Looking for advice on a indoor wood furnace

[NSMaple1]

About the ash pan/drawer, and cleaning out thing. I've got an ash pan under my boiler, and I never use it. I just use a small fireplace scoop, and a metal bucket. If I need to remove ashes, I scoop them out into the bucket which is parked right under the door. Then they're ready to carry to their final resting place in a bucket that's meant to be carried. Might sound easy to say just drag the ashes into the ash drawer - but then you'll have a drawer full of ashes to have to deal with and dispose of at some point. Quite an awkward thing to deal with & even just simply carry - and will make a big messy ash cloud if you try to dump it in a bucket at the furnace. So, in other words, ash pans/drawers are highly over-rated.

 

[blades]

Sure are

 

[NHBOB]

About the ash pan/drawer, and cleaning out thing. I've got an ash pan under my boiler, and I never use it. I just use a small fireplace scoop, and a metal bucket. If I need to remove ashes, I scoop them out into the bucket which is parked right under the door. Then they're ready to carry to their final resting place in a bucket that's meant to be carried. Might sound easy to say just drag the ashes into the ash drawer - but then you'll have a drawer full of ashes to have to deal with and dispose of at some point. Quite an awkward thing to deal with & even just simply carry - and will make a big messy ash cloud if you try to dump it in a bucket at the furnace. So, in other words, ash pans/drawers are highly over-rated.

Although I havnt seen one of these furnaces in person yet, I had a wood stove growing up that had an ash pan and it was exactly as you described. I can run a shovel and bucket just fine.

So I called all six retailers of Drolet within 150 miles of my house and 4 of them said prices around $2900, when I told them the Northern Tool price they were awestruck and again said, I don't know how they do that, I cant. One said he couldn't come close to the online prices and told me without me bringing it up, Northern Tool has the best price, he could do $2100, pretty stand up guy. Waiting on one more call back but I think Northern Tool is going to end up winning the bidding contest.

 

[NSMaple1]

Kind of a shame that whatever goes on in the background of manufacturer/wholesaler/retailer relationships, the 'little guys next door' are at such a disadvantage. Lots of times all that someone has is the 'little guy next door'. And all he has is you.

 

[blades]

Roughly first 10 ft of duct work requires 2" clearance to flamables there after 1" gap for solid fuel appliances ( which is not the way most homes are constructed) so you might just want to look at that again. If you have an AC coil on a conventional furnace you will need some type of damper to block the high heat flow from the wood furnace ( a lot of the new stuff has a ton of plastic in it just like car radiators which are mostly plastic now)

 

[stihly dan]

Roughly first 10 ft of duct work requires 2" clearance to flamables there after 1" gap for solid fuel appliances ( which is not the way most homes are constructed) so you might just want to look at that again. If you have an AC coil on a conventional furnace you will need some type of damper to block the high heat flow from the wood furnace ( a lot of the new stuff has a ton of plastic in it just like car radiators which are mostly plastic now)

around here it is 6 inches for the 1st 6 ft then 1 inch after that.

 

[brenndatomu]

Although I havnt seen one of these furnaces in person yet, I had a wood stove growing up that had an ash pan and it was exactly as you described. I can run a shovel and bucket just fine.

So I called all six retailers of Drolet within 150 miles of my house and 4 of them said prices around $2900, when I told them the Northern Tool price they were awestruck and again said, I don't know how they do that, I cant. One said he couldn't come close to the online prices and told me without me bringing it up, Northern Tool has the best price, he could do $2100, pretty stand up guy. Waiting on one more call back but I think Northern Tool is going to end up winning the bidding contest.

There was someone in the big "Tundra" thread (bout page 34-35) that said he worked for a dealer...could buy a Tundra at dealer cost, $1300...

 

[UpOnTheHill]

Have you looked at venting requirements? You shouldn't vent both your fuel oil furnace and wood furnace into the same flue, they have to be seperate. That's the hold-back for me putting in a wood fired furnace. A new flue would cost me more than the furnace due to all the parts and the shear height I would need. The woodstove with fans will have to do in my house.

 

[Buckeyewilly]

I just ordered my Tundra from Lowes. They have it on their website. I took a price in from Rural King of $1759.97 and Lowes matched it with no problems.

 

[alleyyooper]

Don't know if you have your mind made up all ready or not. I bought a England 28-3500 last fall from Home Depot less than $1200 with my Veterans discount. Lowes's sells the same furnace called summer heat at that price also for the same money with my veterans discount, but Lowe's would only ship to the store and charge the same as HD did to my house. they are also sold at a local heating shop but their price was higher and no discount.
Last winter was a record setting one here on a daily basices as well as the year. I burned half the wood that the Old southern air I replaced did in a normal winter. Hooked up to the furnace duct work no problem.

Al

 

[NHBOB]

I just ordered my Tundra from Lowes. They have it on their website. I took a price in from Rural King of $1759.97 and Lowes matched it with no problems.

Awesome, I didn't know Lowes carried the furnace, I think that is going to be plan A then, I don't want to have to pay the $225 freight charge. Thanks!

There was someone in the big "Tundra" thread (bout page 34-35) that said he worked for a dealer...could buy a Tundra at dealer cost, $1300...

I saw that as well, makes you wonder what they really make on them. The reactions I got seemed like the local dealers weren't even buying them for the Northern Tool selling price.

 

[NHBOB]

Don't know if you have your mind made up all ready or not. I bought a England 28-3500 last fall from Home Depot less than $1200 with my Veterans discount. Lowes's sells the same furnace called summer heat at that price also for the same money with my veterans discount, but Lowe's would only ship to the store and charge the same as HD did to my house. they are also sold at a local heating shop but their price was higher and no discount.
Last winter was a record setting one here on a daily basices as well as the year. I burned half the wood that the Old southern air I replaced did in a normal winter. Hooked up to the furnace duct work no problem.

Al

How do you like the Englander? From what I have read it is a little more work, adjusting the damper and heat fluctuations, to me that just sounds like a typical wood stove, which was my original plan before the furnace. Thermostat controlled dampers are nice but I think its more of a luxury than a necessity. I am also a Veteran, wonder if they will still reduce the advertised price of $1200 now.

Is there anything that you don't like about the Englander? How often do you burn oil?