Exploring the History of Using Oil for Heat
Oil is one of our earth’s most precious resources. Today, we use oil to produce a wide variety of items and materials, and use it to power motor vehicles of all kinds. But just over a century ago, oil was only beginning to become widely used as a resource for production and power. In fact, it wasn’t until the late 1880s that oil was even used for everyday heating. Here’s a look at the history of heating oil.
Centuries ago, human use of oil was much more limited than it is today. Ancient civilizations primarily used oil to make fire, which was the only way to illuminate dark spaces. Oil was also used in very low-level manufacturing, including the use of bitumen, a natural oil byproduct, for waterproofing and sealing. However, early civilizations did not know how to control or manage the use of oil in an efficient manner. This technology would not be developed until the 19th century.
The use of oil for heating was made possible in 1880 by Amanda Theodosia Jones, an author and inventor who lived in northern Pennsylvania. Jones is widely credited for patenting the very first oil burner, which is a critical component of oil burning furnaces. This early oil burner allowed homeowners to produce fire using a supply of heating oil in a very controlled manner. It was also much easier to use than other heating methods, such as fireplaces or the Franklin stove, which were both messy and required large supplies of fuel.
However, the oil burner was not fully developed until coal furnaces completely replaced wood burning stoves as the primary heating method in the United States. In the 1920s, heating oil furnaces began to outsell coal burning furnaces. This trend continued throughout century as oil prices remained lower and more efficient than most other heating options.
Are you looking for professional heating oil delivery services in Cambridge? Contact Fawcett Oil today for heating oil delivery, furnace maintenance and repairs, tank monitoring and more. Call (888) 860-7441.
- Loading comments...
