Does anyone have experience with combination wood/oil furnaces? Are they worth keeping? [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]
We moved in recently and were told by previous owners that the wood part was the backup to the oil part. We just had it inspected and serviced and were told that the oil is the backup for the wood.. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
And that being 12 years old, depending on how much wood was burned, it was past its life-expectancy.. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] And that the oil part was about 50% as efficient as an oil-only furnace. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
Two previous owners, and the serviceman, told us that this furnace is expensive, but now I'm wondering if it is worth keeping..
Certainly I don't want to spend the money on a new one (and he says that the duct work will be expensive, but I wonder about that..). If its true that the wood side is more efficient, then I can understand that, but we're not ready to start going into the basement once or twice a day to add wood to the fire. That will end up being my chore anyway.. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
PS the make of the furnace is NewMac, out of Canada.
Here's my questions:
- is the oil really a backup for the wood?
- if the previous owners used wood 80% of the time, does that mean that this 12 year old furnace is due for replacement? [img]/forums/images/icons/frown.gif[/img]
- is it really 50% as efficient as a oil-only furnace?
- just because a LP gas furnace is 95% efficient, does that make more sense to buy than a new oil furnace (if I buy something)?
- will there be soot on the walls?? [img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]
- does anyone have any experience they can share?
Pete