Need help choosing a wood furnace!!!

[AmosMoses1123]

Ok we have searched and searched and at this point I feel I could write a novel on wood furnaces. For the money and what's available in my area, (so I dont have to pay 800$ to have a unit shipped to me). We have came up with,,,,DRUM ROLLLLLLLL............Either the Clayton 1600 Us Stove or the Hotblast 1950 EPA approved also by US Stove...Both of the models are within a couple hundred bucks. Can someone please tell me if one is actually better than the other? We are heating 2200Sq Ft ranch style home. With a partial finished basement where the stove will be placed. We have six kids and its very important the house is warm, we have a oil furnace and well you all know the story. House is well insulated, newer windows, not too bad to keep warm. Any opinions would be wonderful....IM so sick of trying to make the decision....Im so afraid of making the wrong one Thanks for your help, Ami

 

[skid row]

Welcome to the site.. I would go with the clayton. I think that is the model with the larger blower. If I can recall doesnt the hot blast have two small blowers?

Make shure to hook it up to your cold air return along with the warm supply air ducts. I think the clayton heats a larger area than the hot blast.

Thats my choice between the two. Some other wood furnaces that come to mind are: wood chuck and brunco. I am sure others will chime in about some other makes.

 

[AmosMoses1123]

The difference...

Actually both models have the same blower motors. The Hotblast 1950 is actually a pretty new stove for US Stove, it has only been manufactured for two years. Ive read really good things about both of these models. The Hotblast has a 1/3hp four speed and Im thinking the Clayton may have the same blower but possibly a 1/4 hp. Someone was telling my husband they had great luck with a Daka and they purchased the larger blower and it keeps their house extremely toasty. Now the Daka is alot cheaper than these two. Both of the US Stove will cost right around 2000$ plus the install. Send all opinions my way we are looking to buy in the next couple days.
Thanks, Scott

 

[laynes69]

Hands down, get the hotblast. I may be getting one this year to replace the old 1500 hotblast in the basement. The 1950 is EPA Certified, and produces up to 140,000 btus. Its a well built unit that will consume a 1/3rd+ less wood than previous wood furnaces. I have been doing my homework for a couple of years and hands down, it will be the 1950 for my next purchase. Plus with the series installation, its an efficient setup.

 

[ms310]

Hotblast

if it is epa approved this should mean that it has a catylist in it. If i am correct, please correct me if i am wrong, your wood consumption will be less and you wont have to worry about the chimney getting all built up as much.
Still would recommend a good cleaning either bi-annualy or annually. Also i see you are from michigan when the time comes to either buy or cut wood that dead elm, and ash that is everywhere makes great fire wood!

 

[ktm rider]

What about one of these?

I had one for 3 years and it heated my whole house ( 3,500 sq ft. log home) it worked down to about 20 degrees outside and then I had to fire up my indoor coal boiler. But it worked VERY well and looked nice in my basement also. The only reason I replaced it with a coal stove was that it required power throw heat and since i am WAY up on top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere, I have frequent power outages.

Just a thought

http://www.englandsstoveworks.com/28-3500.html

 

[JeffHK454]

I have no complaints with my 1600...

 

[laynes69]

No cat with the 1950. It has a set of secondary burn tubes, with a secondary heat exchanger. Also a cleanout door to remove ash from the heat exchanger.

 

[wasajco]

You might like to look at this one as well:
http://www.greenwoodfurnace.com/
beyond my budget for the moment, but the only ash left is white, and almost no smoke, more like a wood incinerator than anything else. Nice technology. I have no experience other than their advertising, so more research might be in order.

 

[ktm rider]

You might like to look at this one as well:
http://www.greenwoodfurnace.com/
beyond my budget for the moment, but the only ash left is white, and almost no smoke, more like a wood incinerator than anything else. Nice technology. I have no experience other than their advertising, so more research might be in order.

That is actually a boiler ( although they incorrectly call it a furnace ) a boiler heats water, a furnace heats air...

 

[dwinch53]

Well here is my two cents worth...i am ready to install a fire chief wood furnace, just waiting for it to arrive. google firechief wood furnace...another is energy king wood furnace...these are a bit more than the clayton $300.00 but the fire chief has lifetime warranty on all castings and even the grates which can take a beating...you get a three speed blower and a filter box at no extra charge with the fire chief...you can even call the factory and **** chat with them, nice people...good luck and enjoy. Dan

 

[Madspeed]

Does anyone have any input on installing one of these in a garage with ducting into the main house duct?

 

[kallaste]

Go to Tractor Supply, you can get a 1557 hotblast for $850.00. I have one and heat 2000 sq ft with it. I heat from mid October until almost April. I use approximately 5 cords and the furnace is never run hard or hot. My house stays a constant 73 to 75 degrees. Of course I can run it and before you know the wife is running arround in her undies.
Unlike laynes, I am running my furnace in parallel as a stand alone unit. Granted the 2 550 cfm fans on the furnace dont move alot of air but it comes out of the regesters hot! The main thing is to run the stove for 8-10 hrs constant to warm all of the wood in the basement (upstairs floor and joists) from then on you can throttle back and allow the warmed floor,wood and celing to hold the hse at a gentle temperature. Go for the 1557 hotblast from Tractor Supply, you wont be sorry. Drop me a PM if you want more specific info.


Steve.

 

[Madspeed]

Of course I can run it and before you know the wife is running arround in her undies.
Steve.

Better throw a few more logs in there then!!

 

[merlynr]

Well here is my two cents worth...i am ready to install a fire chief wood furnace, just waiting for it to arrive. google firechief wood furnace...another is energy king wood furnace...these are a bit more than the clayton $300.00 but the fire chief has lifetime warranty on all castings and even the grates which can take a beating...you get a three speed blower and a filter box at no extra charge with the fire chief...you can even call the factory and **** chat with them, nice people...good luck and enjoy. Dan

I have the Fire Chief 700, the middle size. It's built very well and I haven't had any problems with it and this is the third winter using it. It has the 3 sp blower motor and the little firebox blower just below the door that responds to the thermostat. Replaced the 12 6x9 firebricks this fall as some of them were cracked. It comes with a handle to shake the ashes down.
I have the hot air plenum ducted to the end of a heat duct and my other furnace is in middle of the house and wood furnace is on the side which makes the wood furnace blow backwards thru the existing heat ducts. This was an experiment that hasn't turned out to bad.

 

[Dave M]

Go to Tractor Supply, you can get a 1557 hotblast for $850.00. I have one and heat 2000 sq ft with it. I heat from mid October until almost April. I use approximately 5 cords and the furnace is never run hard or hot. My house stays a constant 73 to 75 degrees. Of course I can run it and before you know the wife is running arround in her undies.
Unlike laynes, I am running my furnace in parallel as a stand alone unit. Granted the 2 550 cfm fans on the furnace dont move alot of air but it comes out of the regesters hot! The main thing is to run the stove for 8-10 hrs constant to warm all of the wood in the basement (upstairs floor and joists) from then on you can throttle back and allow the warmed floor,wood and celing to hold the hse at a gentle temperature. Go for the 1557 hotblast from Tractor Supply, you wont be sorry. Drop me a PM if you want more specific info.


Steve.

I'll second this story.. sounds just like my house... I have the 1537G.. has a different air control than the 1557.... but otherwise the same.