Furnaces are a prevalent type of heating system. They allow us to endure the gruelling Toronto winters with ease. With their shared existence in every home, we’re sure you might have wondered, “how does a natural gas furnace work?”
A lot of homeowners know a bit of background about natural gas furnaces. However, very few are knowledgeable of how they function and operate. If you are one of those searching for answers, you’ve come to the right place! This article will walk you through how your gas system works and what’s behind the heat that it gives.
Understanding What the “Heating Cycle” Is About
How does a natural gas furnace work? Before we move forward on answering that question, you need to learn and understand the basic heating cycle of your furnace. The heating cycle is the summation of the events that entail fuel’s conversion to heat energy. In a general sense, it involves the following series of steps:
- The ignition of natural gas or propane within the burner begins.
- The flame heats the metal heat exchanger. As a result, it transfers heat to the cold indoor air.
- Warm air is dispersed throughout the home through blowers in the ductwork. As heat fills the living space, cold air goes to the return vents, where the furnace starts the process once more.
The steps above basically cover your gas furnace’s general heating cycle. While it explains how the process happens typically, it doesn’t give enough specification to the complete details.
A Stricter Analysis of the Function of your Gas Furnace
The answer to the query, “how does a natural gas furnace work?” is not just a one-word response. To better understand how the system functions, we will explain each step.
The process begins when you dial in on your thermostat. Once the desired temperature is up, the thermostat urges the control board to flip the ignition switch. As a result, gas migrates to the combustion chamber. Once gas enters the said chamber, ignition begins to take place. As fuel produces the flame, it transfers the energy to the heat exchanger. Since they are loops and coils of metals, they are great conductors of heat and are ideal for energy transfer (cold or heat). Once the air is heated as it passes through the metal coils, the blower pushes it to the ducts. Heated air, as a result, disperses into the corners of your home. Your thermostat determines whether the system reaches the desired temperature as the process continues. Once the sensors detect that it is already up to your standard liking, the gas valve shuts down, and the system stops converting gas to heat energy.
Why is it crucial for a homeowner to know this information?
Knowing the response to “how does a natural gas furnace work?” does not only allow you to learn about your home’s heating partner; it is critical to avoid any possible issues for it not to function correctly. Any potential hindrance to any part during energy conversion could lead to system failure or inadequate heating. Understanding how each component functions might be helpful and come in handy in the future.
