Hello all,
We just moved into our new house, new build to our specs. ~2000 sqft colonial with walk-up (currently unfinished attic) and a 2 car drive under garage. I had a 2 flue masonry chimney built in centrally locacated. Primary (currently only) heat is a high efficiency propane wall mount, direct vent, hydronic baseboard. I have a thimble in the basement in the "utility side" (not garage side), and one in the dinig room. I'd like to suppliment with wood. My parents have an old ~1980's WoodChuck (I think it's a model 530 but not positive) furnace that's not actively being used. They used to heat their cape with it since before I can remember up until about 10 years ago when they put and addition on and it got moved to the garage for occasional use.
That is up for grabs but it needs firebricks other than that its in good shape. The questions are; is it worth it to move that over to my place and re line it? Considering its a forced hot air unit and I have no ducting in my new house is it practical to heat at least the first floor? Can I run some ducts in the basement and up through the first floor? I would love to keep the basement warm too since I am working down there 3+ nights a week plus some weekends. Can i still get bricks for that stove or do I just get generics and cut to fit?
The other options are a big old cast iron stove for <$300 on craigslist and cut a few vents into the floor and just use the radiant heat. I still have the option for a (small) stove in the dining room but currently the thimble is framed and sheetrocked around so I would need to do some hearth work to implement that, plus the boss isn't a big fan or the dust and ash in her new house (we heated with a Vermont Castings in the old house).
Ideally I would like to put in a gasification boiler (EKO) with a water storage tank and sister it with the propane unit for seamless integration. I can't swallow that cost right now so I'm looking for a cheap 'hold me over'.
Thanks
Chris
We just moved into our new house, new build to our specs. ~2000 sqft colonial with walk-up (currently unfinished attic) and a 2 car drive under garage. I had a 2 flue masonry chimney built in centrally locacated. Primary (currently only) heat is a high efficiency propane wall mount, direct vent, hydronic baseboard. I have a thimble in the basement in the "utility side" (not garage side), and one in the dinig room. I'd like to suppliment with wood. My parents have an old ~1980's WoodChuck (I think it's a model 530 but not positive) furnace that's not actively being used. They used to heat their cape with it since before I can remember up until about 10 years ago when they put and addition on and it got moved to the garage for occasional use.
That is up for grabs but it needs firebricks other than that its in good shape. The questions are; is it worth it to move that over to my place and re line it? Considering its a forced hot air unit and I have no ducting in my new house is it practical to heat at least the first floor? Can I run some ducts in the basement and up through the first floor? I would love to keep the basement warm too since I am working down there 3+ nights a week plus some weekends. Can i still get bricks for that stove or do I just get generics and cut to fit?
The other options are a big old cast iron stove for <$300 on craigslist and cut a few vents into the floor and just use the radiant heat. I still have the option for a (small) stove in the dining room but currently the thimble is framed and sheetrocked around so I would need to do some hearth work to implement that, plus the boss isn't a big fan or the dust and ash in her new house (we heated with a Vermont Castings in the old house).
Ideally I would like to put in a gasification boiler (EKO) with a water storage tank and sister it with the propane unit for seamless integration. I can't swallow that cost right now so I'm looking for a cheap 'hold me over'.
Thanks
Chris
