I have a vacant home in Utah, built in yr 2001, and the only thing running is the furnace which is electric. The house is 3,800 sq ft and the only thing on is the furnace set at 55 degrees. There are no appliances in the home with the exception of a refrigerator and a gas stove.
Why would the gas bill for an empty home be $160 when the only thing that is running is the furnace but it’s electric?
Thanks in advance.
A furnace is a mechanical device designed, constructed, and used to generate heat (i.e. a heater). Depending on what kind is being used, a furnace serves to either heat the interior of a structure to prevent unwanted cold from ensuing, or to burn materials for the purpose of molding or cremating. Different kinds of furnaces include household furnaces, metallurgical furnaces, industrial furnaces, and incinerators.
Different Kinds of Furnaces
Household Furnace
Household Furnaces, used to disperse cold from within a structure and provide hot water, have several different means of production and require any one of a variation of fuel sources: natural gas, fuel oil, coal, or wood.
The two most common household furnaces are combustion and condensation. The first kind requires an exhaust and relies on burning fuel to generate heat. The second recycles heat by extracting it from the exhaust gases. This kind, being acidic, is designed to prevent corrosion and has a condensate pump to remove any water buildup that will occur.
Heat distribution also has different means. If the means of heat distribution require water or steam, the mechanical device generating the heat is commonly referred to as a boiler. Many modern furnaces in the United Stated, however, use forced-air heat. Convection, or air distribution, directs cold air into a heating chamber and then blows it out through a system of ductwork into the structure.
Metallurgical Furnace
Metallurgical furnaces create heat for several purposes: smeltering, reducing iron ore to pig iron, steelmaking, and remelting and molding metal. Where blast furnaces are used to reduce iron ore into pig iron, various kinds of steelmaking furnaces are made for a multitude of other purposes: Puddling furnace, reverberatory furnace, Bessemer converter, open hearth furnace, basic oxygen furnace, electric arc furnace, electric induction furnace. Each of these treats metal in a different way based on its intended purpose. Needless to say, all metallurgical furnaces require extreme temperatures to successfully perform their respective functions.
Industrial Furnace
Industrial furnaces, usually immense, are also call direct fired heaters. These furnaces have a couple different purposes: providing heat for a production process or serving as a reactor. These furnaces are uniquely designed, depending on each furnace’s intended function, heating manner, type of fuel, and method of air combustion, but they all have common features, namely mechanisms that, when working together, produce heat. Typically, fuel is fed into a burner and is converted into heat via blasts of air blown in by an air blower. Combustion takes place in a firebox, radiating heating fluid through a series of tubes where it achieves its desired temperature. Flue gas, generated through combustion, leaves the firebox, but the convection section recovers more heat from the exhaust before discharging through the smokestack.
Incinerating Furnaces
Incinerating furnaces, or incinerators, typically are used to burn, or cremate, waste. This kind of furnace can be categorized as an industrial furnace due to its size, productive function, and the fact that industrial plants use incinerators to minimize their waste. Where incinerators are different than other industrial furnaces, however, is that they don’t assist in actual production; they only destroy waste. Their manner of fuel and performance, though, are the same as other industrial furnaces.
Furnaces are amazing devices, but they must be respected at all times. People who don’t respect such power, or don’t know how to properly use it, are liable to get burned!
Find more Furnace resources and other great topics at www.info-checkpoint.info.
Insulation is the phenomenon of reducing the flow of heat, electricity or sound between the inner space and outer space of an object. Insulation can be used both to prevent heat gain and from heat loss to the surrounding areas. Most electric appliances use insulation technology like Refrigerators, freezers and Heaters. One of the main applications of insulation is house insulation. An insulated home is more energy efficient, requires less maintenance and is more comfortable, as the temperature remains uniform over weather changes. Insulation at home helps in saving energy and reducing utility bills. It makes the house more comfortable.
There are many types of insulation available these days like Batts and Blanket insulation, loose fill insulation, Cellulosic insulation, Reflective insulations etc. Foam insulation is one of them. Foam insulation is performed by pouring liquid foam from a container.
Foam insulation is convenient to install while constructing the house rather than insulating already built structures. As foam insulation is air tight, it is not generally recommended for attic insulation that should be properly ventilated. Also, Foam insulation is a bit more expensive than batt and blanket insulation.
Foam installation is easy to perform with adequate instruments. They are much more powerful and efficient than Batt and Blanket insulation. They have a higher R value and provide better thermal resistance. Due to their high efficiency, they can be installed even in small spaces. Foam insulation is generally filled in the cavities of walls, floor, roofs etc. Foam insulation also protects the space from moisture condensation. Foam insulation does not shrink or settle. It is fire and insect-resistant.
Rigid Foam Insulation is best used when space is a consideration. It is easy to install and best when a higher R value is not needed. It is made up of densely packed air particles and provides a high thermal resistance. It is good for creating a barrier against energy loss and air infiltration.
Spray-on insulation is installed with the material known as polyurethane. Spray foam insulation is used to insulate the walls and ceilings to keep the house warm during cold spells and to keep it cool in summer. Spray Foam insulation is a bit more expensive than Fiber glass insulation. This type of insulation can reduce utility and repair bills as the house is naturally warmer and free from bugs due to the insulation. Spray foam insulation lasts longer than other types. Also, it dos not fall off the wall like fiber glass insulation.
Proper Precautions must be taken while installing the foam insulation. Some Foam insulation materials contain chemicals that can harm the skin and may cause lung cancer. Therefore proper masks must be put on the face before installing them. They must not be installed near to electrical equipments. Though, they do not catch fire easily they may emit harmful gasses if they burn. Foam insulation should also be protected from sunlight as ultraviolet rays from the sun may damage foam insulation.
Eric Comforth is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics. There’s plenty more insulation information at
Insulation Info.
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