Without the proper type and size of filter installed, you could expect a host of unpleasant issues, such as higher energy bills, poor airflow, inadequate heat, a damaged fan, and even an overheated furnace. In fact, some of the more technologically advanced filters prevent germs from circulating. They also help capture allergens, including pet dander and pollen. These filters prevent dust from blowing through the air and covering furniture, electronics, flooring, countertops, and other surfaces. Whether for a residential or commercial furnace, both gas and electric units require filters. Why Filters Are Critical for Both Home and Business Furnaces Therefore, the installation process is much easier. Without combustion gases, there’s no need for a flue. There’s one additional advantage of an electric furnace. That makes the unit safer not only for humans and pets but also the environment. The primary benefit of choosing an electric furnace is that it doesn’t produce carbon monoxide, an odorless but potentially deadly gas. Next, blowers push the warm air through the ductwork and into the interior rooms. With this option, a blower draws air into the cabinet that contains the breakers via a cold-air return.įrom there, the blower forces air through the heat exchanger, where electrically controlled heating elements heat the air. The difference is that instead of burners, the unit has electric heating elements controlled by circuit breakers. Especially for people who prefer eco-friendly options, an electric furnace is a viable choice.Īn electric model also receives a signal from the thermostat. Although an electric unit is more environmentally friendly, the cost to operate it is significantly higher. Typically, most people prefer a gas furnace over one that runs on electricity. However, if you opt for a high-efficiency furnace, the venting process goes through a wall. To ensure safety, the burning fuel created by combustion gases vents through a flue on the roof. As it becomes warm, the blower forces the air into a hot plenum that moves it through the ductwork and into interior rooms. The blower pushes air around that metal chamber. The furnace has either a pilot light or electronic ignition, which lights the burners located within the combustion chamber, causing heat to form in the heat exchanger. At the same time, the blowers begin to operate. Upon receiving the signal, a valve inside the furnace opens to allow natural gas to reach the burners. In response, the thermostat sends a low-voltage signal to the furnace’s relay. In other words, to heat a room to 75 degrees, you would set the thermostat to that number. With this, you set a thermostat to the desired temperature with the furnace running until it reaches that level. While there are not a lot of differences between them, the furnaces themselves operate in different ways.Ī gas furnace is just what the name implies: A unit that relies on gas to force warm air into the interior atmosphere.

Regardless of the type of unit you use to heat your home or business, they both require filters. When it comes to furnaces, you have two options - gas and electric. The one fact easily obtained is that the original design of filters was intended to protect the blower motor found in older-style furnaces and the evaporator coil in air-conditioning units. The big breakthrough came in 1919 when Alice Parker patented the first central heating system, forever changing how people kept their homes and businesses comfortable.Īt some point, people began using filters to prevent particles from blowing inside of rooms, especially after the invention of the fan system in the late 1890s. Then in 1883, Thomas Edison invented the first electric heater, followed by the patenting of the first thermostat two years later by Warren Johnson. Later that same century, a Scottish man, named James Watt, developed the first working heating system that operated on steam combined with a connection of pipes. However, it’s known that in the early 18th century, Englanders first started using combustion air coming from an outside duct to make interior rooms more comfortable.

For some reason, there’s little to no information as to when and who invented the first furnace filter.

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