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I have read the following paragraph from Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3:

Ever since Mom assigned the dishes to me and Rodrick, Dad's been going down to the furnace room after dinner to work on this miniature Civil War battlefield of his.

I am confused about the meaning of "furnace room". I have looked it up in the dictionary.In the dictionary, it means:"a large container for a very hot fire, used to produce power, heat, or liquid metal."

How can he build a furnace room at home. I think it means "basement",but I can't find this meaning in the dictionary.

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  • Where I grew up, we had a utility room on the first floor with various things including the furnace. We didn't call it a basement because it wasn't below ground level.
    – user230
    Oct 15, 2013 at 6:26

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Your definition defines furnace. A furnace room is simply the room where the furnace sits.

In many homes, the furnace is in the basement. In homes with unfinished basements, there is a lot of extra space for storage, or for hobbies such as model trains.

furnace room

Can't you see Dad setting up his model train set in a room like this one?

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    The large box structure with the pipe leading up to the wall is the furnace. In this picture it would be a gas-burning furnace, as opposed to a wood-fire type furnace. Usually home furnaces provide central heating and hot water for the home.
    – GreaseMonkey
    Oct 12, 2013 at 13:16
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    In British English, that would be called a boiler (if it burns natural gas, or oil).
    – Steve Melnikoff
    Oct 13, 2013 at 15:16
  • @J.R. what is this furnace for in American Family?
    – user48070
    Oct 15, 2013 at 3:24
  • @user48070 - It would be primarily used to heat the home.
    – J.R. ♦
    Oct 15, 2013 at 12:21

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