Just started comparing add-on furnaces

[laynes69]

Pretty obvious. Funny how some who fix things don't care. Your losing a ton of heat not only there but under the floor of the attic. If that home is balloon framed those open cavities into the attic probably weren't capped. I capped over 32 cavities into the attic that were opened and it cut the heat loss drastically. I have a little more sealing in our attic then I will blow another 12+ inches into the attic.

 

[Danno77]

not balloon framed.

Also, because the ceiling is essentially right on the rafters in the finished attic, getting insulation in there is gonna require i rip out the walls,etc... at least that's what I fear.

 

[sdrobertson]

not balloon framed.

Also, because the ceiling is essentially right on the rafters in the finished attic, getting insulation in there is gonna require i rip out the walls,etc... at least that's what I fear.

Might be easier to take off the shingles and sheeting and insulate from above. This is what I did on a friend's log home with finished cathedral ceilings. Not fun, but less work than going up through the ceiling and it allowed more insulation with building up the roof.

 

[Pyromaniac]

Congratulations Danno, you've found your "smoking gun"!

I wouldn't spend another minute or dime focusing on anything else OTHER than figuring out how to correctly insulate that heat sucking attic space!

I'm slowly tracking down all my little "smoking guns" too. I've followed your thread because a few years back I grew tired of $400 monthly heating bills and added an add-on furnace. I went the cheap route and bought a clearance US stove Hotblast 1557m and am satisfied with it for the initial money invested. If I knew how much I enjoyed the wood gathering and heating I would have spent alot more for a better unit I know now.

HOWEVER just recently I've taken care of what I should have started with in the first place: Windows and Insulation. Even after burning a few years with my add-on I cannot believe how a recent change in adding attic insulation in an older added on 20X14' room and replacing some south facing old drafty windows has made a difference to my home's comfort level. Cutting down on the drafts even makes 67 feel alot more comfortable when I first get home to restoke the wood furnace.

INSULATE FIRST. Then get a new woodburner(because 74 feels spectacular and you'll never set a thermostat to that! lol!)

Good Luck!