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On the face of it, the addition of an Add On Wood Furnace to
your existing furnace sounds like a great idea. If you cut, split and season
your own firewood, you already know how much money you're saving over your
propane poor neighbor.
Installing a wood furnace also tames the unavoidable
messiness of burning wood by moving it to the basement.
Best of all, you can purchase
a basic add on wood furnace for less than an inexpensive pellet stove.
However, the complex installation of an add on wood furnace goes a long
way towards canceling out the benefits. When you install an add on furnace you
not only have two furnaces; you now have two thermostats, two blowers, two
plenums and two chimneys. Not to mention the connecting ductwork and dampers.
You don't have to be
a home heating expert to imagine all the possible scenarios for failure.
As with any other
type of furnace, the warranty and building codes requires installation by a
licensed HVAC professional.
But this requirement
alone doesn't necessarily guarantee your add on furnace will be installed for
maximum efficiency. Simply because someone's been installing gas furnaces for
30 years doesn't mean their first attempt at installing an add on wood furnace
will be a complete success.
Another problem that
wood furnace manufacturers never address is a convenient way to store and
transport a winter's worth of firewood without making hundreds of trips up and
down the basement stairs.
Finding the least
expensive way to heat your home will always involve trade-offs. As with an add
on wood furnace, buying the cheapest appliance to burn the cheapest fuel is not
without its drawbacks.
Improve your home with Alternative
Heating
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