New Furnace Required: PSG Wood /Oil Caddy or Oil Furnace

[Cameron]

Last week while having my oil furnace cleaned the technician discovered a crack, and I am now on the market for a new furnace to meet my home insurance requirements. House is around 2200’, built 70 years ago and is far from airtight. Burnt just over $3000 (Canadian) in heating oil last year, and was by no means warm. That being said the furnace was installed in 1988, and I am sure not efficient.

Looking at getting a wood / oil combo furnace or another oil furnace because would be the simplest to retrofit into current ducts, chimney etc.. My local dealer sells PSG Wood / Oil Caddy's and he swears by them. Looking for some non-biased advice based on my house, lifestyle, etc…

• I plan on burning 2/3 wood, and the rest in oil. I am often away and will be burning oil. How efficient is the furnace running on oil? also in comparison to a new oil furnace? Has anyone had experience with the Caddy with the optional electrical element as an alternative to oil?
• would the Wood Caddy be big enough to heat my house?
• what are thoughts on the optional blower box? Needed?
• my current oil chimney liner is 6”. Would this work for a wood / oil combo furnace? The dealer thought so but I see recommend is 7” in the brochure.
• how often do you need to clean the chimney / stove? I have a two storey house with a steep roof and climbing on the roof in winter is not an option. Everyone I have talked to about wood / oil furnace’s has warned me about chimney fires if your flue to dirty. Due to this issue I am considering a oil furnace.

Thanks in advance

 

[heatingcostssuck]

From an oil perspective, it should be fairly easy to figure out the sizing.

The furnace you have, plus the nozzle in it now can figure out roughly the load you have can provide. Someone will correct me if I am wrong there.

(broken link removed to http://www.psg-distribution.com/product.aspx?CategoId=16&Id=577&Page=spec)

Compare that against the tech specs here. It says the PSG is 82% efficient, I could believe that.

Last week while having my oil furnace cleaned the technician discovered a crack, and I am now on the market for a new furnace to meet my home insurance requirements. House is around 2200’, built 70 years ago and is far from airtight. Burnt just over $3000 (Canadian) in heating oil last year, and was by no means warm. That being said the furnace was installed in 1988, and I am sure not efficient.

Looking at getting a wood / oil combo furnace or another oil furnace because would be the simplest to retrofit into current ducts, chimney etc.. My local dealer sells PSG Wood / Oil Caddy's and he swears by them. Looking for some non-biased advice based on my house, lifestyle, etc…

• I plan on burning 2/3 wood, and the rest in oil. I am often away and will be burning oil. How efficient is the furnace running on oil? also in comparison to a new oil furnace? Has anyone had experience with the Caddy with the optional electrical element as an alternative to oil?
• would the Wood Caddy be big enough to heat my house?
• what are thoughts on the optional blower box? Needed?
• my current oil chimney liner is 6”. Would this work for a wood / oil combo furnace? The dealer thought so but I see recommend is 7” in the brochure.
• how often do you need to clean the chimney / stove? I have a two storey house with a steep roof and climbing on the roof in winter is not an option. Everyone I have talked to about wood / oil furnace’s has warned me about chimney fires if your flue to dirty. Due to this issue I am considering a oil furnace.

Thanks in advance

I was told you needed at least a 7" for the psg wood/oil. Their documentation states 7" for the tech spec.

If you have to put a new chimney in, you should be able to clean it if you take it outside the wall and up (again, from what I am told) and you are allowed to.
There may be code that states you need a chimney sweep if you take it up through the house, again, what I was told.

Disclaimer: Verify anything I told you before cutting holes in your house

 

[laynes69]

A Caddy won't be enough from what your describing. We have a 2500 sqft mid 19th century victorian that we heat with a Caddy. Our home is well insulated, but has some air leakage. We've done alot of work to get to this point, airsealing and insulation, and some construction. Ideally, your best money spent would be buttoning up your home, improving comfort and reducing energy costs. If you can't do that, the Max Caddy would be more of what's needed. As far as needing a blower, running a series install won't require it. If your burning good seasoned wood creosote won't be an issue. Our furnace is wood only, so I can't anewer on the oil or electric.

 

[newyorker]

i cant answer any of your questions but i have a new 2200 ft house and at -25 windchill the other night it was 70 before i went to bed and 66 8 hours later so i love my caddy exceeded my expectations

 

[JustWood]

I personally would not go with a combo unit.
Efficiency and the fact that if the burn chamber cracks or there is a flue issue ,,,, both units are OOC.