[RogerWJW]

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Situation: We have a 1906 home in North Central Nebraska; two-story, wood frame with cedar siding and plaster/lath walls. The house has 3,240 sq ft on the first and second floor (basement is 1,600). We have an older electric furnace (twenty-five years old, give or take) with a belt driven, non-variable speed, blower motor (which runs us about $800/yr just to run the blower motor). I have added much insulation to the attic and am looking at replacing the lead windows with energy efficient double hung inserts. We have a 624 sq ft attached garage with a 312 sq ft unfinished (but insulated) loft above the garage only. I am wanting to install an add on furnace (wood burning) in the garage and run the hot air duct to through one of the large return air ducts on the house furnace (which would than circulate back through the house as the furnace blower motor runs). I would also like to have a hot water insert so that I can possibly use it to heat my water heater(s) as well as run a line to two older iron radiant heaters. I also have a quote to replace the existing house furnace with a new geo air-to-air furnace/AC Unit. The important thing here is to get a “variable speed” blower motor running (that would run at about $50/yr instead of the $800 I currently spend).

Question: What is the best add on wood burning furnace to meet my needs? For most efficient use, would I need to install the new furnace system as well as a wood burning add on furnace or could I keep my existing furnace and simply replace the blower motor unit?

Thank you.
RogerWJW

[hvac1000]

No residential blower motor costs 800.00 a year to operate. Variable speed is nice BUT when the warranty is over the cost to repair is VERY high.

I would spend my money on a heat pump system with electric backup heat first then add a wood stove/furnace to the system.

Wood is OK if you do not mind all the extra work involved but if you get sick or fall ill then you would still have to feed the fire to stay warm. That is why I suggest getting the heat pump system first then worry about the wood burner.

As far as wood burner brands they are all about the same. You will be better served posting on a dedicated woos burners site sinc ethey deal with this subject every day and might have better insite into all the different brands and hookup's.