Need advice

[brenndatomu]

The issue with running a duct to the garage is if you pump air in, there needs to be a "return air" duct too, and in a garage that could include bringing back gas fumes, etc. If it were me and I were determined to do this I'd put in a duct and return duct that could be closed off and only open them when I was out there...and make sure to close if you are painting, working on gas tank, etc. Now that I typed it out, it still sounds like a bad idea...

 

[jmcmahon4]

Haha, that does sound like a bad idea. I'll just stick to the house then and maybe just get a small space heater or something for when I'm in the garage.

So now I'm just waiting on dealers to call back and still need to get the moisture reading on the wood

 

[stee6043]

I called a couple dealers today but I am waiting for them to call me back. Im a little confused on if I'll need a blower or not. I have a Lennox air handler. I guess I should get ahold of my HVAC guy and see what he says.

I was hoping to be able to run some ductwork to the garage(connected to house) just to knock the chill off in the winter when I'm working in there. If I can't or shouldn't do it, then I won't. It's not that big of a deal.

Anything is possible, especially with folks as crafty as we have here on this forum. One problem with doing things clearly "not to code" is that you could be setting yourself up for a battle should you ever have a loss or worse (personal injury) in the future that could be in any way linked to the non-compliant installation. I have all kinds of things giving off fumes and gasses in my garage that I'd never want ducted straight into my house/kids rooms for a variety of reasons. I suggest you get yourself a $30 Heater Buddy to "take the edge off" and give up on the idea of connecting your home HVAC to the garage. My two cents only, however!

 

[jmcmahon4]

Well I talked to a dealer from the Cleveland area the other day and their price for the max caddy is $2500 and $2800 with blower. I'm gonna check with some places closer to me this week and hopefully they're close to that price.

Checked a few pieces of wood and the moisture reading was from 16% - 19%.
I really need to get busy though and get ready for the years to come.

 

[brenndatomu]

Well I talked to a dealer from the Cleveland area the other day and their price for the max caddy is $2500 and $2800 with blower. I'm gonna check with some places closer to me this week and hopefully they're close to that price.

Checked a few pieces of wood and the moisture reading was from 16% - 19%.
I really need to get busy though and get ready for the years to come.

That's a good price for a Max!

 

[lexybird]

I paid 3700 for my max caddy new with blower and electronics in Andover Ohio . That's what I'd get . They can efficiently heat 3,000 sq feet and go very long times between reloads where the competitors probably can't have those benefits

 

[jmcmahon4]

Sorry it's been awhile, but I just got around to buying it. The past price I said of $2800 was wrong. They messed up and told me the price for the regular caddy but I did get the Max for $3200.

Now I gotta get the chimney and everything for the install. I'm not sure if I should buy all the stuff from menards and have my HVAC guy install(he doesn't ever do wood furnaces) or find someone else.

If anyone knows someone in central Ohio that could do it let me know
Thanks

 

[jmcmahon4]

Menards has the 11% rebate for a few more days so each piece 36" is $65.

Then there's an Amish guy down the road that sells Olympia brand pipe. His are 4' sections for $120. He also installs so I'm gonna get a quote from him.
And please let me know if you know anyone around my area that could install

 

[jmcmahon4]

Bump

 

[brenndatomu]

Menards has the 11% rebate for a few more days so each piece 36" is $65.

That's a good price, I paid more than that for the same pipe from lowes back in '08...

 

[DoubleB]

If anyone knows someone in central Ohio that could do it let me know

You haven't received any bites so you're stuck with me.

Have you considered doing it yourself? You know your skills and availability better than anyone here, but if you have some time and are somewhat handy and willing to take advice then I'd bet the folks here could help make sure you get er done right.

Other than that, a good HVAC guy in your area should be able to do it, even if he doesn't typically work on wood furnaces. Figure out the requirements it needs to meet, ask him all kinds of questions about the requirements, and the guys that listen and think and take time to run through cause/effect in their minds and explain it to you are the ones to go with (instead of the guys that always have an immediate answer before thinking about it.)

Anyways, you probably already know all that, but that's what I'd do and I bet you have good enough option even without a dedicated wood furnace person (which are getting harder to find).

 

[jmcmahon4]

Thanks DoubleB,
That advice was very helpful. I think I'll head to menards tomorrow and try to get everything I need and have my HVac guy install.. I'll probably be asking a lot of questions when we're ready to install to make sure he does everything right.
So it's gonna be in our basement. The chimney will go through a 1st floor closet, up through the attic and roof. Basements 9', 1st floor 10'. If it runs straight up through the attic it'll be at the steepest part of the roof which will be about 14 more feet. And then about 6' to clear the peak.
So a couple questions,
What pieces are normally installed off the furnace?
Do I need a ceiling support piece going through the basement ceiling? It will be hidden in a closet.
Can I put elbows on in the attic to get it to go out of lower part of roof so I don't need so much pipe.

I think that's it for now. Thanks in advance

 

[jrod770]

Sorry it's been awhile, but I just got around to buying it. The past price I said of $2800 was wrong. They messed up and told me the price for the regular caddy but I did get the Max for $3200.

Now I gotta get the chimney and everything for the install. I'm not sure if I should buy all the stuff from menards and have my HVAC guy install(he doesn't ever do wood furnaces) or find someone else.

If anyone knows someone in central Ohio that could do it let me know
Thanks

What part of Central Ohio?

 

[jmcmahon4]

What part of Central Ohio?

Marysville, Marion area

 

[jrod770]

Marysville, Marion area

Just checking. I'm in the Granville area, I don't know of anyone in that area.

 

[DoubleB]

What pieces are normally installed off the furnace?
Do I need a ceiling support piece going through the basement ceiling? It will be hidden in a closet.
Can I put elbows on in the attic to get it to go out of lower part of roof so I don't need so much pipe.

I'm a chimney amateur; I'll let others more knowledgable answer about the nuts and bolts.

As for elbows in your attic, I imagine that slight elbows might work out for you, but I would avoid sharp elbows up there. Not only might you have draft problems, but I would think that would be a pain to clean. Running a cleaning brush through a straight shot is the way to go. I don't imagine sharp elbows would save enough pipe to make them worth the cleaning and draft hassles. And I don't know if slight elbows are going to save any much pipe compared to straight, so I'd stay straight pipe and keep it simple even if it costs a little more.

 

[brenndatomu]

What pieces are normally installed off the furnace?
Do I need a ceiling support piece going through the basement ceiling? It will be hidden in a closet.
Can I put elbows on in the attic to get it to go out of lower part of roof so I don't need so much pipe.

Black stove pipe, double wall if ya want to do it really right. You will want to come off the furnace with a tee.

Good question on the ceiling support box...my guess would be yes?
Maybe I'll ping @bholler here for advise, I can't remember the website for looking up chimney professionals in your area...

No elbows in the attic! You still have to meet the chimney height rule...2' taller (minimum) than anything within 10' away horizontally, that includes the roof. Elbows cost a lot more than straight pipe anyways

 

[maple1]

The chimney system I put in myself when we built our house 20 years ago came with very detailed specific (but simple) install instructions. Start there and don't vary the basics.

 

[Highbeam]

You don't need to extend the pipe above the peak of the roof. Just 2 feet above anything within 10 feet.

 

[jmcmahon4]

Update

I'm just about done with the install. I'm gonna have my dad come over and do all the electric work on it. I'll get pictures of everything when it's done. I do have a question about the control PCB. Is this it in the picture

 

[brenndatomu]

Update

I'm just about done with the install. I'm gonna have my dad come over and do all the electric work on it. I'll get pictures of everything when it's done. I do have a question about the control PCB. Is this it in the pictureView attachment 168901

All I see there is the fan control/limit switch on the left, a transformer mounted on a junction box and a on/off switch. I would expect a "PCB" to be some sort of circuit board, black box or other electronic looking thingy...
What exactly did you end up buying anyways? Max Caddy?

 

[jmcmahon4]

Yeah max caddy with the blower. That's kind of what I thought too. In the installation manual it talks about a control PCB which I can't find anywhere. So I think they it must of got left out. I'll have to call the dealer tomorrow and see what they can do

 

[laynes69]

Yeah max caddy with the blower. That's kind of what I thought too. In the installation manual it talks about a control PCB which I can't find anywhere. So I think they it must of got left out. I'll have to call the dealer tomorrow and see what they can do

The Max Caddy uses a probe not a limit/control. Not sure why you got that configuration. That's not the correct setup, you'll only get one speed.

 

[brenndatomu]

The Max Caddy uses a probe not a limit/control. Not sure why you got that configuration. That's not the correct setup, you'll only get one speed.

That's why I asked what he bought, saw those parts and thought he must have went with something other than a Max

 

[laynes69]

That configuration is for a Caddy. They use a 11.5 or 12" probe, a summer switch and a transformer.