Code Horizontal Flue

[brenndatomu]

Yup, like I said earlier, need to get a professional on site to sort it all out. Hopefully we have sorted out some basics and narrowed things down a little through all this for ya though...

 

[mopar969]

Again the furnace is going to be installed away far away from the oil tanks I am putting in a new Chimney. The last think is I wonder if my basement will even need to be heated. I figure that my house is at 55 to 60 during winter and that little bit of heat in the basement might not be alot. So, I think I am going to install the furnace and if the basement gets to cold then I will install the line down to the basement.


Let me know if anyone on here gets okay without heating their basement. My basement is 6 feet underground and sandstone walls.

 

[Dalmatian90]

I currently have like a root cellar and my mom does canning. So my goal is to heat the basement just so it doe not freeze. If it ends up being 45 to 50 degrees in there that is fine by me.

I'd get a dealer in to walk-thru the house with you.

Reading this thread, especially this bit, tells me you don't know what you don't know -- in other words, there are things you don't even know ask.

Unless the basement is a walk-in, as long as you close up the casement windows well (I put a piece of foam insulation in them) and have a good bulkhead, the basement shouldn't freeze -- after all it should be deep enough to go below your local frost line so it doesn't heave, and that means it will be about ground temperature (45-50) unless its drafty or has a really exposed wall. Folks kept root cellars for centuries before central heating was created. Some basements will be different, but that's where someone in the know walking through can point out.

On the other hand, you may see moisture and temperature swings increase in the basement without the furnace running in it -- and moisture / condensation is not good for things like...metal tanks full of oil.

Three oil tanks and your mother cans makes me suspicious this is a farm house with a serious lack of insulation, and that may be your single biggest bang for your buck to fix. I'd also be curious on the age and condition of those tanks...an oil spill is big $$$ to clean up these days. Knew one house that was vacant for a decade plus till the owners gave it away to someone who could pay off the liens and finish the clean up inside since there was as much damage as the value of the house.

I'm also real concerned you're making decisions for your mom and dad -- but they're the ones who'll have to tend to it. I'm not completely clear on that...but if you don't live there and won't be the primary fire keeper, this better be a decision they buy into. If they're not willing, or not mentally or physically able, to tend to the fire this will end up as a gigantic waste of money.

Just my two cents.

 

[stihly dan]

Furnace on main floor. There are clearance's that have to be met for the furnace and the duct work. Most units around 18 inches for the unit, and 6 inches for the first 6 ft of duct, then 1 inch. Must be all metal no flex.

 

[mopar969]

I am going to have a hearth base and follow the clearances stated in the manual. Thanks.

 

[Greenland South]

or he could find someone who actually knows what their doing????

someone with NO experience with heating with wood, or how to run duct work PROPERLY, or would even consider running a horizontal chimney for 10-12ft (above an oil tank no less)
should REALLY find someone who knows what their doing, espically considering its not even in you're own home!

you're asking questions here that noone can answer unless they could actually see the house/situation! and the answers to the questions that can be answered here you just ignore/dont like.
theres ALOT of guys here that know what their talking about, but without actually being there to look at it, its pretty pointless to even ask these sorts of questions

BEST/SAFEST advise is to ATLEAST get someone there that knows what their doing, and have them look at it, you could still do the work yourself, but then you would know what needs to be done!
and not just guess at it and hope it works or doesnt burn SOMESONE ELSE'S house down!

If you think its expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.

 

[mopar3]

Again the furnace is going to be installed away far away from the oil tanks I am putting in a new Chimney. The last think is I wonder if my basement will even need to be heated. I figure that my house is at 55 to 60 during winter and that little bit of heat in the basement might not be alot. So, I think I am going to install the furnace and if the basement gets to cold then I will install the line down to the basement.


Let me know if anyone on here gets okay without heating their basement. My basement is 6 feet underground and sandstone walls.

My basement stays 45-50 with almost no heat down there in the winter. I have my woodstove on the 1st floor and my oil furnace in the basement only runs to make hot water. So at least in my case I'm able to get by with no heat in the cellar. I had to try it and see how cold it got..

 

[nathon918]

i heat my entire 1900 sq. ft. house with 1 wood stove (small dutchwest non cat) on the first floor, my oil boiler only comes on to make hot water, so basically no heat in the basement.
my house is normally around 70-72daytime/65-68 night time, i only let the stove go out to clean the chimney every 3-4 weeks,
but my basement has gotten down to 37, usually around 40 though with no heat.

so every house is different, the OP's questions are impossible to answer without actually being there to see it.
but my "guess" for being able to heat an ENTIRE basement with only 1 vent, probably not going to happen there will be a warm zone around the vent, but other areas could be below freezing.

also you said you "want" to install it on the first floor, have you put any though to where is the wood going to be stored? if youre going to store it in the basement, then you would still have to walk down the stairs, to get wood and carry it back up, (more work than just having the furnace in the basement), same issue if its getting stored outside...
have you(your parents) thought about the maintenance involved with burning wood? chimney inspection/cleaning, cleaning/disposing of ash,
how to burn wood, its not like a oil furnace theres more to it then just setting the themostat...
you should definetly make sure your parents know what their in for!

 

[mopar969]

Hey guys I wanted to ask you a question about clearances. With the furnace on the main floor what kind of hearth do I need and how thick. I also wanted to ask about clearances for the duct work my current plan is the following. My 8 inch duct is going to go up out of the furnace 1-2 feet then turn 45 degrees into a wall where it will go over the stairs that lead to my garage and into the dining / living room area. What clearances would I need for studs and the drywall. Thanks

I believe that the code for the plenum is six inches so I know I can not put it through the wall, however, I wanted to put the plenum through the wall using an adapter like you use to connect the 6 inch pie to the ceiling for the flue. Is there something made for this or is this not doable?

 

[Mike Van]

You should go right to your local building inspector, and ask him as they vary a little from place to place. Shame to get something all built and have to rip it apart for an inch -

 

[brenndatomu]

You need to look up the clearances in your furnaces owners manual. Clearances vary from appliance to appliance. Unless local building code has something specific that is called for, they will defer to the manufactures recommended clearances listed in the owners manual.

 

[mopar969]

I am installing the englander add on furnace so I am going to contact the company regarding the clearance for the plenum. I will keep you posted.

 

[mopar969]

I am going to install the furnace in the game room on the first floor since there will be carpeting in there I need to have a cement hearth base. My question is how thick should the base be, the manual for the englander furnace does not specify the thickness, it just states that it needs to be on a non combustible floor? Thanks. P.S. attached is the manual for the furnace.

 

[steved]

If you think its expensive to hire a professional, wait until you hire an amateur.

Yup, cost my insurance company about $150,000 to fix the fire damage caused by a faulty $400 stainless steel chase cover/chimney cap installation completed by an amateur. Make sure they have references and insurance (tell them you want a copy of the insurance).