We have no A/C, we use windows and fans. One of the fundamental issues is in the differing expectation of constant temperatures people have - different ideas bout what is comfortable or not. I read threads here about people being dissatisfied with the performance of some wood heat system because it does not provide the constant temperatures of the fossil fuel heating systems they're accustomed to. To me, that is irrelevant - I simply don't care if there is a consistent temperature from room to room or over time. We have a lot of stone around the stoves, so it would take a long time for the house to get really cold once they burn down, and that is good enough for us. If we've been gone a while then I expect the house will be cold when I get home - no big deal. On a cold winter morning, our bedroom at the top floor part of the house opposite to the stove will be maybe 52, sometimes 50. That is not uncomfortable to me, and I don't rush about getting dressed. I think we hit 100 a couple of times this year in the basement room with the stove in it.I am not saying there is anything wrong with a wood stove but when me and my wife first bought our house (my grandfather's) and I fired up the insert I knew there had to be a better way. We just had our second child in October and there is no way I could of built the back bedroom into a nursery without the heat an OWB provides. How much experience do you guys have with an OWB have you ever felt the heat that it produces? It is about as complex as your cars radiator. Transfer heat from water to air. It feels like wood stove heat coming through your vents. I have lived in my home with both systems installed, and there is no way you could walk into my house and honestly say it was more comfortable before I installed the OWB. Do you guys cool your house with a window unit or a forced air AC system? Or do you just open the refrigerator door and let the cool air radiate throughout your house?
We have no A/C, we use windows and fans. One of the fundamental issues is in the differing expectation of constant temperatures people have - different ideas bout what is comfortable or not. I read threads here about people being dissatisfied with the performance of some wood heat system because it does not provide the constant temperatures of the fossil fuel heating systems they're accustomed to. To me, that is irrelevant - I simply don't care if there is a consistent temperature from room to room or over time. We have a lot of stone around the stoves, so it would take a long time for the house to get really cold once they burn down, and that is good enough for us. If we've been gone a while then I expect the house will be cold when I get home - no big deal. On a cold winter morning, our bedroom at the top floor part of the house opposite to the stove will be maybe 52, sometimes 50. That is not uncomfortable to me, and I don't rush about getting dressed. I think we hit 100 a couple of times this year in the basement room with the stove in it.
When the kids were younger we wanted their rooms more constant, so I ran a circuit to those room and used an electric heat thermostat to control an outlet. We bought two of those oil filled electric heaters, and in the winter we plug them in and turn them up max so the wall thermostat can control them. Now that the kids are getting older we don't use them as much anymore.
My 3200 sq. ft. Home stays at 68- 72 down stairs and 67-69 upstairs and I have one room over the garage which is the furthest away and that stays between 63-66, if you cannot heat 3000 sq. ft. with a stove than you are doing something wrong, I have 2 other neighbors with similar homes to mine and they have no problem heating with stove inserts and one of them has a smaller Lopi than mine. Only when it gets down to the low teens does my boiler fire up.Warrior, I respect your opinion, and I am not trying to be fussy or argumentative, but you kind of made my point for me. It depends on what an individual considers "heating" their house to encompass. If I wanted my house to be 50 or 52 when I woke up, then I would rarely even need to start a fire. 50 or 52 is almost blowing cold smoke, and man you got a hell of a wife. The type of heat a person needs depends largely on their own personal situation. Before I bought the OWB, I would come home from work to a 60 degree max house. Then I would begin to fight the fire to bring the house back to a respectable temperature. Wake up in the morning, and it is time to do it all over again. Now mix in the thousands of other chores that comes with being a father, husband, and part time farmer and it will make you appreciate warm weather.
I stick to my statement that a 3000 sq. ft. house cannot be heated with a wood stove. Temperature extremes like "50 to 100" only further validate that statement. As does the reality that occasionally, you need to supplement your wood stove with other forms of heat.
If we haven't completely stolen this thread, then to the OP you know what your home situation demands of you and that should determine your heating needs. Unless money is the issue, then a wood furnace or wood boiler will always make for a more comfortable home. You can always set your thermostat at 60 degrees one minute and 85 a couple of hours later if you want to experience "wood stove heat".
Agreed - it is a matter of expectations, and that in turn is all about how much energy you use and the instantaneous rate of energy release (power) the system is capable of.Warrior, I respect your opinion, and I am not trying to be fussy or argumentative, but you kind of made my point for me. It depends on what an individual considers "heating" their house to encompass. If I wanted my house to be 50 or 52 when I woke up, then I would rarely even need to start a fire. 50 or 52 is almost blowing cold smoke, and man you got a hell of a wife. The type of heat a person needs depends largely on their own personal situation. Before I bought the OWB, I would come home from work to a 60 degree max house. Then I would begin to fight the fire to bring the house back to a respectable temperature. Wake up in the morning, and it is time to do it all over again. Now mix in the thousands of other chores that comes with being a father, husband, and part time farmer and it will make you appreciate warm weather.
I stick to my statement that a 3000 sq. ft. house cannot be heated with a wood stove. Temperature extremes like "50 to 100" only further validate that statement. As does the reality that occasionally, you need to supplement your wood stove with other forms of heat.
If we haven't completely stolen this thread, then to the OP you know what your home situation demands of you and that should determine your heating needs. Unless money is the issue, then a wood furnace or wood boiler will always make for a more comfortable home. You can always set your thermostat at 60 degrees one minute and 85 a couple of hours later if you want to experience "wood stove heat".
The reason that I was thinking of a hotblast is because parts are easily available. I have heard that since coal has a lot more btus than wood their is times where the fire can get to hot and damage or melt the grate. My other option besides a hot blast or us stove is the daka furnace at northern tool. I was looking at the smaller one that offers 42000-105000 btu's to heat my large house(about 3800 3900 sq ft), I think since my furnace is at 112,000 this will be enough or should I go one size bigger. However to use coal in the daka I need to order the special grate kit. I have not heard of this brand before and this day and age I would hate to buy something this important and the company closes and now I can no longer get parts!!
Let me know what you think and thanks for all input with my choice.
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