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Furnaces Just Keep Getting Better

When you invest in a new furnace, you’ll be achieving a standard of energy efficiency and advanced technology that was only dreamed of a few decades ago. This decision could save you significant costs on utility bills and system repairs. Furnaces only have an optimal life expectancy of 10-15 years. While you may own a perfectly functional system that’s much older, it is probably far less efficient than a newer model that could perform twice as well. If you’re ready to seriously consider a change, consult with local experts on this topic. At Wellmann Heating & Air, Inc, we’re standing by to discuss the possibilities.

Technological Progress Through History

Like most other aspects of our civilization, the process of heating our homes has gone through a long series of progressive improvements. In the colonial era of our country, nearly all American homes were heated by wood fires. What’s more, those fireplaces weren’t all that practical. Most of the heat escaped without really warming the room. Benjamin Franklin’s stove improved on that model, but we didn’t stop relying on wood fuel for another century.

It wasn’t until the late nineteenth century that the coal furnace became prevalent. It was combined with a cast-iron radiator to produce a primitive sort of central heating. That concept survived into the 1930s when the first forced-air furnace was introduced. It still burned coal, but it wasn’t long before they came up with models that would operate on oil and gas.

If you don’t think that was an improvement, think about going to the cellar on a cold night to shovel coal into the furnace. Today, most homes are still heated by forced-air systems running on gas. Of course, we also developed an electric grid in the meantime.

Modern Equipment

Radiators became obsolete when gas and electric forced-air units began to incorporate efficient blower motors and ductwork to move warm air throughout a house to its intended destination. Today, we have heat pumps that can function as both heating and cooling equipment. When used for heating, this device functions much like a refrigeration system working in the opposite direction. We’ve come a long way.

If your system utilizes a cast-iron heat exchanger, lacks an air handler with variable speeds or doesn’t employ dual-stage heating, it’s probably a relic of a bygone era. Perhaps it’s long past time to consider an upgrade.

Wellmann Heating & Air, Inc in Lincoln would be happy to discuss this topic further or assist you in selecting new equipment. We perform a complete range of heating and cooling repair, maintenance and installation services for the people of this region. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.