Turned on the Oil Furnace

sharkman8810 · Post by **sharkman8810** » Fri. Dec. 11, 2009 9:30 pm

I had to do it. I had to turn on the oil furnace to help the coal stove out. It was getting cold in the far reaches of the house where the heat doesnt get to easily. It is in the twenties and single digits with the wind. So I need a little furnace every few hours for the heat and the circulation. I'm working the stove up to its higher temps currently running it near 400 F on the body, but I need better circulation system for the higher temps or all the excess heat stays in the stove room in the basement, and I have alot of really toasty foundation stone. I'll live with it, its still saving me a fortune, every few hours is better than every 15 minutes.

Sting · Post by **Sting** » Fri. Dec. 11, 2009 9:36 pm

a house stat like this
**Broken Link(s) Removed**can be programed to stir that cold air back out of the corners and help even the temp in the house on these cold nights - but if the house temp falls too far it will bring the OB on like to help out

just another automation device -- some like it -- some think - well some just don't think

009to090 · Post by **009to090** » Fri. Dec. 11, 2009 9:39 pm

sharkman8810 wrote:, its still saving me a fortune, every few hours is better than every 15 minutes.

Absolutely!

and it sounds like once you get the hot air from the coal stove out of the basement, you'll have plenty for upstairs

SMITTY · Post by **SMITTY** » Fri. Dec. 11, 2009 10:05 pm

Yeah, my oil burner still kicks on every so often ....... but nowhere even remotely near the frequency without coal!

I swear that thing used to be on, more than off, during a cold spell ....like what we're experiencing now.

This year, it's just the TV room & the indirect boiler being heated by my coils. That alone made a huge difference. With the 2nd floor zone running in addition, it puts too high of a load on the coils to keep the burner off for any length of time. I'm determined to make it the rest of the heating season on 1/2 tank of oil!

CoalHeat · Post by **CoalHeat** » Fri. Dec. 11, 2009 10:26 pm

I couldn't run the oil furnace if I wanted to, no oil in the tank.

100% coal here. So far the stoves are keeping up nicely.

009to090 · Post by **009to090** » Fri. Dec. 11, 2009 10:50 pm

Wood'nCoal wrote:I couldn't run the oil furnace if I wanted to, no oil in the tank. 100% coal here. So far the stoves are keeping up nicely.

Hey John, I got a couple hundred gallons I bought in 2005 for around $2.00 a gal. Kept inside, no water, stabilized.
I'll sell ya 100 gals if you needed it in a pinch

JiminBucks · Post by **JiminBucks** » Sat. Dec. 12, 2009 9:15 am

I turned my oil burner for the first time last weekend, I went away for 3 days so I didn't want to come home to the house being in the 30's and things freezing. Still got 1/2 tank of oil and at this rate it could last years!

Just fired up the old Garrison Woodstove the other day with this cold snap! Between the EFEL and Garrison I can keep the house at a nice temp, Cool but OK.

Last year when I treated myself by using the oil burner in March, the dam thing kept waking me up in the middle of the night when it fired!!

oliver power · Post by **oliver power** » Sat. Dec. 12, 2009 9:44 am

sharkman8810 wrote:I had to do it. I had to turn on the oil furnace to help the coal stove out. It was getting cold in the far reaches of the house where the heat doesnt get to easily. It is in the twenties and single digits with the wind. So I need a little furnace every few hours for the heat and the circulation. I'm working the stove up to its higher temps currently running it near 400 F on the body, but I need better circulation system for the higher temps or all the excess heat stays in the stove room in the basement, and I have alot of really toasty foundation stone. I'll live with it, its still saving me a fortune, every few hours is better than every 15 minutes.

I assume you're talking about a hot air furnace. I also assume the furnace & stove are in the same hot basement area (heat from the stove reaches furnace). If so, here's what you do. Cut a big hole HIGH in the cold air duct (the main trunk comming down to the furnace). When the furnace kicks on, it will draw pre-heated air from the stove, and send it throughout the house. You won't find a better way to distribute the heat. Let the furnace fire up. Useing the furnace fan alone will only cool the air from the coal stove. You will see a big difference with a hole, 8 inch high x the width of your cold air trunk. Your furnace will be heating warmer air. After doing this, you will have to change your thoughts to, "the coal stove will be helping the furnace out". Or, should I say "they will be working together". Your furnace won't run as long. And the heat from the coal stove will be distributed. If the stove heat dosen't reach the furnace, I'd be figuring a way to get it there.

sharkman8810 · Post by **sharkman8810** » Sat. Dec. 12, 2009 3:10 pm

Well I started some stove coal for a bit more output. I used the furnace twice. It is a forced air furnace. I would do the hookup the stove to the furnace, but there is a 2' thick stone loadbearing wall between the two that I am not putting a whole into. Overall if it takes low 20's and single digit windchills to make the furnace run, I'm pleased.

oliver power · Post by **oliver power** » Sat. Dec. 12, 2009 5:15 pm

sharkman8810 wrote:Well I started some stove coal for a bit more output. I used the furnace twice. It is a forced air furnace. I would do the hookup the stove to the furnace, but there is a 2' thick stone loadbearing wall between the two that I am not putting a whole into. Overall if it takes low 20's and single digit windchills to make the furnace run, I'm pleased.

You're pleased.........that's what counts.