Winter Installation

[Lurch16th]

Anybody ever do an above ground temporary winter installion?

I have a Heatmor, which requires a pad. Of course, at the moment, the ground is frozen, so i was considering making a pre-fab reinforced pad in my shed, moving it outside and elevating it on blocks to allow pipe access. I have the equipment to move the furnace and pad around if needed. I don't plan on waiting until Spring unless , i have no other options. Any ideas welcome.

 

[beerman6]

The dealer I bought mine from,never buried the lines on the demo/shop heater.I say go for it.

 

[Butch(OH)]

I have tried to move and save slabs and getting them both level and stable is a challange. Myself I would do about anything besides moving a precast slab. Since we are better than halfway through the season maybe a skid made from 4x6 would work? Box in an area with lumber and fill the middle with sand? Set it on some I beams? Not sure I guess, my woodmaster has legs. If I was close Id come over and look it over.

 

[trialanderror]

i work at an apartment complex, and were starting to replace stairtreds...

they're 39wide 10 1/2 deep and 2 1/2 thick. with 2 or 3 peices of rebar full width.

i'm using those temproarly...they won't wiggle when putting something heavy on them, and i'm going a step further and going to double the layers and cross stack just to be certain their sturdy..

i have maybe 700 of them now? lost count after the 20th skid i brought home... lots of stairs....

but yah, grounds frozen, so, as long as it's sturdy, and the plumbing is rated for above ground, go for it.

 

[Lurch16th]

hmmm, good ideas and triggering more ideas.

The Dealer gave me an insulating carpet or pad that gets placed on top of a slab and the furnace sits on it. it is about 1/4" thick foam, completely enclosed in aluminum foil.. What ever i use will have to be wood or concrete, because i don't have any tools for heavy metal cutting. I do have a welder, though.

How about a 2 x 10" wood frame box with double perimeter joists and double joists down the middle. covered with pressure treated plywood. It would look like a miniature section of a subfloor. That type frame might be easier to shim up and level. With the foil pad over it and the furnace sitting on the pad, would that be safe?

Would a 10" frame be elevation enough to get the pipes up into the back?
it's going to be on reasonably level ground to start with.

 

[bore_pig]

Use fire retardant plywood.

 

[ericjeeper]

Just set it on a piece of plywood for now.. Does not need to even be that fancy really. Just something to hold it somewhat level and keep it from sinking..
Heck mine is sitting on 4 12x12 inch concrete pavers..

 

[Lurch16th]

Just went out to check things out.
Looks like whatever the foil pad sits on has to be flat, hard, elevated and fireproof.


The firebox in the Heatmor that i have, is open right down to bare ground. After it gets mounted on the foil pad, apparently it has to be calked where the stove meets the pad, around the fire box. Then it has to be filled with 13 buckets of sand right up to the ash grates. Looks like the bottom of the ash collector extends down to the bottom of the stove where the pad would be.
I am guessing it might get pretty hot down there.

 

[boyland]

I would sit it on concrete 1/2 solid blocks. I did that on mine cut the cop soil works great.

Great for a temp install if you like. or perm.

 

[Lurch16th]

Do you happen to have a picture to post or email?