Wood Heat

[indebt]

I am curently building a new house and would like some input on two types of central wood heat systems. should I go with a combo wood/gas furnace or buy a seperate gas furnace and add a wood burner to it. They are close to the same price . any thoughts /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Highbeam]

I would go separate due to the replaceability of the individual components. ALso, the gas only furnace will have standard off the shelf parts that can be replaced in a pinch where the combo furnace may use a bunch of proprietary mechanisms.

Typically the efficiency of the combo furnace is lower than individual furnaces due to shared parts and the associated compromises.

 

[penokee]

I've used a seperate wood furnace add-on for 22 years, and now that I'm thinking of replacing my primary furnace (natural gas fired hot air), having 2 seperate units works out well. I'll just keeep the wood furnace since it's still in good condition.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[1962]

i had my add on wood/coal furnace for 7 years now. we use it to the point where the main N.G. forced air furnace only comes on if were away a few days. never used coal in it, just hardwood. got one of the larger wood furnaces and put a bigger blower, and 220v motor on it. the whole family loves it, we just run the humidifier during winter cause its a drier heat than the main furnace.

 

[indebt]

Thanks for the advise. What brand of add on is good. I was looking at a wood chuck.

 

[fenneran]

This is intriguing. I have never heard of an "add on" wood furnace. We currently have a two year-old oil fired, forced air system. Is the wood furnace just another way of describing a wood stove? Many friends have a wood stove in their basement and the radiant heat from it heats the house. Is this the same thing?
-Frank

 

[dmp437]

If I was building new I would strongly consider the Yukon Eagle. It's a proven design and shoud be the last furnace you'll ever buy.
For an existing house I would get an add-on furnace. I've been checking out the one at TSC for $899 to replace the Ashley I have now.

 

[dmp437]

An add on wood furnace consists of a fire box and one or two blowers to force air around it. The cold air side is plumbed into your existing colr air return and the output side (hot air) is plumbed in to your hot air runs. What you end up with is the ability to heat with oil, with wood, or both using the same trunk lines & registers that are already installed.

Check them out >HERE<

 

[indebt]

Do you have personal experience with the yukon eagle or do you know someone who does. If so I would like to speak with them.

 

[1962]

duane, i dont know anything about the yukon furnace. but the woodchuck is good, so is the brunco, i have friends that have these. and alot of others are good that i am not aware of. i have a jennings. put the big direct drive blower, and a 3-speed switch in case it was too much blowing air. i leave it on high all the time. it has a stainless coil for domestic hot water, but i never got around to installing that option. the fuel bill is almost nothing now. the wood furnace is used pretty much no-stop all winter long except on those unseasonally warm spells. what ever brand you get, i am sure you will be very happy withit. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[penokee]

fenneran - A couple of pictures of how I've got my hot air from the wood furnce plummed into the plennum of my natural gas fired forced air furnace. Added benefit is the heat given off by the furnace into the basement - sit in my chair watching a Green Bay Packer game and usually doze off (hmm - I thought it was the warmth of the stove - just dawned on me maybe it was the game /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )
penokee

 

[penokee]

Pic #2

 

[thcri]

Penokee,

Get yourself one of them back draft dampers to prevent back flow when the gas furnace is running. Othewise you will get air flowing backwards into the wood burner. Unless the extra heat is not a problem. As far as sleeping during a Packer game that is normal. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

murph

 

[fenneran]

Thanks penoke, that helps. I had never heard of this before, but a quick internet search taught me a lot about the whole deal. This is really an interesting option to explore. Unfortunately, our basement is not finished, so I could not sleep in front of the packers...er...wood furnace like you do /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

-Frank

 

[farmerpsv]

hey all,
i noticed some put these in their basements, what kind of vent do you need? i assume you'd need a chimney?
thanks
paul

 

[billbill1]

I have used a United States Stove Company wood furnace for about 15 years. I built a new home 4 years ago and I installed the wood furnace in the garage and attached it to the ductwork of the house. The garage is attached to the house, the best part is that the garage stays around 70-75 degrees, getting into a warm vehicle is great. I also installed a thermostat system in the house that opens and closes the air to the firebox on the furnace. Works like a charm. No mess inside the house either, a real plus and I can use the tractor to haul wood all the way to the furnace.

 

[s1120]

How do these compair with the outside wood burners I see? I have thought of one, but my house has one of the new Hi eff heaters that do not have a pipe. Just exit out the side of the house through a PVC pipe.

 

[penokee]

Mine is in the basement connected directly to my masonry chimney. When Insurance company checked it out, their only requirement was that the wood stove pipe enter the chimney below the pipe from the natural gas furnace. Both connected to same flue. Codes today may require seperate flues.
penokee /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Ps: Stove and wood stored in the basement is a little dirtier then being outside, with an occasional insect or two, but in my judgement still worthwhile. Will try to post a few Wood stove links. http://www.woodheat.org/q&a/qafirewood.htm http://www.farmshow.com/index/results.asp?category=WOOD%20STOVES/FURNACES&subcategory=WOOD+STOVES%2FFURNACES+%2820L%29&code=65

 

[billbill1]

I had an outside furnace in 1980, it worked OK but going outside to load it right before going to bed and getting up and going outside to load it the first thing in the morning were not the greatest. I believe the codes call for a separate flue for the outside furnace. The metalbestos pipe can be routed up through a closet but must go outside above the roofline.

 

[1962]

at the last house i used triple wall 6",at this house it is connected to the second flue of a masonary chimney. which i clean out often during the winter months. the wood furnace just keeps tagging along with us whenever we move.