Some advice needed on Add-on furnace installation options

[lbathome]

I'm new to this board and so glad I found it! I've been reading and have gathered some great info.

I live in SE Michigan. My home is 1 1/2 story, 2700 sqft. Currently, there are 2 gas furnaces and 1 wood burning fireplace insert.

I bought the house last January but didn't move in until June.

Since we didn't move in right away, I set the thermostat to 50 degrees to keep the pipes from freezing. At the time, only the larger, "main" furnace was running. The other, smaller furnace (located in the garage) wasn't working.

Keeping the house at 50 degrees with the one furnace cost me about $200-$250/month in gas bills!

Obviously, this was partially due to the fact that it was heating the whole house alone, when it was meant to work at the same time as the second, smaller furnace.

Obviously, we can't live in the house at 50 degrees. So, now that we live there, and both furnaces work, we intend to keep the house at 68 degrees. But, with both furnaces running, I can't imagine that my gas bill will be much less than it was last year. In fact, I expect it to be much higher with 2 furnaces.

So, I decided to buy an add-on furnace. I purchased the US Stove HotBlast model 1500, used.

Now here is my main question about installation. I have several options.

1) I can use it as an add-on to the main furnace in the basement. My main issues with that would be a more complicated installation (having to "build" a chimney for it) and figuring out how to get wood to the basement without it being a completely horrible and never ending task.

2) I can install it as an add-on to the smaller garage furnace. This would also require "building" a chimney, but may be easier since it's on the main floor. Also, getting wood to the garage would be simple. I think the problem with this would be that it will heat the half of the house that has less ductwork and the upstairs, so I'm not sure how much of the heat will make it through the rest of the house. Meaning, if the main (bigger) furnace keeps coming on anyway, this installation will not help much with the gas cost.

3) I can install it as a stand alone furnace in the garage. This will keep me from having to build a new chimney and the smaller gas furnace will no longer be a cost factor. However, I've read that the blowers on these wood furnaces don't do as well as gas furnace blowers, so I'm concerned that for all the wood I burn, it won't heat all that well if it's not connected to a gas unit.

Another consideration is that the fireplace (with insert) is in the family room (where we spend most of our time). This family room is right behind the garage, and below the 2nd floor. The wood stove insert heats the family room VERY WELL, but doesn't do much for the rest of the house.

The master bedroom is the only thing on the 2nd floor. I can sleep downstairs if necessary.

I have attached a picture of my house. Here is the relevant layout info:

The main furnace is in the center of the house, in the basement. It heats to the left of the garage on. This includes the kitchen, living room, a bathroom and 3 bedrooms.

The smaller furnace is in the garage. It heats the garage, the large family room behind the garage, and the entire 2nd floor.

The house has a very open floor plan. You can almost see from one end to the other. The kitchen is in the middle and it very large and wide open.

Any suggestions on which installation? Sorry for the long post! It's getting cold and I need to firgure this out!

Thanks in advance!

 

[laynes69]

The best way to do it may not be the cheapest. I would run a new chimney from the basement to the top of the home. I would install it on the main furnace in the basement, in the ductwork. You will get some radiant heat from the unit in the basement. Also by tying it into the main ductwork, it should produce more than enough heat for the whole home. If you don't have any heat from the main ducting, add a heat and a return to the second story bedroom. That way you have all your heating met. I would not install it in a garage, and pipe the heat in the home. You will get more heat by keeping the unit within living quarters. I couldn't see the chimney running too much for the height of the home.

 

[wdchuck]

Laynes, you should have your own column...how much to get you over to my place for consultation?

Welcome to AS, a forum full of folks that like helping others burn wood safely to stay warm, and save money.


I'll add one thing, the insert in your family room, don't use to try heating the house, just make an easy/medium fire when you need it in that space, keep some dry wood there so its a quick setup.

 

[laynes69]

LOL, I know. I just changed my blower speed on my LP furnace to a default of low for my woodfurnace. I enlarged my cold air return and slowed the air exchange over the woodfurnace. Its a nice steady warm heat. I am going to enlarge my ducting from 3 8"s to an 8x20 next week. That will take some pressure off my LP furnace when its running. Too bad you didn't live around here Wdchuck, Id help you out.

 

[matt701]

I agree with the basement installation. My basement stays warm from the radiant heat from the furnace and ducting. Here's some pics of mine, we just finished it up.

 

[lbathome]

Thanks to everyone! The pictures are very helpful.

I was almost sure that everyone would say the basement! ugh! Oh well, it will be worth it when my gas bill is almost nothing.

The first couple times I used the insert/stove in the family room, I got it really hot and put a metal heater fan in front of it to see how far I could get the heat to go. I knew it wouldn't make it through the entire house, but I thought at least the kitchen.

No such luck. I think I would have to stay home all day to keep the fire going! It was still much cooler in the kitchen, although not as cold as the rest of the house. The heat did make it upstairs, of course.

The family room was soooo HOT! I think I was sitting next to Satan on the couch...:angel:

So, since then we've kept the fire low and the family room warm.

So, my next question is whether this is a safe DIY project. I'm VERY handy around the house. I did all of the plumbing in the basement and have installed a gas furnace (and I'm a girl!).

I saw some of the postings from recent installs, but I would like to know how hard it is. I would prefer to do it myself, but I don't want to blow my house up either.

Thanks to all!!

 

[wdchuck]

With an addon woodfurnace, you won't blow anything up perse, just watch your clearance to combustible surfaces. The insurance agent will have their tape measure along to verify the installation requirements.

You had some concerns about a basement install regarding the wood hauling downstairs, just to make ya feel a little better, the first three years we carried it down by the arm load and stacked it, all 5+ cords per year.

Now we just chuck it down through an old window opening, but it plays hell on the cobblestone floor.