Re: High efficiency wood-furnaces?

Posted by jdemaris on February 28, 2005 at 09:43:38 from (209.23.30.107):

In Reply to: Re: High efficiency wood-furnaces? posted by buickanddeere on February 28, 2005 at 08:26:54:

Yes, and from what I've seen, the problem is compounded by a few other issues. I've looked at outdoor furnaces that replaced indoor units, and the mindset is now that they are completely safe, i.e. you no longer have to worry about burning the house down with a chimney fire - which in most cases is true. Subsequently, much less care is given to things like having the firewood dry and seasoned, keeping the fire from smoldering, etc. Much of the hype in the advertising just adds to this mindset. I've seen many adds claiming the furnaces will burn green unsplit wood, trash, etc. I was at a friend's farm yesterday. For years he had a indoor combo- wood/oil hot-air furnace. He changed over to the outdoor Central Boiler last year which pumps hot water into a heat-exchanger for hot-water-to-air in his existing hot-air ducts.. Now, he doesn't even bother to cut wood in the summer. He's dragging out trees from the woods today and will be burning them next week. And, some of it is red oak which needs a long drying time. Green, wet, unsplit, and the furnace smokes, smolders, and he's told me it's caught fire many times (the short chimney) but he just lets it burn. He also told me he's using about twice the wood now that he used to with the indoor furnace. But, I guess he's saving time since he longer splits it, stacks and dries it, etc. Seems you can't blame the increase in wood consumption totally on the furnace - since he's burning crap wood at low temps.
In regard to the high-efficiency wood-stoves, I bought the largest one I could find - and by past standards, it's small. I think the firebox size needs to be kept to a minimum to keep efficiency up. That's another reason why I'd like to see the new EPA furnace the French-Canadians have - I'd like to see how they did it. But, guess they won't sell me one unless I move to Québec and start speaking bad-French. I'm kind of perplexed why they had it tested by our E.P.A., but won't sell it to me? Maybe because they think I'm an ignorant non-Frenchman? (actually, I am French - maybe if I send them proof I'll get better regard?)

Follow Ups:

• Re: High efficiency wood-furnaces? buickanddeere 11:27:33 02/28/05 (3)
  • Re: High efficiency wood-furnaces? Can't even use my name 14:00:17 03/01/05 (0)
  • Re: High efficiency wood-furnaces? jdemaris 17:07:36 02/28/05 (1)
    • Re: High efficiency wood-furnaces? Can't even use my name 14:02:53 03/01/05 (0)

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