Need help with Wood Furnace Decision / Installation

[kaminski]

I’ve been lurking on this site for quite a while and am very impressed with the knowledge here.

I have a 1 year old 3000 square foot colonial (not including unfinished basement). The first floor is aprox 1300 sf and is serviced with a propane fired hot air furnace in the basement. The upstairs is aprox. 1700sf and is serviced with a propane fired hot air furnace located in the attic.

I was originally thinking of a wood boiler with coils in both furnaces, but the initial cost is currently way over my head. So now I’m thinking installing a wood furnace in the basement and tie into the first floor heating system. I should get some good heat to the second floor with the hot air rising up the 2 story entryway.

The only problem that I see right now is my masonry chimney is located on the opposite side of the basement as the furnace (about 30ft). The supply and return ducts run down the center of the basement and stop about 5 feet short of where the wood furnace would have to be installed.

I’m not sure of the correct way to install the ducting. Do I just connect to the hot supply at the other end of the furnace and let the wood furnace take cold air from the basement. Should I try to tie into the cold air return lines also. Do I need to install any back flow dampers.

Going along with this type of installation what is the best wood furnace out there right now under $2500. How big of a blower do I need.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[Gator eye]

The right wood furnace would have no problem heating upstairs and down with one unit.

Yes, you would have to hook into the cold air return.

One thing I learned while hooking up my wood furnace is...hooking into the duct work isn't as hard as it first looks and is well worth the time because it make a big difference how well your furnace heats the whole house.

 

[kaminski]

Thanks Gator,

I think my big concern is the right way to tap into the duct work since the wood furnace would be at the opposite end of the duct work from the propane frunace

Also not sure which furnace to buy the caddy looks like a real good unit and the price seems real reasonable with the tax credit

 

[laynes69]

The issue with the furnace being on the opposite side is you need a backdraft damper ahead of the central furnace. This way when the woodfurnace runs, the air will go through the ducts and not straight into the central furnace. You necessarily wouldn't have to hook into the existing return ducting. You could run a large return on the first floor to allow for circulation through the home. The problem would be a warm to hot downstairs and a cool or possibly cold upstairs. Having ducting in the second story tied to the wood furnace would be ideal, but I'm sure some heat would go into the upper story without it. I have a 1950 which is a caddy, and going from the existing furnace, wood usage has dropped, and the unit burns alot cleaner. Its a nice furnace to have.

 

[kaminski]

Laynes69, I've been reading alot of your posts and you seem very happy with your unit, the prices on dynimitebuys seems to be the best, is there anything else I should be looking for (besides the flue pipe and ducting to tie it in), I noticed some sites sell the unit without the blower? I'm curious to know what others have paid for the same unit

 

[laynes69]

If your installing a unit on the other side of the home, you need the unit with the blower. The add-on unit w/o the blower is used to tie in series with the central furnace. You need a good chimney with as few turns as possible in the flue pipe. The unit requires a good draft. Can't tell you all of what you would need, every install requires different needs.

 

[kaminski]

Thanks again. The chimney is only a year old about 35 ft tall from the basement where the flue would attach, 7" square clay tile.

Does anyone know where I can purchase rectangle back draft dampers so I don't back flow either furnace when the other is operating?

 

[Gator eye]

Look for a sheet metal or duct work supplier in your area that supplies the local contractors. They usually start the conversation out with we don't usually sell to home owners.....blah,blah blah, but if you talk cash, they'll change there mind.

Anyway, I went to a local supplier in my area and gave him detailed measurements and explained what I was doing and within 2 hours he had everything I needed. Most of the parts he had on the self but the one way check valves, or back draft dampers had to be made. I ended up with everything I needed the first trip and it was ALOT CHEEPER than hiring a contractor. Like i said...If you get all the right parts it isn't hard to do yourself.

 

[kaminski]

Thanks, I have a few local shops I dealt with years ago for duct supplies, I'll work through them

I'm assuming that I should put backdraft dampers on both the propane furnace and the wood furnace outlets??? Do I need to put them on the return lines also??

Thanks again for all your help

 

[kaminski]

I also have a question about the duct clearances that I see in most of the manuals. All of my ducting (supply and return) are insulated with a silver metalic insulation. Is this insulation OK to use with a wood furnace or could it cause a problem?