What Is A Gravity Wall Furnace

The vent cap installs on the outside wall of the home.

What is a gravity wall furnace. While this type of furnace has been replaced in many case by devices such as the heat pump there are still many homes that continue to make use of a gravity furnace. Many houses built between the late 1800s and the mid 1900s have a gravity heating system also known as an octopus furnace. Gravity furnace is the common term for a type of heating unit popular from the late 1800s up through the 1950s. A gravity furnace gets its name because it relies on the natural forces of gravity to disperse heated air.

In southern california and other regions throughout the country these units still sometimes provide heat for older homes. Gravity wall furnace now in new modern white color. Wall furnaces direct vent wall furnace. The furnace in the older house is a still working gravity furnace.

Usually located in the basement floor or wall a gravity heating system allows warm air to naturally rise into a home. Gravity furnaces are heating equipment that employ the use of gravity to conduct warm air to various parts of the structure. Your home will be much more comfortable with a forced air furnace. Mount direct vent wall heaters on an outside wall.

Forced air furnaces with blower fans are much more efficient at distributing heated air and matching the thermostat settings you select. Because gravity furnaces release warm air through the middle of the house and cold air comes back down along the walls homes that have them are rarely comfortable except in the middle of the house. At one time this type of furnace was a common means of providing heat in homes and apartment buildings. The fibers in asbestos are know carcinogens.

Asbestos removal should be done by a certified removal company. Unlike a modern furnace a gravity system has ducts but no fan. Set your store to see local availability add to cart. Cozy gravity wall furnaces mount on any inside or outside wall single wall only providing both circulated and radiant heat in an economical package.

But unlike modern gas furnaces these coal furnaces are very inefficient. Dyna glo 30 000 btu blue flame vent free liquid propane thermostatic wall heater model bfss30lpt 4p 220 17 220 17. So asbestos exposure is a very serious issue. Old gravity furnaces operate by allowing the heated air to rise up the middle of the home and the cool air falls back down along the outside walls making the middle of the house warm and the outside walls cold see diagrams below.

Not many moving parts in this old furnace. Top vent gas gravity wall furnaces circulate room air and can be mounted on an internal or external wall. Direct vent systems mount on an outside wall and have a vent within a vent system to draw in outdoor air to support combustion and exhaust flue products to the outdoors. Williams direct vent gravity wall heater 14 000 btuh 65 afue natural gas model 1403822 692 99 692 99.

Asbestos was a common covering for the ductwork.