Gas furnace with auxiliary wood burner (pic)
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![[Hearth.com] Gas furnace with auxiliary wood burner (pic)](/talk/data/attachments/99/99396-bbc09edd6568eb5d600d3bca60c44cd3.jpg?hash=oLPe9t-e1j)
That's why they call them "add-on" wood furnaces. They are meant to be installed with a standard furnace though I can't comment on the specific execution of this particular installation.
The idea is that when you fail to keep the wood burner going that the standard furance can take over.
The idea is that when you fail to keep the wood burner going that the standard furance can take over.
The only issue i would see, and this is coming from somebody who doesn't know much about forced air, so take it with a grain of salt, where is the wood furnace getting its return air from? Do forced air furnaces have provisions for ducted returns?
(broken link removed to http://www.drolet.ca/upload/documents/manuels/drolet/Hotblast%201400-A.pdf)
Diagram shows a blower mounted on the back of the add-on unit. It would be pulling return air from the room and rest of the house.
Diagram shows a blower mounted on the back of the add-on unit. It would be pulling return air from the room and rest of the house.
My FIL says something similar but I believe his wood furnace IS tied to the return ducting. Also, his is not "fully automatic". He has to flip a damper on the output ductwork to switch from wood to the main air handler so it's more for when he goes on vacation or runs out of wood. A "fully automatic" would move the damper the proper way based on whichever furnace is running. I think some people do it with a spring loaded setup that used the flow of air to seal off the unused furnace. I think you coud also rig up a linear actuator that would work really slick if desired.
Yeah, when I check it out make sure it has a cold air return on the back. Thanks for posting that manual, didn't even think to look! Having used only electric or wood heat all my life I am just very nervous about having a propane/gas furnace sitting right next to a burning fire (I know, it's in the box but it still makes me nervous if there were to be a propane leak or something).
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