I keep wanting to get into these heat and furnace discussions but that would be like Saddam Hussein advising on the new future of Iraq. No clue. It's running in the seventies here lately.
Cindi (who remembers heating devices from childhood in Texas but no longer needs them here in sunny Fla.)
We've had a number of different systems over the years, oil/wood and hot air/hot water. But here is my choice if I were building new.
The primary system would be oil-fired hot air. I'd put a soapstone stove on a hearth in the family room. I'd install a shuttered return for the hot air system, directly above the stove. Whenever the stove is running, you open the shutter and all that hot air is circulated throughout the house. A return in the ceiling is also good if you have central air. If you have a backup generator, the blower motor would be on it.
I prefer the stove because fireplaces lose too much heat up the chimney. The stove could be wood or coal, your choice. The central air system could be natural gas instead of oil, but we don't have any of that here. The only precaution would be fire suppressant in the return duct, just in case.
hi,
if you live in central PA you should consider burning coal. We us an HS TARM wood coal oil boiler. I keep it my detached garage so there is no mess or smell in the house. I am presently experimenting with coal and it is a lot better than wood. My wood is free, but the coal seems worthwhile. I would forget about trying to budget gas or oil anymore, the market is too volatile. Wood and coal prices seem to remain predictable, therefore easier to budget.
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