Both sets of my grandparents lived in houses built before central air was common; probably 1920s. My mom’s folks lived on a farm and actually used a coal furnace in the basement for several years before they replaced it.
Both houses had vents in the second story floors that allowed heated air to flow up from the ground floor; no pipes, just a vent with a clear view of the main floor. (Cooling was done with fans and open windows.) My brother and I used to spy on the adults below, thinking we were pretty clever.
Both sets of my grandparents lived in houses built before central air was common; probably 1920s. My mom’s folks lived on a farm and actually used a coal furnace in the basement for several years before they replaced it.
Both houses had vents in the second story floors that allowed heated air to flow up from the ground floor; no pipes, just a vent with a clear view of the main floor. (Cooling was done with fans and open windows.) My brother and I used to spy on the adults below, thinking we were pretty clever.