The Octopus in the Basement

The next downside is the challenge they pose when homeowners want to update them with a current forced air furnace as section of a central Heating and A/C system, then unless that gravity furnace and HVAC duct is completely unattachd, any A/C component will be in the form of window units or perhaps a ductless system.

Older homes can be spooky, especially those with dark, dusty basements that are the fodder of numerous horror films! Children who venture into these foreboding depths may emerge screaming in terror as they encounter that monster in old basements known as the octopus furnace. A less terrifying name for these basement monstrosities is the “gravity furnace”. And despite their size and cephalopod appearance, they are not evil except in a single regard, however gravity furnaces emerged in the 1760s. Normally coal-fired, they can be adapted to burn gas and other combustibles. They are virtually indestructible and have no moving parts, so they are durable and seriously low service. They labor simply, as fire from the combustion chamber sends heated air throughout the house. Gravity forces heavier cool air into the basement where it is reheated to complete the cycle. There are three main downsides to gravity furnaces. The first is that they are woefully inefficient at about 50% meaning that every BTU produced to heat the lake house is matched by another BTU that simply escapes through the chimney. The next downside is the challenge they pose when homeowners want to update them with a current forced air furnace as section of a central Heating and A/C system, then unless that gravity furnace and HVAC duct is completely unattachd, any A/C component will be in the form of window units or perhaps a ductless system. A ductless plan will result in a heating and cooling plan that is simply too cumbersome when paired with the gravity furnace. The ninth downside is the evil that all of us hinted at earlier. Most gravity furnaces used asbestos as an insulating material. Asbestos is not dangerous when left alone but any disturbance could send asbestos fibers into the air putting the building renters at risk of inhaling the known carcinogen.

 

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