With our ultra-reliable, user-friendly heating systems, we tend to take having a warm, cozy home for granted. Our ancestors to struggle to stay warm when the temperatures plummeted, but the challenge helped them develop ever better heating methods. This history of furnaces clearly shows how far we’ve come:
Staying Warm in Prehistoric Times
As far back as 44,000 BCE, Neanderthals were using hearths for cooking and heating, and hearths in various forms remained the main method of home heating for millennia.
Innovations in Ancient Korea and Rome
Two distinctive wood-fired underfloor heating systems were developed in ancient times – the ondol in Korea about 1,000 BCE, and the hypocaust in Rome around 500 BCE.
Chimneys Transform 12th Century Comfort
Chimneys evolved from the sidewall flues used to warm Norman castles, and their invention allowed the fireplace to replace the hearth.
A Founding Father’s 17th Century Invention
In 1741, Benjamin Franklin invented an upgrade to the open fireplace. His “Franklin stove” featured a hollow, cast iron baffle and U-shaped flue that made heating more efficient and safer.
19th Century Ingenuity
The 19th century saw the development of boilers and radiators that made steam and hot water heating possible. In 1895, Dave Lennox changed the history of furnaces with his riveted steel, coal-burning unit that distributed heat more efficiently through cast iron radiators.
Central Heating in the 20th Century
In 1919, the first central, ducted home heating system was patented by inventor Alice Parker. A ducted, coal-fired furnace equipped with an electric fan was introduced in 1935, which heralded in the era of the forced-air HVAC system.
Home Heating Options Today
If you’re replacing a heating system today, there are a lot of factors to consider, so it’s wise to work with an experienced heating contractor. A pro can assess your home’s heating requirements, advise you on different types of systems and their efficiency levels, and tell you about beneficial features and enhancements that provide the greatest ROI in terms of comfort, convenience and energy savings.
To explore heating system options for your Dayton home, contact us today at Ace Hardware Home Services.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
