Starting from scratch
Posted: Sat. Apr. 21, 2018 7:32 pm
As the title says I'm starting from scratch. New house has a crawl space underneath it. So I cant just stick a furnace underneath and pipe to the existing heat plenum and let it do its thing. So I'm considering an outside boiler set-up. Since the house is already built I'm not sure what my best bet is for putting the heat into the house. Floor surface is 40% lenoleum/hardwood sections. The rest is carpeted. Existing heat source is propane hot air furnace. Climate is that of East TN. So some really cold but mostly the lows in high 20s to highs in the high 40s kind of weather and in late spring it goes lows around 30 to highs in upper 60s/low 70s. So it has to be flexible in capacity. House is 1500sq/ft one story.
My first question is what should I look for in a boiler set up? Self regulating to make a load of fuel last as long as possible. How bad does power outages effect a stoker system. Would I be better off with hand load or gravity fed. 90% sure I'll be burning Kentucky bit coal. Though I do have excellent source for hardwoods so I might very well use both.
Secondly what's best method for putting the heat the house? Should I use a heat exchanger in the existing furnace plenum with a second thermostat to run a circulator pump and the furnace fan? That would definitely be the easiest. Or would it be better to run the Pex heating tubing with the insulation boards under the floors down the center of each room? Am I wrong to think it doesn't need to be ran under furniture that sits along the walls? If I did the under floor I could heat with zone valves. Have considered the exchanger first and then add in the under floor as money allows to lessen the initial cash outlay. Plus it'd be up and running quicker that way.
Thanks for any and all constructive input.
My first question is what should I look for in a boiler set up? Self regulating to make a load of fuel last as long as possible. How bad does power outages effect a stoker system. Would I be better off with hand load or gravity fed. 90% sure I'll be burning Kentucky bit coal. Though I do have excellent source for hardwoods so I might very well use both.
Secondly what's best method for putting the heat the house? Should I use a heat exchanger in the existing furnace plenum with a second thermostat to run a circulator pump and the furnace fan? That would definitely be the easiest. Or would it be better to run the Pex heating tubing with the insulation boards under the floors down the center of each room? Am I wrong to think it doesn't need to be ran under furniture that sits along the walls? If I did the under floor I could heat with zone valves. Have considered the exchanger first and then add in the under floor as money allows to lessen the initial cash outlay. Plus it'd be up and running quicker that way.
Thanks for any and all constructive input.