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😲1940"s/50's Forced Air Furnace 💨still in use, 🚫GAS leak & improper burning flame🔥
• 😲1940"s/50's Forced Ai...
A History lesson of “EVOLUTION in CONSTUCTION” (OCTOPUS) Gravity Furnaces
This video was documented at a house that was built in the 1880s and it still has the original octopus gravity furnace being used in 2021! #kalamazoo #puremichigan #michigan
History:
The first indoor heating systems were burning wood in #fireplaces and the next is the wood stove pot belly or #Franklin stoves (invented in 1742). These were convenient for heating and cooking. However, heating a home was very difficult in each room. You had to keep the fires going in MULTIPALE #fireplaces and wood #stoves .
Finally, in 1885 the first “ #octopus #gravity ” #coal #furnace was built and designed originally for coal fuel only; it did not require #GAS or #ELECTRICITY . Coal was manually inserted into the combustion chamber (heat exchanger) which would then heat the air surrounding it. This air is transferred by natural heat rising up through the ductwork to heat the rooms in the home without forced air.
The coal gravity “octopus” furnace was the most popular heating system till 1935 when the first “#FORCED AIR” furnace was introduced. It replaced coal with natural gas for fuel and installed electricity to power an electric fan to push the heat through the duct vent. This provided a QUICKER way to heat the rooms.
GRAVITY furnaces were still being manufactured through the 50s and 60s, BUT they were a SQUARE shape style and were NOT designed for coal but for natural gas and oil only. These were not tolerant of the extensive heat from coal burning btu’s, due to the thin gauge of steal on the #heat exchangers.
Use:
The coal gravity “octopus” furnace required continuous manual regulating of fuel and flame just like a fireplace or woodstove would require. The benefit of using coal fuel versus wood is that it burns very slow with extremely hot BTU ratings and requires less regulation. These were built with riveted #steal and #castiron in a round shape with duct tubes that extend out of it. This is why it got the nickname Octopus. The #ductwork was the key element to transfer the heat with #convection (warm heated air rising) through #ducts from the basement to each room of a home.
Disadvantages:
• Coal is a very dirty source of fuel source and is not #environmentallyfriendly . During the 1900s most OCTOPUS GRAVITY furnaces were converted from coal to natural gas & oil with conversion kits. This relieved #homeownership from the chore of stoking the coal fire, regulating & cleaning ashes.
• Gravity furnaces have heating #efficiency of 50% or LESS, whereas today’s furnaces have the efficiency ratings of up to 95%.
• #Asbestos : An #unhealthy and #hazardous material used on duct work, outer housing of the furnace and gasket/seams to coal hatch door areas. It was used a lot as an #insulator and fire retardant, however it can cause lung cancer when inhaled.
© Copyright 1999 - 2023 John Frejeris
#construction #realestate #home #maintenance #inspection #realestateagentlife #craftsman
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - #fire #hazard #safetyfirst tips
The average #household can expect two serious fires during a member's lifetime and nationally every 68 seconds a fire strikes in a home.
Smoke Detector Tips:
• Smoke detectors should be placed inside of all sleeping areas
• Smoke detectors should be placed on each level of the home (including the basement)
• All #family members should become familiar with the sound that is made when the smoke detector is set off
Remember: Keep your smoke detectors clean and maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions. #Test all #smoke #detectors weekly and check your batteries monthly.
Home Hazard Hunt: (things to look for)
• Storage areas are clean and free of flammables such as old #newspapers , cardboard boxes, and oily rags.
• #paint , #gasoline , and other #flammable liquids are stored and sealed in their original metal containers away from heat sources.
• Electrical systems are checked for frequently blown fuses, #flickering lights, shrinking TV pictures, warm outlet plates, and #sparks from switches and outlets, all signs of an overloaded electrical system or faulty wiring.
• The #heating system and water #heater have been serviced in the past year.
• #chimneys and #woodburning #stoves are clean, free of buildup, & checked regularly.
• All buckets are stored empty and upside down to prevent accidental drownings.
• All #fireplaces have a metal or glass screen that fits tightly.
• Portable space heaters are a safe distance from furniture, drapes, and walkways.
• #Matches, #candles, #lighters, and smoking materials are kept up out of children reach.
• #Electrical outlets have only one outlet per terminal.
• Electrical cords are not under rugs, across pathways or tacked to walls.
• Use of extension cords is avoided.