The Pros And Cons Of Using An Indoor Wood Furnace
Using any type of furnace whether it be oil, electric, gas or wood fueled furnaces have the potential to save you money if used ethically and also if they’re well maintained will last you many years, but which ones are best and why do some people prefer indoor wood furnaces to other methods. It’s true that you can save more money using indoor wood furnaces than say an electric furnace due to the source of fuel being easily available any time of the year and also being eco friendly.
So why do some people prefer an indoor wood furnace? Do they know something we don’t? Well not entirely because although there are distinct advantages to using this method of heating your home and water there are serious hazards that need to be addressed as well. Before we go into the pro’s and con’s of it all let first establish how it works.
Slightly similar in design to outdoor wood furnaces, indoor furnaces are built with a metal combustion chamber which is used to fire the wood fed into it. This chamber is surrounded by a water tank or container that in turn becomes heated from the combustion chamber. This heated water is then distributed and circulated into the insulated piping that is built into the house where it is then directed to the appropriate tanks and heating systems. This is just a very basic description of how it all works, but it’s important to inform yourself before making that initial choice.
SO what are the Pro’s and Con’s of using an indoor wood furnace in your home:
Pros:
• Unlike outdoor wood furnaces you don’t need to go outside on freezing nights to feed the furnace wood.
• Saves you more money than other conventional methods like oil and gas furnaces.
• Faster circulation of heat throughout the house compared to outdoor furnaces.
• Indoor wood furnaces have a remarkable efficiency rating of 85% which is excellent when compared to other methods.
• Eco-friendly due to using renewable and easy to acquire sources unlike gas or oil.
Cons:
• There is a considerable amount of risk that needs to be addressed when considering this option because if your indoor furnace should give any problems you are putting your family in danger of smoke inhalation or risk fire damage to you home at any given moment
• Not all states have approved the use of indoor furnaces.
• Unfortunately it needs feeding more frequently than outdoor wood furnaces.
• Your insurance premiums will be higher due to the risk of having a furnace built and housed indoors, and sometimes you will find it hard to find insurance companies that will cover you at all.
Keeping these points in mind will allow you to make a better and well informed decision when considering installing these types of indoor wood furnaces. Always consult a professional in advance because of the initial costly investment.
