Furnace (central heating)

This article is about devices that heat air for central heating of buildings. For devices that heat water or steam for hydronic heating, see boiler. For other uses, see Furnace (disambiguation).
See also: Boiler (water heating)

A furnace is an appliance used to generate hot air for all or part of a building. Furnaces are mostly used as a major component of a central heating system. The most common fuel source for modern furnaces in North America and much of Europe is natural gas; other common fuel sources include LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), fuel oil, wood and in rare cases coal. In some areas electrical resistance heating is used, especially where the cost of electricity is low or the primary purpose is for air conditioning. Modern high-efficiency furnaces can be up to 98% efficient and operate without a chimney, with a typical gas furnace being about 80% efficient. Waste gas and heat are mechanically ventilated through either metal flue pipes or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes that can be vented through the side or roof of the structure. Fuel efficiency in a gas furnace is measured in AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency).

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