Trust the pro's tune up. I got a long story about a home owner that kept leaning out his oil boiler cus it was set "too rich". Short ending; he burned out the exchanger.
My plan is to have an in-floor heating system operated by an NG boiler (about the size of a beer keg) and a mini split unit for AC.
Apparently, fuel oil is now very uncommon in this part of Ontario but everybody has natural gas available (OK, OK….I can here the giggling and the joke you’re all thinking about an old guy who likes chili…..).
Anyhow, that’s the plan….
We get possession in about 10 days.
If I were to build new, in-floor hot water would be a given.
DE, our house came with an oil burning furnace. Yes, cheapest option, as there's no natural gas here in the "sticks". Our original furnace bit the dust about 10 years ago (40 year old furnace!), so we had it replaced. The new one has a Riello burner. Our furnace guy calls it a "Ferrari", because it is so efficient. Find yourself a furnace person, who specializes in oil furnaces. The better they run, the less they smell, and ours doesn't smell at all...
We have a Buderus oil-fired boiler for the house. Cut my oil consumption nearly in half from the old one installed in the 50's.
I have a furnace guy I trust, he'll come down and install it for me and tune it up.
While we're on the subject of heating and furnaces...
I'm building the stand/plenum for the downdraft furnace to sit on. Frame is angle iron, 24x18, 18" high cube. Sides will be covered with bolt-on sheet metal panels. Bottom will sit on an uninsulated concrete slab.
My question is, should I insulate between the bottom of the frame and the slab? I can see the slab being a giant heat sink and sucking up a lot of the heat for no good purpose.
I'm thinking a piece of 2" blue board, some half inch spacers and a sheet metal floor in the frame.
Yes? No? Won't make any difference?
I would say yes DE - as you point out, the concrete will be a big heat sink and that will cut down on what you really want to do which is heat the interior of the building.
I presume the existing floor is concrete poured onto gravel of tamped earth. If that is the case, then it would even better if you could lay down some blue foam everywhere on the floor and then put a wood sub-floor on top of the insulation. That will make the building much more comfortable in the winter and be easier on your feet than bare concrete IMO.
I did this with firring strips to anchor the subfloor in the entire walk out basement of a three story house I built years ago, worked great.
But the huge crap DE drags in to fix would destroy a wood on foam floor.
Absolutely My basement stove sits in front of a poured concrete wall, I have a section ofahhhhh....yes.....I have forgotten about the PHHWBT* that he runs.
I guess you are right Gary - doing the entire floor with wood is not likely a sustainable plan.
Nevertheless, I would still put the stove on an insulated base.
* (PHHWBT = the Prospect Harbor Home for Wayward Bulldozers and Tractors)
But the huge crap DE drags in to fix would destroy a wood on foam floor..
Yup on the rubber mats. They're in front of all my stationary tools and workbenches.
I'm prone to plantar fasciitis, so taking care of my feet is a priority.
Do you have the kind of plantar fasciitus that if the house was on fire in the middle of the night you would only get half way to the door?Yup on the rubber mats. They're in front of all my stationary tools and workbenches.
I'm prone to plantar fasciitis, so taking care of my feet is a priority.
I get that "couldn't get out of a burning house" pain ever so often. Lacing and tying well fitting shoes helps immensely. Walmart sneakers are good for only a month. Boot camp adage "take care of your feet " rings true.Yeah, had that once. Podiatrist suggested trying Spanko orthotic inserts. Made of carbon fiber, they felt like I had golf balls in my shoes. But, we adapt. That went away, but every few years or so, I have to go see him for plantar warts. He treats them with a type of acid. Very painful, but effective. Fortunately, he prescribes good drugs.... Happy feet, happy...uh, happy the rest of you...
Do you have the kind of plantar fasciitus that if the house was on fire in the middle of the night you would only get half way to the door?