Do You Have A Multi-Fuel Furnace?

[Ductape]

My (oil fired) forced hot air furnace is over twenty years old, and i've had thoughts on replacing it with a multi-fuel furnace.... wood and oil. I feel this would heat my drafty, hundred and thirty year old house better than my woodstove. Does anyone have such a beast? How do you like it? What brand names should i look for? How much do these rigs cost?

I have found a few web sites, but none with any pricing.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[ktm rider]

Check your PM's

 

[woodfarmer]

a combo will heat your house but they are not very efficient and do require a lot of wood minimum 5 cord a season. we used to have one but my wife was not into going downstairs every hour to feed it, so it was only used in the very coldest of days or the few weekends i was home during the winter(snomobiler, another story)

 

[Al Smith]

5 cords per year is not too bad for New Hampshire.I go through 4 or more with a woodstove only using it during the coldest months.

I've been in the New England states during winter,it gets as cold as northern Ohio.

 

[Ductape]

5 cord is no problem for me.... i burn more than that in my woodstove. My thinking on the dual fuel furnace is :

A Only uses one flue (which is good, because there is only one chimney in the middle of my house). A seperate add-on unit would require two.

B Would circulate warm air throughout the whole house (as opposed to my woodstove making my kitchen hot, but the rest of my house warm) using my existing FHA vents.

C Oil burner would automatically kick on at night, or when we are at work.

D Would dry out my damp basement.

 

[csheil2000]

dual fuel furnace

check this site:www.charmaster.com
Im looking in to this system. willnot purchase this year.

 

[farmermike]

I'll second charmaster. Mine was installed in 1978, still works like a charm. Mine is the wood oil combo. Don't use the oil much, but it is nice when we are going to be gone for the weekend. I will definately buy another one when this one wears out. Excellant stove. The firebox is huge and the thing is built right. Can't say enough good about this furnace. Also get free hot water for the winter. Heat my 104 year old 2600 square ft house on about ten cords a winter.

 

[ericjeeper]

I think it is time to tighten the envelope

In other words start keeping the heat inside. New windows. new doors, and insulation.
Why find a cheaper way to heat the out doors?
I am changing all my windows out to Triple pane. My windows are old, they do not leak air. but cold radiates through them. They are 3 years old.. Good windows, but I want the best,.
Before I started heating with wood I was heating my house for under $125 a month using fuel oil.My house is 3200 square feet. I will never know what I will be saving by going to the triple panes.. Cause me and the oil company are at odds. So it will be wood heat from here on out.Well until I am no longer able to cut and feed the boiler anyhow. But to your original question.. Sounds like a good alternative.

 

[ktm250rider]

Wow your complaining about 125 bucks a month. THats only $750 for a 6 month heating season. Its gonna take a long time to pay for those windows with any type of savings.
I would get a heat loss and blower door test done on the house. Doesnt sound like you have much of a problem to me.

My house is 4000 sqft and we spent over 4 grand in propane last winter. The house was built to energy star specifications with low-E, argon filled windows, R21 walls and R50 in the attic. I still need to have the final blower door test done to get the actual rating.