Need recommendation for wood furnace.

[morgantruce]

My (not too internet savvy) friend needs to replace a wood furnace... and I told him I'd try to find out which are some good units.

He has a two storey house with a full basement underneath. In the center of the basement he has an old wood-burning Rite-way stove--which has a sheet metal enclosure around it which is tied into single large duct which rises straight up to the first and second floors. There is no blower. I've been in his house during the winter and can vouch that every room is nice and cozy.

He bought the Riteway about 30 years ago (upon my recommendation...) and has worked just perfectly for him---until his younger son (a graduate engineer, no less) loaded the stove and walked away from it---leaving the ash door ajar "so the fire could get going..." My buddy became aware of this about 20 minutes later when he sensed a peculiar smell upstairs. Without going into great detail, the stove is now warped beyond all possibility of repair and is not suitable for the next heating season.

Can anyone recommend some good replacement brands?

He needs a basic wood stove to which ducting can be connected. He's not much interested in heating water, other fuels, or blowers.

Thanks.

 

[smokinj]

all the indoor furances comes with a blower now, you can alway take them out!

 

[laynes69]

Instead of a furnace, he could invest in a large woodstove thats EPA efficient, if not needing a blower. Its an odd setup. Most woodfurnaces aren't made to operate without a blower, for they could overheat. Some are, but a woodstove would be much more efficient than a standard woodfurnace. There are some efficient woodfurnaces on the market, but I wouldn't recommend operation without a blower. Like said above, I would consider a EPA rated woodstove. Less wood and more heat with a cleaner chimney.

 

[stee6043]

Before buying a wood boiler I did some reading on Yukon Eagle wood burners. Google them and you'll see some nice looking units....

 

[CrappieKeith]

Have him take a look at either the BJ90 or the SJ125.
Either one will work just fine without a blower. They are built to heat on just gravity if that's the way he wants to heat.
They both incorperate an after burn to maximize those availble BTU's .
With a furnace you'll have a cabinet surrounding the furnace to hook ducting too.
you'll also have a thermostate to regulate the heat. If you desire you could also hook up a blower.
Yukon's have a 30 year warranty too not a 1-5 year.

 

[CrappieKeith]

Smoke is a gas.....adding super hot air to this smoke will ignite it.30-40% of the btu's available are in this smoke(gas).
Some manufacuters call it gasification.

 

[pybyr]

There's a company in Montpelier, VT called Sam Daniels Furnaces that still make gravity wood/ air furnaces (in addition to blower models). Google them and you will find them. I have no $$$ interest and am mentioning this just to help. They've been making them since 1908 and the company is run by the great grandson of the founder. They're built as sturdily as a locomotive- cast iron lining plates in the firebox, cast iron firebox and ash doors, etc. They are an old and simple design- not as efficient as some modern types with secondary combustion- but they're famous for lasting for generations.

 

[morgantruce]

I've been busy following many leads and keeping my printer busy... thanks fellas!


Not to rattle anyone's cage... but I'm curious why "Most wood furnaces aren’t made to operate without a blower, for they could overheat..."

and yet... "either the (Yukon) BJ90 or the SJ125... will work just fine without a blower."

 

[smokinj]

I've been busy following many leads and keeping my printer busy... thanks fellas!


Not to rattle anyone's cage... but I'm curious why "Most wood furnaces aren’t made to operate without a blower, for they could overheat..."

and yet... "either the (Yukon) BJ90 or the SJ125... will work just fine without a blower."

the fans will move the heat away from the furance there for keeping the furance cooler and not needing the heavier steel

 

[JustWood]

I think Hitzer makes a non blower model.

 

[JustWood]

I think Hitzer makes a non blower model.

ure not equiped to think :kiss:

Ur prolly right it's monday and my truck is in the shop! :grrr:

 

[Highbeam]

Does he need this "furnace" to work without power or just without a blower? If I had his setup then I'd strongly consider the yukon choices. Long burn times, thermostatic draft control, and a big heat exchanger. I don't recall if the yukons need combustion or exhaust blowers?

You guys with basements are so lucky.

 

[laynes69]

Not all ducts are straight. My old woodfurnace if operated w/o a blower would burn the paint from the unit causing some nasty fumes, and I have seen the electronics on then get toasted from it also. The blower has nothing to do with thinner steel in a firebox. Mostly all furnaces are insulated with firebrick to protect the firebox, and keep the fire hotter. My old woodfurnace has 7 gauge steel. Its been burned on for 25 years with only needing the baffle replaced, everything with the firebox is just fine. Also homes with some square footage, like our old victorian wouldn't be a even heat without blowers. We wouldn't have a chance in keeping this home warm in the winter w/o one. Most add-ons but not all come standard with a blower, or blowers to distribute heat though the home. The ones w/o alot of time will share the central furnaces blower. A 1200 square foot may not need a blower, but a 2400 square foot home like ours does, especially with 10' ceilings, in the 1st and 2nd story. The hitzer would be a similar replacement to what he has now, but I'm not sure how the quality is. Also insurance might be iffy if not properly installed with clearances followed.

 

[Gooserider]

Rude post from Pook deleted.... Moderator

 

[morgantruce]

Does he need this "furnace" to work without power or just without a blower?

He and I both designed our houses to be heated with wood.

He is on the grid, but does not want his coziness to be held hostage to a utility which is frequently interrupted for hours and even days at a time.

I am off grid and manage my modest energy needs through solar, occasional generator use, frugality, and wit.

Of course, not everyone has a choice about their living situation, but I'm glad I don't "have" to sleep in a bedroom in which it takes an electrical blower to push heat into on a cold winter's night. I'm pretty sure that I'd be ripping out walls and making major design changes before I'd sign up for that. On the other hand, I'm sure most of you would not care to watch TV on a 7" screen (and that's my big one...) or "have" to start up a generator to iron a shirt.

In the end, we really don't have to do most of the things in the way we have gotten used to doing them. We choose. Some of us just agonize more over the choices we make than others. I think it would be a colossal bore to just give in and do things the way everyone else does.

It's interesting how all this is very tied into what furnace we choose.