Ok gang a few questions for you. Currently, I live in a 1800sqft raised ranch, with a Napoleon 1402 insert in the downstairs, which makes up about 300sqft of that 1800. I'm searching for the quest for better heat. Right now, there is about a ten degree difference between upstairs and downstairs. Usually, the downstairs where the stove is, is 75 degrees, which gives me about 64-65 upstairs, and the bedrooms a little colder. My thermostat is in the upstairs hallway, so around 3am on cold nights, the hot air furnace will kick on. With this set up, Ive burned about 3 cords a yr for the past 3 yrs, and about a tank, tank and a half of oil.
The house was built in '88, well insulated, with electric baseboard heat. In the early 2000's, the previous owner installed a forced hot air furnace in the garage, and ran the ductwork up into the attic, then put vents in every room. I am looking for your input on the correct way to get warm air though out the house. I know the difference between add-ons, and boilers, but i'm thinking a add-on just for price wise. I'd have to put it in the garage (building code permitted??) next to the furnace, so i'd have to run a seperate exterior chimney 25' or so feet, which would already set me back $1500ish. I'm looking into the Tundra line of add ons, which would give me a overall price of $3500 no installed.
I'm basically looking for an add on that my wife can throw wood in, and walk away. She is getting tired of loading the insert at 10pm, and closing the air down in stages, which usually takes 30 or more minutes. And i'm tired of putting in all this work getting and splitting wood, for sub-par heat. We would like it when the thermostat calls for heat upstairs, bingo, heat is flowing. Would the current furnace fan push this through? or would the fan supplied with the unit do that? Also, are there units out there that have this sort "automatic" draft control?? set it and forget it??
If the stove isn't running downstairs, there is only one vent, and the room never gets above 55. So there are thoughts of selling the Napoleon, if i can add a vent and get the temp in the room up, and that could bump my budget by 1000$. So what are your guys thoughts?? Basically how do the lower end add ons work?
The house was built in '88, well insulated, with electric baseboard heat. In the early 2000's, the previous owner installed a forced hot air furnace in the garage, and ran the ductwork up into the attic, then put vents in every room. I am looking for your input on the correct way to get warm air though out the house. I know the difference between add-ons, and boilers, but i'm thinking a add-on just for price wise. I'd have to put it in the garage (building code permitted??) next to the furnace, so i'd have to run a seperate exterior chimney 25' or so feet, which would already set me back $1500ish. I'm looking into the Tundra line of add ons, which would give me a overall price of $3500 no installed.
I'm basically looking for an add on that my wife can throw wood in, and walk away. She is getting tired of loading the insert at 10pm, and closing the air down in stages, which usually takes 30 or more minutes. And i'm tired of putting in all this work getting and splitting wood, for sub-par heat. We would like it when the thermostat calls for heat upstairs, bingo, heat is flowing. Would the current furnace fan push this through? or would the fan supplied with the unit do that? Also, are there units out there that have this sort "automatic" draft control?? set it and forget it??
If the stove isn't running downstairs, there is only one vent, and the room never gets above 55. So there are thoughts of selling the Napoleon, if i can add a vent and get the temp in the room up, and that could bump my budget by 1000$. So what are your guys thoughts?? Basically how do the lower end add ons work?
Wood is a mix of ash,cherry, black locust, and some pine for the shoulder seasons. Im three years ahead this year, so my meter gives me readings of sub 20% mc on a fresh split...usually i get 7-8 splits in the stove for overnight.