Simple, forced air wood and coal burning furnace
- Thread starter Stoker_
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
brenndatomu
Minister of Fire
Not sure when you are planning on building, but the $2k tax credit ends this year...
Can't start till this fall after the soybeans are harvested. We'll have to hustle. Hopefully we can get it in.
Not sure what part of Indiana you are in, but I'm around the Terre Haute area. We have a 2200 sq ft ranch that is VERY poorly insulated. I've been heating it for about 18 years now with an add-on style wood furnace that was built in 1980. Its very similar in design to the hot-blast and Fire Chief. I believe both of those copied the old Clayton design. Many years ago, I removed the draft fan and converted it to a natural draft system. If the temps are in the 30s, I may put a small fire in it at night, but if the highs are in the 40s, I let my NG furnace heat the house because the wood burner will have the house up in the 80s even with the windows open. Anyway, on average I go through 3 to 4 cords of hardwood per year, and it's not been the driest of wood. The most I ever went through was 6 cords, and we spent the majority of Jan and Feb below 20 degrees that year. I have made it a habit to keep the wood in log form until I'm ready to burn it which means the moisture content struggles to get down below 30% even after 3 or 4 years. My point is that the old, indoor wood furnaces really don't consume all that much wood compared to the OWBs. I've had salesmen estimate that it would take 12 cords to heat my house with an OWB, and an OWB was going to run me $20k by the time I got everything installed. I'm currently in the process of replacing my old wood burner with a heat commander. If I were building new, I'd absolutely go with a Kuma, but even with my poor insulation I just don't have enough heat demand to justify the higher cost.
If you're building new, and want to heat with wood or coal, I STRONGLY recommend a walk out basement with double doors that will allow you to bring wood in by the pallet (or an IBC tote/cage). If the typography won't permit that, then design the basement with an external entrance. Have the steps be removable so you can lower a tote/cage of wood down with a loader.
As far as buying a used unit, I'm not sure that's not going to be an option for you. I'd be surprised if your insurance will allow you to put a non-EPA certified unit in a new build.
If you're building new, and want to heat with wood or coal, I STRONGLY recommend a walk out basement with double doors that will allow you to bring wood in by the pallet (or an IBC tote/cage). If the typography won't permit that, then design the basement with an external entrance. Have the steps be removable so you can lower a tote/cage of wood down with a loader.
As far as buying a used unit, I'm not sure that's not going to be an option for you. I'd be surprised if your insurance will allow you to put a non-EPA certified unit in a new build.
Similar threads
