what should I buy

[ttamoneypit]

small house,bi level or raised ranch as some people call them about 1,800 sq ft

half of the lower level is my garage that i don't have to heat,we have baseboard electric heat and an old shenandoah wood stove with magic heat reclaimer on the 6 inch pipe in the lower level

I only use the wood stove when i feel like messing with it because we really don't use the lower level of our house much at all--on the weekends we do laundry down there but thats about it for spending time on the lower level

I think my old shenendoah stove is a pain in my ass I have to babysit the thing running down the steps and checking the temp all the time been doing this for 5 yrs now here in North East PA

I have been thinking about getting a wood/coal ad on furnace or a wood/coal stove

I like the Harman TLC2000 how much are they anyway???

I like the cheapo ad on furnaces that you could get at harbor freight or tractor parts supply store but I think i should spend the money and get a better ad on furnace that has the forced air to get the fire going and the automatic damper--this type of expensive furnace would be easier to live with just ad fuel--wood or coal and the machine does the rest

I do not have duct work in my house--well there is 1 pipe running along the main beam in the lower level and it has an inline fan in the pipe to suck the warm air in and delivers it to a VENT AT THE END OF OUR HALLWAY IN FRONT OF OUR 3 BEDROOMS---dammit hit the caps button

the rest of the heat just rises on its own and heats the upstairs pretty good

I could save money and just keep using the old stove but i think I am wasting wood --this old stove has the pipe right on the top and i think a lot of the heat is just going up the chimney

I work 3rd shift and i haven't really gotten the hang of getting a good fire going and then loading it up so it will burn all night while i'm at work

I know coal would be a lot easier to keep going so i figure if i get a coal/wood stove or furnace i could burn coal during the work week and then on my days off i would have the time to burn wood and babysit it--I won't go to coal only because i have free wood and I enjoy cutting the firewood


i also bought a quadrafire pellet stove (usedfor $1,100) but 1 leg is broke and i haven't gotten around to having it welded yet and I just don't know where to put the thing--maybe in the corner near the woodstove but I'm worried it might be to close to the stove and things could get melted /damaged on the pellet stove from the heat the woodstove gives off--guess i could build a heat sheild out of angle iron and cement board

thanks for reading yes i know it was long but if you are soooo busy then you shouldn't of sat here and read the whole thing LOL

 

[SolarAndWood]

Welcome to the forum. I was in the same position after I removed the forced air propane furnace and lousy ductwork that someone in the 80s tried to cluge into my 60s era electric baseboard house. The quickest best bang for your buck and time is a freestanding modern stove. Mine paid for itself within a few months. Then take the money you save and consider the next step. If you have no ductwork and want central heat, I would spend some time in the boiler room and research the indoor gasification boilers. Either way, get started on your wood supply as a wood burner with dry wood is a happy and safe burner. Good luck.

 

[par0thead151]

Welcome to the forum. I was in the same position after I removed the forced air propane furnace and lousy ductwork that someone in the 80s tried to cluge into my 60s era electric baseboard house. The quickest best bang for your buck and time is a freestanding modern stove. Mine paid for itself within a few months. Then take the money you save and consider the next step. If you have no ductwork and want central heat, I would spend some time in the boiler room and research the indoor gasification boilers. Either way, get started on your wood supply as a wood burner with dry wood is a happy and safe burner. Good luck.

how do you pay off a thousand+ dollar stove in a matter of months?
my insert will pay for it self in 3-4 years. that and i get to have warmer temps on the shoulder season, and even in the dead of winter.
that and the dog LOVES IT.
she sits in front of the stove all day soaking up the warmth

 

[SolarAndWood]

how do you pay off a thousand+ dollar stove in a matter of months?

Previous owner of the house was going through 4000 gallons of propane a year and not even keeping the house warm. When we bought, contract price with the propane supplier who also owned the tank was $4.25/gallon.

 

[begreen]

small house,bi level or raised ranch as some people call them about 1,800 sq ft

half of the lower level is my garage that i don't have to heat,we have baseboard electric heat and an old shenandoah wood stove with magic heat reclaimer on the 6 inch pipe in the lower level

I do not have duct work in my house--well there is 1 pipe running along the main beam in the lower level and it has an inline fan in the pipe to suck the warm air in and delivers it to a VENT AT THE END OF OUR HALLWAY IN FRONT OF OUR 3 BEDROOMS---dammit hit the caps button

the rest of the heat just rises on its own and heats the upstairs pretty good

Keep a close eye on the heat reclaimer and flue system for creosote accumulation and burn only dry wood. For a test, try reversing the inline fan and suck cold air from the vent, blowing it into the warm area. That may assist convection better and increase temps at that end of the house. Keep the pellet stove alongside or to the rear of the woodstove and 36" away and it should be ok. It must have an independent flue.