i have been searching fora couple of days and i cant seem to find info on the harmon sf1500 furnace. it seems to be what i want but i dont even know how much it cost or reliablity of the unit. it seems to me that no company post there prices on the internet which makes it hard for me to pick a single unit out from another since i am in iraq and i wont be home untill mid november. i have 2500 set aside for this project and i dont even want to spend that much. my current setup is an oil fired boiler that feeds old iron radiators with steam. i am thinking i want forced air because i know i can run air ducts fairly easily. what i also like about the sf1500 is that it can run on wood or coal. any info or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
anyone have experience with harmon sf1500
- Thread starter mike8937
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laynes69
Minister of Fire
I don't think you will go in your budget for that furnace and ductwork. From what I could find online, the list price is around 3800. A few years ago I reducted my home and that was 1200.00. Since then, ductwork has gone up. If going forced air, you will want a stand alone, with a large blower. The harmons seem to have good durability and reputation, but I don't think the efficiency is there. Most units that burn wood well wont do coal and vise versa. What size is your home, and how is it built?
laynes69
Minister of Fire
If that square footage is total, thats not too much. A small wood furnace with a few ducts would be all you need. We heat with a Caddy EPA woodfurnace. They are very efficient compared to the basic models. They don't burn coal, but its something to look into. Also I think the Harmon would be overkill for the square footage. Normally what happens is when someone purchases something thats too big for the home, they tend to burn the furnace with a low fire. This in return causes major creosote buildup. Depending on the layout of your home, you may find a nice EPA stove to do the job. This would require no ductwork, and no electricity to boot. What type and size of chimney do you have now?
my chimney is a clay flue 8*8. i also have a fireplace(very inefficient) and a small stove(major piece of trash). i have 3 separate chimneys but the one i plan on putting the furnace on is the 8*8. i dont want to use the other 2 burners other then show. i may replace the small stove with a new or used more efficient one but i want to put my money into a central heat furnace first. i have plenty of wood for free or for next to nothing, i just liked the thought of have another fuel source. where can i find prices on furnaces?
laynes69
Minister of Fire
You will have to look at the dealers online that are listed under the manufacturer websites. Whatever you choose make sure there is secondary combustion. Something that's EPA certiified will be much more efficient than a EPA exempt model. Some units can be bought online while others prohibit it. Call around in your area and see what's sold. I know hitzer is known for coal. They make a furnace also. Good luck.
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