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How to Identify a 1930 Gas Heater

Gas heaters were a common household item in the late 19th and early 20th century, and many are still used in homes. These heaters were first manufactured by Pettit &Smith in 1856, utilizing the principals of the Bunsen burner. Gas heaters made in 1930 used a gas flame that heated fire-clay for proper heat dispersion. Numerous companies produced gas heaters in the 1930s. Identifying a gas heater circa 1930 can be accomplished with little difficulty, because all of these heaters had somewhat similar qualities.

Instructions

- 1
  Locate the manufacturer's label or stamp on the heater. This stamp shows the company that produced the heater, along with where and in what year. This stamp is typically located on the front or back of the heater, but older, worn heaters may not have a stamp.
- 2
  Identify the heating element on the heater face. During the 1930s, the heating element used was fire-clay. This is distinguishable from older heaters that used asbestos heating elements and from newer models that use a variety of materials for heat absorption.
- 3
  Inspect the heater body. Heaters built in 1930 often had an enameled outer body and ceramic grates to protect the heating element. These heaters were also quite heavy as compared to newer models.
- 4
  Inspect the gas orifice. Gas heaters made during this time were typically built with an orifice for connecting to a natural gas line. These were made from brass in the 1930s, and some have intricately designed patterns.

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