Im a wood burning rookie, and i know it..

[Speakeasy2009]

Hi everyone,

As a new home owner getting ***** by the oil man and having to rely on him to keep warm, I really want a wood burning solution.

Yes, I know it’s a ton of work, and I have to buy wood too if I can find enough… fine I get that. But I’m the type who wants to be as self-sufficient as possible. Storms that knock out power are common and in the cold I hate not knowing I can’t keep my kids warm without electricity or oil. What if I lose my job, how will I buy oil???? These are the things I want to prevent myself from having to worry about. Most people say I’m a dooms-dayer or crazy prepper but that’s not the case. I just want to be prepared for stuff, I mean ya never know. When I talk to people in general about it, it’s as if they forgot about all the complaining they did after hurricane Sandy that left them cold and without power for 3 damn weeks.

I’ve been reading and doing a lot of research but I don’t understand it all. I’m just so confused because there is so much info.

My house – 1000sqft

Current heat – oil burner with forced air. Each room has a heat and a return duct.

Basement – same size as the upper floor.

My goal is to heat my basement to make it livable and the upstairs. I want to use a small wood burning furnace, like the Englander model 28-350. It will do the basement and the upstairs. I only have a ground level floor, no second floor.

So my question is… what furnace should I use for this? And how can I get it to distribute evenly to the rooms through the ducts. And what do i have to take into consideration that as a rookie at this i would overlook??

Thanks for dealing with me guys.. I know, forum rookies are annoying...

 

[pen]

I'm going to move your post over to the Boiler Room where the topic of central heating is more often discussed.

Good luck.

 

[maple1]

What furnace depends on budget and what you would value in the quality & operation of it. You need a chimney for it, the space to put it and the wood you want to keep ready for it in, space for connecting ductwork (should be able to tie into existing ductwork, but existing ductwork may need more clearance to combustibles) - and dry wood.

Beyond that can get pretty situation specific.

 

[cheechblu]

The Englander 28-3500 looks real nice. Non EPA, So it's gonna eat lots of wood. I know, because I have a non-EPA wood/coal furnace that devours wood. So now I only burn coal in it. That's just another option for you.
Still, you can't go wrong with the Englander.

 

[Fsappo]

If you are looking for an efficient, long term investment, look at the Caddy or Mini Caddy from PSG. I have personal and excellent experience with that line.

 

[Speakeasy2009]

What furnace depends on budget and what you would value in the quality & operation of it. You need a chimney for it, the space to put it and the wood you want to keep ready for it in, space for connecting ductwork (should be able to tie into existing ductwork, but existing ductwork may need more clearance to combustibles) - and dry wood.

Beyond that can get pretty situation specific.

I’d say my budget for an indoor furnace is about 1000 to 1500. My house is small, so I can’t imagine id need a big unit.


There is plenty of space to connect the duct work and all my current duct work is all metal. I don’t think it sits right against the bottom of the wood flooring, if I remember correctly there is clearance but I’ll have to check.


Yes ill need a flue, I plan to put it out one of the basement windows and up the side of the house with the proper clearance at the top. This will cost me about 1500 I gather, maybe a bit more.


The only thing I don’t understand is how and where the piping from the wood furnace goes into the current forced air ducting and how I get it to circulate. Some told me to have my current forced air fans wired for manual operation so I can shut off the oil furnace but just use the fans to move the air around..


So 1500 for stove, 1500 for piping… ill do most of the work myself. I have a local contractor who can help me too if I need it.

 

[Speakeasy2009]

If you are looking for an efficient, long term investment, look at the Caddy or Mini Caddy from PSG. I have personal and excellent experience with that line.

just did, thanks for that. The mini caddy looks awesome. Did wanna spend that much but it may be the overall best solution.

 

[Speakeasy2009]

The Englander 28-3500 looks real nice. Non EPA, So it's gonna eat lots of wood. I know, because I have a non-EPA wood/coal furnace that devours wood. So now I only burn coal in it. That's just another option for you.
Still, you can't go wrong with the Englander.

I’m told the Englander is a HOG but it makes crazy heat. I’m thinking I could cut a grate into each room in the floor and pull hot air up from the basement with a small quiet fan in each. ... just an idea though..not sure of that’s practical

 

[newyorker]

caddy is a quality unit i just bought one and 15 degrees outside and 70 inside, easy on wood also

 

[davem3261]

For the chimney I wouldn't mess with the window. I bought a stainless triple wall kit at home Depot with the wall thimble. You just cut a 14" round hole between the studs and run it up the side of the house. Just have to buy extra sections of pipe to get it 2' above the ridge. I had it all inspected by the town and let my insurance company know I had a wood stove in case something bad ever happened. Total cost was about 700. I did it myself in a day

 

[laynes69]

With a budget in mind, look at a Tundra or Heatmax by Drolet. In all honesty, it's still probably too big for your home, but you can build smaller fires. There's many happy users of the Tundra or Heatmax out there.

 

[mustangwagz]

i have the englander add-on..its insane. I chew up like 10 cords of wood per season? It'll run ya outta the house, melt the snow around the house (from the inside out) and make ya spread sand on the floors so ya can wear flip flops. ive got a 1700sf 2 story house that was built in the early 1800's with virtually no insulation...on nights that its 0 outside, 90 indoors can be achieved easily. i dont have duct work though, i dump it into the main living quarters and kinda direct it where i want it. usually the window fans stay in all year..lol

im very anal about chimney temps, i monitor them pretty regular and have the wife trained how to monitor them as well. Keep it around 300, and it'll burn clean, without smoke. I season my wood as well, so i can go lower if id like. call me goofy or whatever, but thats how i burn and get very little creosote ever.

Right now im trying a pellet stove i got for super cheap, and its working...but i think ill end up getting rid of it and going to the trusty ole fire breathing dragon (englander add-on) As for burn times and such, depends greatly on efficency of your home, out door temps etc etc, but shortest amt of time i ever had was 5hrs, longest was 12. it all depends though like i said. Fully manual stove, huge ashpan, great unit! for a home of 2000 sq ft with duct work like yours..you'll be warm, NO DOUBT!! Neighbor bout one for his place and its like almost 4000 sq ft and they live at about 80 when its cranking. haha For 1100 bucks (here anyhow..) i highly suggest this stove for sure if it'll fit your bill. plane jane, nothing to worry about other than blower Fill it up and let it roast ya! haha.

 

[philupthegastank]

has anyone used this during a power outage when the blowers werent running? I guess most of it has to do with your duct work, but I was just wondering how well this would work by just using gravity if used during a power outage or if you didnt have a battery back up

 

[mustangwagz]

i did last year..actually it wasnt a power outage, my blower crapped out. used it for 3 hours while i fabbed up a "make-shift" blower, it got SUPER hot. I kept firebox lower than usual. then i hurry up and got other blower fabbed on there.

 

[1970roadrunner]

The only thing I don’t understand is how and where the piping from the wood furnace goes into the current forced air ducting and how I get it to circulate. Some told me to have my current forced air fans wired for manual operation so I can shut off the oil furnace but just use the fans to move the air around..

Most setups you'll be considering share the same ductwork-the woodburning unit is downstream of your other furnace. "Add-on" units use blower portion from your existing furnace to circulate the air.

 

[woodsmaster]

if your worried about a power outage, a regular wood stove would work better than a furnace in that situation.

 

[philupthegastank]

im just worried since my house is from 1908 and not very open concept that the wood stove wont be able to heat the upstairs well enough, thats the nice thing about the furnace, since its using the ducts, it will heat it well, at least from reviews ive read.

 

[1970roadrunner]

Its true that the furnace system won't work with a power outage. Since you're a "dooms-Dayer and prepper" you could always rig your home to accommodate a smallish gas generator. They won't power your entire house, but will provide enough juice to run the furnace blower and a few select items (and your water pump if you're on a well).

 

[heatingcostssuck]

Is that 500sq ft a level, or 1000sq ft on the mainfloor?

 

[heatingcostssuck]

Just throwing ideas out:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/sto...last-warm-air-furnace-3000-sq-ft?cm_vc=-10005

Burns wood/coal (coal is cheap *IF* you can get it).
Apparently has a hot water kit.

I'm not sure how much

 

[jrod770]

Just throwing ideas out:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/sto...last-warm-air-furnace-3000-sq-ft?cm_vc=-10005

Burns wood/coal (coal is cheap *IF* you can get it).
Apparently has a hot water kit.

I'm not sure how much

I'll sell you one of these, after winter is over. I bought it new and used it for the past 5 winters.

 

[brenndatomu]

Just throwing ideas out:

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/sto...last-warm-air-furnace-3000-sq-ft?cm_vc=-10005

Burns wood/coal (coal is cheap *IF* you can get it).
Apparently has a hot water kit.

I'm not sure how much

Pick one, coal or wood. Combo units are notorious for being dirty hogs on wood. Plus that is way too big for a small house

 

[heatingcostssuck]

Pick one, coal or wood. Combo units are notorious for being dirty hogs on wood. Plus that is way too big for a small house

With a thermostatic control, would that not treat it more like a furnace?

The Englander 28-3500 won't be any better for them, would be like the sun sitting downstairs.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200435189_200435189 - a 1900 sq ft version.

 

[brenndatomu]

Just saying that the wood/coal combo units are poor wood burners. Dirty and hungry, they can make some serious heat though.
The Englander furnace seems to be well liked, also the Drolet Tundra.
Pretty much all the rest of the wood furnaces that can be bought at big box or farm stores ((Northern too) are gonna leave you kicking yourself somewhere down the road when you realize there are much better options out there. Search "Hotblast" here on Hearth or over on AS, lots of dissatisfied customers...
When I search "wood furnace" on CL, there are TONS of them for sale cheap, that tells me lots of buyers remorse out there on these units. Why you wanna sell yours?
I haven't seen any Tundras for sale used yet, and very few Englanders considering how many are out there chugging away

 

[jrod770]

Just saying that the wood/coal combo units are poor wood burners. Dirty and hungry, they can make some serious heat though.
The Englander furnace seems to be well liked, also the Drolet Tundra.
Pretty much all the rest of the wood furnaces that can be bought at big box or farm stores ((Northern too) are gonna leave you kicking yourself somewhere down the road when you realize there are much better options out there. Search "Hotblast" here on Hearth or over on AS, lots of dissatisfied customers...
When I search "wood furnace" on CL, there are TONS of them for sale cheap, that tells me lots of buyers remorse out there on these units. Why you wanna sell yours?
I haven't seen any Tundras for sale used yet, and very few Englanders considering how many are out there chugging away

The Clayton/US Stove I bought and have used for the past 5 years has worked perfectly. Does it burn through alot of wood, yes, does it get the house too hot sometimes, yes, are constant loadings a pain in the a__, yes. However, it cost me $1,200.00 new, as opposed to $10,000.00 for a gasser boiler set-up. It has served it's purpose, and saved me a ton of money on propane costs. When we built the house 5 years ago, things were tight and I did not have much extra cash to spend on any other set up. Five years later, money is a little more available, so I'm looking to upgrade. Buyers remorse, no way. I can sell the Clayton used andd almost get my money back for it. As my kids have gotten older, I have less time to spend stoking a fire and now I'm looking at gasser boilers with storage to cut down on the amount of time I spend tending a fire. Some people can't afford a Ferrari, and some have to drive Chevette's, same can be said about wood burning appliances.