Introducing Brand New Wood Furnace to Market - The Drolet Tundra!

[Racerboy832]

Every year I put off buying something and the next year the price jumps up. Do you foresee this on this model. The price seems good since I spent $1100 on a Hotblast from tractor supply and all it does it eat wood. How many are going to make it out the door?

 

[blades]

Ya I got one of those hotblast hogs as well, still tryin to figure out what to do with it. Guess I will stick it on CL and see if I can recoup a couple bucks.

 

[Fyrebug]

Every year I put off buying something and the next year the price jumps up. Do you foresee this on this model. The price seems good since I spent $1100 on a Hotblast from tractor supply and all it does it eat wood. How many are going to make it out the door?

We've had price increase from year to year but they dont tend to be across the board on all units. Typically it's based on cost of raw material fluctuation etc.. and it's fairly small.

Your biggest pocket saving hit this year is the tax rebate (up to $300). But it ends in December.

 

[Fyrebug]

A local stove shop near me (Preston Trading Post) has just signed an agreement with SBI to get Drolet appliances. They said they will try to get me a Tundra. What are my chances of getting one at the end of the month?

Better ask your store what kind of delivery date he got from his rep. His answer would be more accurate than mine.

 

[PLAYINWOOD]

Every year I put off buying something and the next year the price jumps up. Do you foresee this on this model. The price seems good since I spent $1100 on a Hotblast from tractor supply and all it does it eat wood. How many are going to make it out the door?

My friend also, when is it available north of Toronto?

 

[Fyrebug]

My friend also, when is it available north of Toronto?

Should be available at TSC (Ontario) and Home Hardware now.

 

[Vermonster]

That's a good looking and efficient furnace. If only my house was built with outside access to the basement. It would also be difficult to retro my existing oil furnace w/baseboard hot water to a forced air system.
It sure would be nice to keep all the wood mess in the basement rather than having it all over the house from my Jotul 602N and Vermont Castings fireplace insert. Love heating with wood, just not fond of the mess it creates.

 

[arrow]

That's a good looking and efficient furnace. If only my house was built with outside access to the basement. It would also be difficult to retro my existing oil furnace w/baseboard hot water to a forced air system.
It sure would be nice to keep all the wood mess in the basement rather than having it all over the house from my Jotul 602N and Vermont Castings fireplace insert. Love heating with wood, just not fond of the mess it creates.

Well, one part of your problem is easily remedied: You would leave your hydronics totally alone and simply add two runs of ducting from the furnace to either side of the house. I have the same heating system as you and that's what I'm doing. As far as cellar wood access, you could convert one of your cellar windows to some type of "wood chute".

 

[goatguy]

Looks like Menards is listing it now on their website...

http://www.menards.com/main/heating...ce-w-filter-kit-included/p-2123037-c-6884.htm

At $1999, they are the most expensive dealer yet.

They do state that "filter kit is included" Does that mean it is NOT included at Family Farm, Northern Tools, or Lowes?

 

[goatguy]

Looks like Menards is listing it now on their website...

Drolet Tundra EPA wood furnace w/filter kit included at Menards

At $1999, they are the most expensive dealer yet.

They do state that "filter kit is included" Does that mean it is NOT included at Family Farm, Northern Tools, or Lowes?

Scratch that, looks like they changed thier website pricing, it is at $1799 now

 

[mopar969]

Any news as to when the drolet will be on lowes.com? I see that lowes in canada has it already.

 

[alleyyooper]

After reading all the pages here and the many repete questions and horse hooy Ive made up my mind with out even touching a unit.
The ash removal has made up my mind not to buy this unit. I have put up with a add on furnace for 28 years that had slits you poked the ash thru to get to the pan. It was such a time comsuming job not to mention a royal pain I just let the fire die down and used a old round shovel to take the ashes out the same way the wood went in. Then use a little square ash shovel I modified to finish it up.
I'll take the less efficent furnace with a shaker grate to replace what I have.

Al

 

[Fyrebug]

After reading all the pages here and the many repete questions and horse hooy Ive made up my mind with out even touching a unit.
The ash removal has made up my mind not to buy this unit. I have put up with a add on furnace for 28 years that had slits you poked the ash thru to get to the pan. It was such a time comsuming job not to mention a royal pain I just let the fire die down and used a old round shovel to take the ashes out the same way the wood went in. Then use a little square ash shovel I modified to finish it up.
I'll take the less efficent furnace with a shaker grate to replace what I have.

Al

Assuming the above is true, you are willing willing to cut, split, cord, cure, load and sweep twice as much to save time with the ashes?

All you have to do is ask those in this forum who use a Caddy or Kuuma and they will tell you what their experiences with ashes vs other benefits.

 

[stihly dan]

Yup. On my Kuuma the ash easily falls thru the grate, keeping the coals above. It comes with a perfect rake, pull everything forward, 2 sweeps side to side and reload. !0 seconds maybe. Ash pan can be dumped anytime.

 

[alleyyooper]

In the first place how can one say I'll have to cut, split and sweep twice as much wood? Ya'll have no idea how good my old worn out wood furnace is/was. I never found a tag to even now what brand it is. As for sweeping that is one reason I am getting a shaker grate stove of some type so the ashes go into a pan and not on the furnace room floor nor does all that dust go all over tha basement and in time thru out the house.
My brothers neighbour has a shaker grate furnace and that room it is in stays as clean as the kitchen and I've been there when he is shakeing down the ashes.

Al

 

[Fyrebug]

In the first place how can one say I'll have to cut, split and sweep twice as much wood? Ya'll have no idea how good my old worn out wood furnace is/was. I never found a tag to even now what brand it is. As for sweeping that is one reason I am getting a shaker grate stove of some type so the ashes go into a pan and not on the furnace room floor nor does all that dust go all over tha basement and in time thru out the house.
My brothers neighbour has a shaker grate furnace and that room it is in stays as clean as the kitchen and I've been there when he is shakeing down the ashes.

Al

Well, if this is important to you... go with what works.

Conventional wood furnaces have been tested at 40% - 50% efficiencies. So if you get a furnace at 80% efficiencies you 'theoretically' cut your consumption in half.

Real life users have told us time and again they have cut down their wood usage by a third minimum and many by half. So as an educated consumer it is always better to seek advice from other users (no me... I'm in sales :biggrin such as Stihly Dan who posted above.

 

[Fyrebug]

The ash removal has made up my mind not to buy this unit.I'll take the less efficent furnace with a shaker grate to replace what I have.Al

So I just thought I would post a few pics to show how to empty the ashes on our furnace. Notice the furnace comes with a tool to hook the ash plug and allow to rake the ashes into the large ash pan.

View attachment 314943
View attachment 314944
View attachment 314945

 

[laynes69]

I do miss the shaker grates I had with the old furnace, but with that said, I wouldn't go back. When I wake up, there's always coals in back of the firebox and ash up front. Either I remove the plug and rake the ash into the ashpan, or just remove a few scoops of ash.

 

[arrow]

I always found it faster to shovel them out. Northern tool makes an ash removal shovel that looks interesting. Five seconds and you're done, using this tool.

 

[brenndatomu]

I have the best of both worlds, I covered about half of my grates with fire bricks. The bricked area holds coals well, a couple swipes of the shovel or poker and the ashes disappear through the grate area! :msp_thumbup: