Furnace

1. A gas furnace burns propane or natural gas to generate heat in the furnace’s burner.
2. The heat produced passes through a heat exchanger, making it hot.
3. Air from the home’s ductwork is blown over the heat exchanger, warming the air.
4. The furnace’s blower then forces the heated air into the supply ductwork, distributing it throughout the home.

There are also Electric furnaces, where heat is generated by a passing electricity through a resistive element.

As things stand in Ontario, gas furnaces are more economical than electric furnaces, or air supply heat pumps with electricity backup.

However, gas furnaces are being phased out in parts of Canada and although Ontario has not taken a stand on this as yet, many new homes are opting for the electric version. The advances made in cold climate heat pumps can also hasten this process.