill and passes through the plenum. The plenum is found adjacent to the heat exchanger, which is responsible for quickly heating up the air that gets inside the plenum due to the increase in pressure. Next, the heated air goes out of the furnace into your living space. This cycle continues until the home temperature reaches a particular level, where the thermostat will put an end to the heating process.

Hopefully by now, you’re no longer clueless as to how a gas furnace works. Knowing this vital information can probably help you survive winter in one piece, just like your furnace.