Coal Stoker Hot Air Furnace With Heat Pump
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- Other Heating: Heat pump
Hey everyone, I am new here but am in the process of building a new home in central pa. The builder is stuck on these new heat pumps and swears by them....I'm not so sure. I want to put a coal stove/furnace in the basement and run the ducting into the duct work but I keep hearing that this will kill the heat pump. What are my options and is there any way around this. I need to use a direct vent or power vent too so that eliminates the possibility of a boiler with heat exchanger in the ductwork. Any help or anyone that had done this same thing would be appreciated. I am leaning towards a keystoker of some sort. Thanks
- McGiever
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- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Look at Keystokers' Direct Vent models since you are partial to that mfg'r. anyways...but seek professional help for combining the design and installation along with that new heat pump install.
Last edited by McGiever on Tue. Oct. 06, 2015 7:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- michaelanthony
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Hi Corydel2747, What size and style home, what stage of building is the home, and why not have the builder "build" you a chimney???Corydel2747 wrote:Hey everyone, I am new here but am in the process of building a new home................... I need to use a direct vent or power vent too so that eliminates the possibility of a boiler with heat exchanger in the ductwork. Any help or anyone that had done this same thing would be appreciated. I am leaning towards a keystoker of some sort. Thanks
The second part I quoted may not be true, it's your home and your money. Hang in there you have many options with new construction, I am not a stoker guy some will be around though
- Freddy
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I'm confused.... what do you mean by that? The heat pump won't use the duct work of any furnace. Unless you're talking about geothermal. When someone says "heat pump" I think "mini split".Corydel2747 wrote: run the ducting into the duct work. I keep hearing that this will kill the heat pump.
I think heat pumps and a coal furnace might be a good combination. Use the heat pumps Fall & Spring & use the coal during the real cold weather. Oh.... and build a mason chimney! A new house deserves a real chimney.
- windyhill4.2
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ABSOLUTELY what he said. Freddy .. only 1 chimney ? should have at least 2 chimneys .Freddy wrote: Oh.... and build a mason chimney! A new house deserves a real chimney.
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Be careful about the term heat pump. If by that they do mean the mini split system or ductless system then you might be concerned by the noise as these fan seem to run continuously and that can ruin a good sleep. If you're anywhere near Schuylkill Haven, give Keystoker a call and they can help you design a system. They experts here will give you great advice as they have for me and my under floor radiant heat concerns.
Snuffy
Snuffy
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Mini split is a ductless I am having the traditional ducted heat pump where the a/c compressor works as the heat pump too. Yes it is ducted it is not a mini split system. My contractor is looking at me like I have ten heads when I mentioned another chimney. She keeps pushing the fact that a heat pump is all I need and anything else is a waste of money. She says the new heat pumps are super effecient but I beg to differ. I know she just want us to hurry up and sign a contract and I think she figures that is am added cost we don't need seeing as we are looking to be at a certain target price. The house isn't started yet just in the planning stages, but regardless of the chimney or not no one I have talked to has any idea nor really heard of doing what I want to do which has me wondering if maybe I am wasting my time and money. Any thoughts?
- michaelanthony
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- Other Heating: Fujitsu mini split, FHA oil furnace
Don't mean to sound rude but it sounds like she is not the right builder for you. I thought she worked for you...she takes your money and then tells you what's in your best interest, I heard of this phenomenon before. Plenty of builders will do as you ask.Corydel2747 wrote:Mini split is a ductless I am having the traditional ducted heat pump where the a/c compressor works as the heat pump too. Yes it is ducted it is not a mini split system. My contractor is looking at me like I have ten heads when I mentioned another chimney. She keeps pushing the fact that a heat pump is all I need and anything else is a waste of money. She says the new heat pumps are super effecient but I beg to differ. I know she just want us to hurry up and sign a contract and I think she figures that is am added cost we don't need seeing as we are looking to be at a certain target price. The house isn't started yet just in the planning stages, but regardless of the chimney or not no one I have talked to has any idea nor really heard of doing what I want to do which has me wondering if maybe I am wasting my time and money. Any thoughts?
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Yea that is how I feel. It is S&A builders and they are a volume builder so they are used to putting up suburbia homes everyday. This whole rural house seems a bit off of what they are used to. I had originally asked her to quote me for an add on wood furnace and she said so wait this isn't a wood stove then you heat your house with this? So you what put wood in it everyday? My wife chimed in well yea that's how we heated as a kid growing up along with everyone else out here. She is more or less a real estate agent and I understand she isn't the general contractor that I'm speaking with. Unfortunately any other builder is "custom" and for what we want to build the custom builders want an easy $50,000 more at least but I am not going to be pressured at the end of the day this is the biggest financial decision I will ever make and I will be in this house forever so I want to do it right. Its not like she wont look into these other options she just gives me a vibe that im asking for somthing that doesnt make any sense. I am already having a wood fireplace installed with a masonry chimney so I will just see what it will cost to have a double flue chimney put up. I just figured maybe there was a cheaper more simple option like pinch thru the wall put in a thimble and powervent and tie the duct into the existing and be done.
- McGiever
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- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Remember, not many features that one might add to their home will give them the financial return one gets with saving $Thousands$ year after year.
A good coal appliance does not cost you money...It makes you money...by saving heating costs...and that savings can pay down a mortgage even faster.
A good coal appliance does not cost you money...It makes you money...by saving heating costs...and that savings can pay down a mortgage even faster.
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The fireplace is a waste of money and a waste of wood when you use it. Put in a wood or coal stove instead. The double flue is much better than a power vent running 24/7.
- windyhill4.2
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If you really need the recreational wood burning for the view,just do as franco says. 2 flues,1 wood stove with window or screen & 1 coal stove for heating.franco b wrote:The fireplace is a waste of money and a waste of wood when you use it. Put in a wood or coal stove instead. The double flue is much better than a power vent running 24/7.
- StokerDon
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Please step away from the power vent idea! That is NOT the easy solution to a house you are about to build and live in for a long time. Insist on having two flues in a real masonry chimney, at least 8" ID.Corydel2747 wrote: I just figured maybe there was a cheaper more simple option like pinch thru the wall put in a thimble and powervent and tie the duct into the existing and be done.
The builders want you to have a heat pump because it is inexpensive for them to install, more profit for them. They don't like building masonry chimneys because they are expensive, less profit for them.
In central PA you will be very cold trying to heat your home with a heat pump and it will cost a lot per month. The wood stove will warm your home nicely but, do you really want to be wood hunting, cutting, splitting into your 60's and 70's? Go with a coal stoker furnace or even better, boiler in the basement, burn wood in the stove/fireplace when you want to.
Don't forget to budget enough space in the basement for a 6+ ton coal bin!!! I'd like to hear what your builder says when you tell them that!
-Don
- StokerDon
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- Stoker Coal Boiler: Gentleman Janitor GJ-5, Van Wert VA-600, Axeman Anderson130 X3.
- Hand Fed Coal Furnace: Harman SF3500 reduced down to 3 grates connected to its own plenum
- Coal Size/Type: Rice, Chestnut and whatever will fit through the door on the Harman
- Other Heating: Noth'in but COAL! Well, Maybe a little tiny bit of wood
For the builder, your chimney is a waist of profit. For you, it is a very sound investment and a great reduction in future heating cost.Corydel2747 wrote:My contractor is looking at me like I have ten heads when I mentioned another chimney. She keeps pushing the fact that a heat pump is all I need and anything else is a waste of money. She says the new heat pumps are super effecient but I beg to differ. The house isn't started yet just in the planning stages, but regardless of the chimney or not no one I have talked to has any idea nor really heard of doing what I want to do which has me wondering if maybe I am wasting my time and money. Any thoughts?
Yes, she is not lying about the efficiency of new units being very high. Electric heat is 100% efficient, do you want to pay for it when it's minus 5 and the wind is howling?
-Don
- windyhill4.2
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- Coal Size/Type: 404-nut, 520 rice ,anthracite for both
Many the person who thought heat pump was the way to heat their house in Pa. & north. Just as many are very unhappy with their "heating" system (at least once they get past the denial stage),heat pumps may "condition" the air to keep the house from freezing,but they are not a good way to get bone warming HEAT. A heat pump will not last as long as a masonry chimney either.Spend the money now,while you are building a new house,there is no better time to properly plan your heating system for the long term,lifelong at that.There is no better way to be warm & with low cost than to heat with coal.