Gravity furnace
Its parts
- Burner
- The boiler burner assembly must be rated for condensing due to the acidic exposure to flue gases.
- Ductwork
- Ducted air source heat pumps use your home's existing ductwork to deliver heating and cooling.
- There are two main types of heat pumps connected by ductwork: air-to-air and ground-source or geothermal.
- Bypass Damper: A damper installed in ductwork to regulate the static pressure on the supply side of ductwork.
- Supply register
- A central air conditioner circulates cool air through a home using a system of ducts and registers.
- Insulate heating ducts in unheated areas, such as attics and crawlspaces. Keeping ducts in good repair can prevent heat loss of up to 60% at the registers.
- Return air
- Building cavities (the space between wall studs or “panned” floor joists) should not be used as return air pathways; if unducted, these spaces are very difficult to air seal.
- Chimney
- It can also be trapped inside homes by blocked chimney flues.
- Fireplaces can cause fires if the chimney is cracked, blocked or coated with creosote, or if sparks and embers reach flammable materials.
- Have central air handling systems, including furnaces, flues and chimneys, inspected annually and properly repair cracks or damaged parts.
If it may be unsafe
If you smell gas, leave the house and call Peoples Gas at 866-556-6002 or 911 from outside. If your CO alarm sounds or anyone feels sick, leave and call 911 from outside.
AirLogic is not an emergency service.
Related pages
- Glossary: Gravity furnace
Its entry, and the guide's pages that use it.
- Older furnaces
Gravity and coal-era furnaces, gas conversions and how to judge a furnace's age
Sources
- U.S. Department of Energy. Boiler Replacement Package Performance Requirements, Savings and Costs (DOE Building Technologies Office).
- ENERGY STAR. Clean Heating and Cooling.
- U.S. Department of Energy. Heat Pump Systems.
- AHRI. Zoned Heating and Cooling.
- U.S. Department of Energy. Energy Saver 101: Home Cooling.
- U.S. Department of Energy. Home Energy Checklist.
- U.S. Department of Energy. Ducted Returns.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Inspecting Your Home Heating System Before Winter Could Save Your Life.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. CPSC Warns Consumers to be Cautious When Using Space Heaters, Furnaces and Fireplaces This Winter.
- U.S. EPA. Sources of Combustion Products.
- Illinois EPA. Asbestos in House or Apartment.