Wood Burning Furnaces General Building and Construction Discuss Wood Burning Furnaces in the General forums; I've been reading up on these. Has anyone ever used one? Alabama has a mild (by Yankee standards) climate but ...

[Archena]

I've been reading up on these. Has anyone ever used one? Alabama has a mild (by Yankee standards) climate but I am extremely cold adverse. Mr. Power Bill reflects my distaste for cold - I'm probably the only Alabamian whose power bill goes up in winter! Anyway, I was wondering about these.

So, opinions?

[RTflorida]

I can't really comment on a wood burning furnace, I'm guessing it is a wood stove that has been modified with a heat circulating (blower) system. The only thing I have seen similar is the fireplace my brother did about 25 yrs ago. About that time heat circulating fireplace inserts were becoming popular. Being an electrical engineer, he decided to build his own system when he did a family room/dining room addition with a fireplace. My memory is sketchy on this, but basically it involved a narrow chamber (for lack of a better term) that surrounded the sides and top (outside of the actual fire box) that captured the radiant heat. To this he added electricals similar to any furnace as well as a duct work system that I believe was tied into his existing gas furnace duct work (I may be wrong, it may have been entirely separate). In any case, it was pretty effective at heating the entire house. He lived in southern VA at the time, so not quite as mild as AL. The best part (and I have no idea how he did it) - the system was totally code compliant, passed heating/AC, passed electrical, and met national firecode. He was really proud of that. Hey, the entire addition cost him alot of money, he NEEDED it to pass.
I just wish I had gotten to see it more than once before he divorced and sold the house.
I was recently married, working 70 hrs a week (and still broke), with no time to visit (I was living in OH at the time).

So, long story, not so short.....In a mild climate with a good cheap source of seasoned hardwoods, I think you could effectively heat a portion/all of a home.

RT

[Archena]

Thanks. Your brother's heating system sounds really interesting.

The furnace systems use water as the transfer medium. Water surrounds the firebox and is pumped between the house and furnace using a heat exchange to go from water to forced air (not sure how radiant heating is handled but it can do that as well). Depending on size furnaces can heat one or two buildings.

In Alabama getting rid of wood is usually the problem. The systems I'm looking at combust pretty danged efficiently which eliminates creosote.