wood/central heat for cheap

[plum broke]

I have an old fisher heater that we used when i was a kid but has been in storage for years now. I live in a 16x80 trailer with electric heat strip heat that makes the power company love me, that I cant afford this year. What I want to do if it will work is to build a small block building, i have tons of block so no cost is what i am after, then making a sheet metal chamber around the heater about 24" on each side and top larger than the heater sealing it against the heater so smoke want get in. Then installing duct from the top of the box running it under my trailer and connect it to my existing duct. On the bottom of the heat chamber I was going to cut in a squirrell cage fan pulling air from outside pushing into the chamber and run it on a thermostat. Will this work and do i need to put a thermo controlled damper on either end or both ends of the duct? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[laynes69]

I don't know if it would work. You would be losing all your heat into the block. Plus the opportunity to get carbon monoxide into the home. I wouldn't do it.

 

[Duetech]

Hot blast from US Sove Company at Tractor Supply Company or Englander from??? are two stoves that have something like what you are talking about and are not that bad of an investment. The housing is already built for the blower and the units come with the blower. I have an old englander I would sell you cheap if you were closer. Aside from the very real danger of carbon monoxide from your old unit, as mentioned above, you will lose the radiant heat that a wood unit gives off and from experience cold winters will make you throw a lot of wood in these units and interupt a lot of sleep. Insulating the duct work from the stove house to the heat plenum will have to be thick and water proofed. The above mentioned stoves/furnaces come with their own thermal switch to work the blower on the unit. Since you are in AL you might not have the problems I had in MI. Whatever unit you choose be sure to use a rain cap on the chimney.

 

[lexybird]

well you can build a small building and run an add on forced air wood furnace and tie in some ducting under your trailer ,people do this all the time although its probably not nearly as efficient like in a lower indoor basement application but it could really heat a small place like yours if you played your cards right

 

[flyingcow]

As a northern redneck.................I like it. But, living in the north, nothing more deadly than a trailer fire. seriously bad. But i still like the idea of what you're talking about. Use caution and have fun. But I have to ask, how cold does it get in Alabama? We've had a few frosts already.

 

[plum broke]

thanks for all the replies. I had not even considered carbon monoxide since the unit would be open on the front and rear but I can see that if a crack developed within the air jacket I would be bringing it right in for a visit and not even know it. As far as how cold it gets down here normally mid twenties to mid thirties at night every once in a while down to single digits with highs in winter from low thirties to upper forties when it is cold. Some winters we barely see freezing for a more than a month. But for me when it gets below 70 it is time to build a fire. I had originally thought about making some sort of boiler system with this unit but my wife and I have lost a good chunk of both of our paychecks like everyone else and I cant spend much money on this, or at least I dont think I can till I get my first power bill. And the fact that the only thing I know about boilers is they get hot and can explode sort of shy's me away from them, but it might make for a good news day for the twice a week paper here. Anyways thanks for the replies keep me in mind with tips and I will keep you updated.


Hebrews 13:2
husqvarna 345 wood maul, steel wedges, weak mind and back, 76 pinto wagon.