I need a new wood furnace. I am 73 and have always had indoor wood furnaces. I have an Energy King now and it is a terrible unit. I have kept it 20 years because I couldn't afford to replace it. The workmanship of this furnace is above average but it is the dirtiest and least efficient furnace I have ever owned. [have owned 5] My favorite was a Russel Decton but they are out of business. With the Energy King, I burn twice as much wood than any other furnace and have to clean my chimney every month. I used the Russel 16 years and never had to clean my chimney. When the Energy King burns, it smokes like a steam locomotive for the first 3 hrs. I never saw smoke with the Russel.
I also had an energy king wood furnace (model 480 I think. runs about $3300 now). It was in the house that I bought (am buying). A very solid unit. I liked the "sliding plate baffle" and would use it when building a fire or firing up. The hardwood I used had been drying for years so the smoke issue wasn't like what you are experiencing. I cleaned the chimney twice each season IIRC. I despised the outside smell all winter long while using that furnace.....almost like an ash tray type smell. (With the replacement furnace I bought, that is no longer an issue.) It did have quite an appetite for firewood, there's no denying that! I called energy king and asked what could be done to help increase efficiency and get longer burns but can't really remember what their response was. It may be worth a call to them for advice with your concerns? Royall Products 325 South Park Street Reedsburg, WI 53959 800-944-2516 (copied from their site) My solution was to buy another brand of wood furnace. It is extremely efficient and I still can't believe how it "sips firewood". But the current cost of the Kuuma vapor fire 100 is high at $7900-plus shipping. Unfortunately, I don't think there are any tax credits applicable any longer.
Being old and forgetful, I forgot I put this up last spring. I should have bought one then. Steel prices have really drove the price up
