What do use for "furnace"?

Question

A parent asked me how to say "furnace" because her Spanish/English dictionary used "horno" which most people seem to understand as oven or stove. Is there a "standard" word for "furnace", that indicates it is to heat the house?

Thanks to everyone who answered:) - gdal2, Sep 22, 2010

Answer 1

In my family when we used to live in a snowy climate and had it on all the time, we called it "la califacción". Here in Mexico we don't need to use that word!

Edit: I just looked it up and indeed this is the correct word. It's not in the SpanisDict dictionary, but it is what is listed on websites selling them.

Yea, I can't imagine there is much need for one there.:) - Yeser007, Sep 22, 2010

It does get cold here sometimes - we are in the mountains at 2300 meters altitude. But not as cold as it was in Chicago! - petersenkid2, Sep 22, 2010

ël calefactor. - pacofinkler, Feb 15, 2011

Answer 2

Calorífero de aire seems to work for warm air heaters, with some Spanish speaking tenants I visit. It may not be technically accurate, but they understand me.

Jeremias' suggestion of calentador works for boiler.

Answer 3

Although horno means an oven it also applies to a furnace or kiln.

Altos hornos - Blast furnace

Horno de fundición - Smelting furnace

Horno de ladrillos - Brick kiln

¡gracias! - gdal2, Sep 22, 2010

Answer 4

When I was in Mexico we used the word calentador to refer to a portable electric heater. There weren't any furnaces so they didn't have a word for furnace! However calentador might be generically correct.

J

That's what I came up with....gracias! - gdal2, Sep 22, 2010

Answer 5

This site suggests caldera could be used. (even though it is more for steam heat-boiler)

caldera

discussion on furnace

Answer 6

My friend from Honduras say " calendon" (maybe I don't spell it right) to mean the gas furnace for house heating