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New Bituminous Furnace

Posted: Wed. Nov. 19, 2008 11:32 am
by Willis
I am purchasing a new furnace for my house and I would like some input on what kind to get. I am debating between outdoor and indoor. Let me give you a little backround. My house is only about 1600 sqft but no insulation and here in Eastern Ohio natural gas cost me about 2200 a year to heat with. I am planning to add on to my house in the coming years and would like to double it in size. Getting coal of any size is not an issue as I work for the largest strip mining co in Ohio,and also own my own retail coal yard. Smoke is not an issue either as I have no close neighbors and the ones I do burn wood and coal also. I like the idea of an outdoor furnace as I can also heat my garage and someday sidewalks and driveway (I hate shoveling snow!) But the upfront cost is large. I have tinkered with the idea of putting a Wil-Burt stoker in an outdoor furnace. I have talked to both the furnace manufacture (Shaver) and the Wil-Burt engineer and they said it is possible( although no one has done it before). Or would I be better just going with an indoor furnace as I can design my house addition around it. Please let me know what you think.

Re: New Bituminous Furnace

Posted: Wed. Nov. 19, 2008 11:55 am
by WNY
Do you have existing Hot Water System? If so, go with a Boiler, they don't take up much room and you parallel you system.

Re: New Bituminous Furnace

Posted: Wed. Nov. 19, 2008 12:14 pm
by Freddy
I trust when you say "furnace" you mean "boiler". Generally a furnace is hot air & a boiler is hot water. You might want to check out EFM. They're coming out with a bituminous boiler. Heated sidewalks & driveway... you go buddy!

Re: New Bituminous Furnace

Posted: Wed. Nov. 19, 2008 1:43 pm
by Berlin
I'd have an indoor boiler, fired with a stoker, fed from an airtight bin built into the house.

Re: New Bituminous Furnace

Posted: Wed. Nov. 19, 2008 4:41 pm
by Willis
I have and existing hot air natural gas furnace, no boiler. And a very old woodchuck (SN-000001644) add on furnace that is not plumbed into the house duct work, just kinda blows into the basement, so I leave the basement door open. I just purchased the house last year and we are about to move in after a massive remodeling project. Now my quest is to figure out what to burn coal in.

Re: New Bituminous Furnace

Posted: Wed. Nov. 19, 2008 8:40 pm
by Berlin
honestly, you should look for a model 77 combustioneer stoker or mark IV stoker like member hardwood has (all made by will-burt mfg.). I have my model 77 plumbed to the ductwork and it heats the entire house just fine. VERY convenient. you can find them used, there was one on ebay a few months ago.