# Gas furnace with auxiliary wood burner (pic)



## snosurfa7 (Apr 12, 2013)

Is this a sketchy set up?  That's a gas or propane? furnace with a wood burner next to it...


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## Highbeam (Apr 12, 2013)

That's why they call them "add-on" wood furnaces. They are meant to be installed with a standard furnace though I can't comment on the specific execution of this particular installation.

The idea is that when you fail to keep the wood burner going that the standard furance can take over.


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## Jags (Apr 12, 2013)

And the wood furnace can use all the same warm air ducting that the regular furnace uses.


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## bmblank (Apr 12, 2013)

The only issue i would see, and this is coming from somebody who doesn't know much about forced air, so take it with a grain of salt, where is the wood furnace getting its return air from? Do forced air furnaces have provisions for ducted returns?


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## Jean-Claude (Apr 12, 2013)

http://www.drolet.ca/upload/documents/manuels/drolet/Hotblast 1400-A.pdf

Diagram shows a blower mounted on the back of the add-on unit. It would be pulling return air from the room and rest of the house.


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## rkusek (Apr 12, 2013)

My FIL says something similar but I believe his wood furnace IS tied to the return ducting.  Also, his is not "fully automatic".  He has to flip a damper on the output ductwork to switch from wood to the main air handler so it's more for when he goes on vacation or runs out of wood.  A "fully automatic" would move the damper the proper way based on whichever furnace is running.  I think some people do it with a spring loaded setup that used the flow of air to seal off the unused furnace.  I think you coud also rig up a linear actuator that would work really slick if desired.


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## snosurfa7 (Apr 12, 2013)

Yeah, when I check it out make sure it has a cold air return on the back.  Thanks for posting that manual, didn't even think to look!  Having used only electric or wood heat all my life I am just very nervous about having a propane/gas furnace sitting right next to a burning fire (I know, it's in the box but it still makes me nervous if there were to be a propane leak or something).


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## Highbeam (Apr 15, 2013)

snosurfa7 said:


> I am just very nervous about having a propane/gas furnace sitting right next to a burning fire (I know, it's in the box but it still makes me nervous if there were to be a propane leak or something).


 
Kinda like the fire burning inside the propane appliance?


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