Furnace vs. Heater — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 25, 2024
A furnace heats air using combustion or electricity and distributes it via ducts, while a heater, often portable, can use various methods to warm specific areas.
Difference Between Furnace and Heater
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A furnace is typically a central heating system used to heat an entire building through air ducts, utilizing either gas, oil, or electricity for power. On the other hand, a heater refers to a broader category of devices, including portable units, designed to raise the temperature in specific rooms or spaces.
Furnaces are generally installed as permanent fixtures in a building and require professional installation and maintenance. In contrast, heaters can be as simple as plug-in electric devices that are easy to move and require minimal setup.
The operation of a furnace involves circulating heated air throughout a building, making it effective for consistent, whole-home comfort. Heaters, however, may use radiant, convection, or infrared technology to heat only the immediate area surrounding them.
Energy efficiency in furnaces has seen significant improvements, especially with models that include features like modulating flame and variable speed blowers. Heaters vary widely in efficiency, with some models like oil-filled radiators being more energy-efficient than others such as basic electric space heaters.
Safety features also differ; furnaces are equipped with numerous safety switches and must comply with strict installation codes. Portable heaters are simpler but must be used with caution to avoid fire risks, often featuring automatic shut-off and tip-over protection.
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Comparison Chart
Type of Use
Whole-building heating
Room or space-specific heating
Installation
Permanent, requires professional
Portable, minimal to no installation
Energy Source
Gas, oil, electricity
Electricity, gas, oil, propane, others
Heating Method
Forced air through ducts
Radiant, convection, infrared
Safety Features
Multiple safety switches, strict codes
Often has automatic shut-off, tip-over protection
Compare with Definitions
Furnace
A major component of HVAC systems in many homes.
Regular maintenance is crucial to keep the furnace running smoothly.
Heater
A device used to generate heat.
I bought a small electric heater for my office.
Furnace
An enclosed structure in which material can be heated to very high temperatures,
Metal is melted in a blast furnace.
Heater
Often portable and used for spot heating.
The portable heater can be moved from room to room as needed.
Furnace
A device for high-temperature heating.
The furnace in our basement heats the entire house during winter.
Heater
Varies in type, including radiant, oil-filled, and infrared.
Our radiant heater provides immediate warmth.
Furnace
A system that requires ductwork to distribute heat.
We had to clean the ducts to improve the furnace's efficiency.
Heater
Can be energy-efficient depending on the model.
Our new heater uses infrared technology to minimize electricity use.
Furnace
A unit used to heat buildings by warming air or water.
Our new furnace uses less gas and is more efficient.
Heater
An appliance that raises the temperature of an area.
We use a gas heater in the patio during chilly evenings.
Furnace
A furnace, referred to as a heater or boiler in British English, is a heating unit used to heat up an entire building. Furnaces are mostly used as a major component of a central heating system.
Heater
An apparatus that heats or provides heat.
Furnace
An enclosure in which energy in a nonthermal form is converted to heat, especially such an enclosure in which heat is generated by the combustion of a suitable fuel.
Heater
One who heats something or tends a heating apparatus.
Furnace
An intensely hot place
The furnace of the sun.
An attic room that is a furnace in the summer.
Heater
(Slang) A pistol.
Furnace
A severe test or trial
Endured the furnace of his friends' blame after the accident.
Heater
(Baseball) A fastball.
Furnace
(UK) An industrial heating device, e.g. for smelting metal or baking ceramics.
Heater
A device that produces and radiates heat, typically to raise the temperature of a room or building.
Turn on the heater; I'm cold.
Furnace
A device that provides heat for a building; a space heater.
Heater
A person who heats something, for example in metalworking.
Furnace
(colloquial) Any area that is excessively hot.
Heater
A gun.
The thug pumped two rounds from his heater into her.
Furnace
(figurative) A place or time of punishment, affliction, or great trial; severe experience or discipline.
Heater
A fastball, especially one thrown at high velocity.
Jones threw a heater under his chin.
Furnace
To heat in a furnace.
Heater
An extended winning streak.
Emmy went on a heater in Las Vegas and came back six thousand dollars richer.
Furnace
To exhale like a furnace.
Heater
(historical) A medieval European shield having a rounded triangle shape like a clothes iron.
Furnace
An inclosed place in which heat is produced by the combustion of fuel, as for reducing ores or melting metals, for warming a house, for baking pottery, etc.; as, an iron furnace; a hot-air furnace; a glass furnace; a boiler furnace, etc.
Heater
One who, or that which, heats.
Furnace
A place or time of punishment, affiction, or great trial; severe experience or discipline.
Heater
Any contrivance or implement, as a furnace, stove, or other heated body or vessel, etc., used to impart heat to something, or to contain something to be heated.
Furnace
To throw out, or exhale, as from a furnace; also, to put into a furnace.
He furnacesThe thick sighs from him.
Heater
A pistol or other carryable firearm; as, gunmen with their heaters bulging in their pockets.
Furnace
An enclosed chamber in which heat is produced to heat buildings, destroy refuse, smelt or refine ores, etc.
Heater
Device that heats water or supplies warmth to a room
Heater
(baseball) a pitch thrown with maximum velocity;
He swung late on the fastball
He showed batters nothing but smoke
Common Curiosities
What is a heater?
A heater is any device that is used to warm up an area, and it can be portable or fixed.
What energy sources do furnaces use?
Furnaces typically use gas, oil, or electricity.
What type of maintenance does a furnace require?
Furnaces require annual inspections, filter changes, and occasional duct cleaning.
How does a furnace differ from a central heating system?
A furnace is a type of central heating system that uses air ducts to distribute heat.
Can heaters be used as a primary heating source?
Heaters can be used as a primary source in smaller spaces or supplementary in larger ones.
What is a furnace?
A furnace is a large heating installation intended for heating through the means of air distribution.
Are heaters safe to use at home?
Yes, when used according to manufacturer's instructions and with proper safety features.
Which is more cost-effective to operate: a furnace or a heater?
Furnaces generally cost more upfront but are more cost-effective in the long run for whole-house heating.
Do all heaters use electricity?
No, heaters can also use gas, oil, or propane.
How portable are heaters compared to furnaces?
The furnace generates heat which is then evenly distributed throughout the space.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
