Wood Burning Furnaces

Re: Wood Burning Furnaces

I can't really comment on a wood burning furnace, I'm guessing it is a wood stove that has been modified with a heat circulating (blower) system. The only thing I have seen similar is the fireplace my brother did about 25 yrs ago. About that time heat circulating fireplace inserts were becoming popular. Being an electrical engineer, he decided to build his own system when he did a family room/dining room addition with a fireplace. My memory is sketchy on this, but basically it involved a narrow chamber (for lack of a better term) that surrounded the sides and top (outside of the actual fire box) that captured the radiant heat. To this he added electricals similar to any furnace as well as a duct work system that I believe was tied into his existing gas furnace duct work (I may be wrong, it may have been entirely separate). In any case, it was pretty effective at heating the entire house. He lived in southern VA at the time, so not quite as mild as AL. The best part (and I have no idea how he did it) - the system was totally code compliant, passed heating/AC, passed electrical, and met national firecode. He was really proud of that. Hey, the entire addition cost him alot of money, he NEEDED it to pass.
I just wish I had gotten to see it more than once before he divorced and sold the house.
I was recently married, working 70 hrs a week (and still broke), with no time to visit (I was living in OH at the time).

So, long story, not so short.....In a mild climate with a good cheap source of seasoned hardwoods, I think you could effectively heat a portion/all of a home.

RT

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