Trickyrick said:
Turbo-Quad said:
Sounds like I need to find out what is wrong with the Quad or insulate my house....lol.
Insulation is always the best payback until you get above an R-40ish range.
What is your existing heat source? Do you know what the estimate of your monthly usage is on this heat source? If you have some rough numbers I can give you a fairly rough estimate of what your current usage condition is.
My furnace is a 100, 000 btu forced air propane burner. It’s about 20 years old so not efficient at all. I was spending about 350 to 400 a month to keep the house at 62 degrees. That is why I wanted to try the pellet stove. The Quad will burn 2 bags a day wide open. 74 in the dining room where the stove is and 60 in the living room about 12 feet away, even colder in the kitchen. Half the house is closed down so only heating about 600 sq feet. The bedrooms are shut up so they are about 48 (thank god for electric blankets). I moved my recliner and TV into the dining room last night. I thought I might as well enjoy the temp there. I have a ceiling fan running in the dining room and one in the living room.
I have taken some temp readings with an infra red thermometer and the pot varies between 380 and 450. The heat exchanger outlet tubes are 270 on the left side and about 210 on the right side. Hopefully someone can tell me if these are good readings. I have no idea.
I probably just need insulation. I'm looking into spray foam but I have to seal the outside some how. The house was built in 1912 and the greystone blocks have lost their sealant. Water wicks through pretty good so no point insulation until I get that under control. I will probably use elastomeric coating on the outside to seal it. I will probably have to gut it this summer after I get the outside coated. I have 2 foot eaves and I would really like to stud the outside, spray foam it, then vinyl side over the studded foam, but I don't think I could afford all of that.