Shopping for Wood/Coal Furnace

[HillStreet]

I have been researching wood/coal furnaces on line, now going shopping for one. My present wood stove is not keeping up. House is 1500 feet, one story with full basement. The basement floor is insulated because of the radiant tubing fed by the propane boiler.
I have a hood over the stove with an 8 inch duct up to the center of the house with an in-line fan in the duct. Issues are DUST everywhere (very fine dust that collects on flat surfaces but concerned it will stain walls eventually). Also, I have to burn hot because it leaves large clinkers if I don't. I did replace the OEM baffles year but that did not help. It is a Summers Heat stove from Lowes, rated for 2000 feet.
Anyway, I was wondering what your experience is with wood/coal stoves. I will not buy a hot water boiler because I am limited to 120 degrees F on the water for the tubing. Thanks

 

[dave1949]

If you built a track/chamber that would hold a standard hot air furnace filter in the sheet metal hood that feeds the 8" duct, that would probably help tremendously with the dust. Any unfiltered forced air system will deposit dust everywhere, wood stove or not.

 

[xrsrfn]

Look on Craiglist in Pittsburg Penn. there is a wood/coal furnace for sale or there was.

 

[kco]

You might also take a look at the Max Caddy or Caddy. In addition to wood they have gas, electric and oil options. It also has a water heating option. The Max Caddy has a multiple speed fan which helps efficiency and maintaining temperature in a narrower range.

I have an old RSF wood furnace and am considering a Max Caddy because it will likely use 1/3 less wood.

Ours is a wood/electric forced air furnace . We much much prefer to wood because of the more constant heat (as opposed to the on/off of the electric). We only use the electric very occasionally to take the chill off in early autumn or late spring.

 

[buickanddeere]

Harman is a recognized leader in lump coal and stoker coal furnaces and stoves.
In fact they make a PC-45 stove that will burn grain, wood pellets and unofficially stoker coal.

 

[JRobyn]

I'm using a CharMaster Chalet. It is actually too small for our house (very high-ceilinged great room), but keeps up pretty well in spite of that. I have it ducted in with our heat pump system.

- Jay

 

[roadhunter]

I've got a norseman 2500 in my basement and it works well. I just heat the basement and it rises to the main floor. The furnace is filtered but I still get some dust.

I use it as primary heat for about 5,000 sq ft with a propane boiler as backup. It will keep it warm even when it's -20 and blowing 50 outside but it will eat the wood when that is going on.

Norseman Add-On Furnace (VG2500)

 

[HEC]

Comparing coal and wood is like comparing apples and oranges . They burn completely different as wood likes it's air on top and coal needs air from the bottom only . In order to design a stove to burn both compromises must be made , resulting in a less efficient stove or furnace . It is best to find a unit that is designed to burn the fuel you want to use . I used a wood and coal boiler for many years and now have a coal boiler that is hands down more efficient and easier operate . It can operate for 24 hrs. with about 15 minutes of my labor once per day , which includes filling hopper and dumping ashes . Mine is a leisure line boiler, but they make furnaces , and stoves also, as do other companies . You may want to check them out as you may find something that will work well for you, and yes filters will help a great deal as mentioned above .

 

[Dutch445]

Here is an excellent forum with tons of great information for coal burning. I have burned coal for over 10 years
and have benefited greatly from the knowledge on the forum.
Anthracite Coal Forum - NEPA Crossroads
currently i run an Alaska Stoker stove, not a boiler or furnace, and have a warm air duct connected to
my furnaces cold air return and use the furnace fan to circulate air throughout the home, very successfully
and with a "coal-trol" brand controller for the stove it is truly hands off, except for filling the stove and emptying
the ash.

 

[joeyd]

I really enjoy my stove made by Woodstock Soapstone Stoves, Lebanon N.H. Since you are closer than I am you might find it worth looking into. Their website has a lot of useful information on wood burning and the rating for their stoves.