So I currently heat with a hot air furnace in my basement. I got talking with my mothers boyfriend the other day about outdoor boilers. I asked if he knew of an outdoor hot air unit. He said no. I also have never heard of one. Well I just got the preseason heater sale Nothern Tool catalog the other day. I'm finally getting a chance to relax and flip through it. What do I see? An outdoor hot air furnace! Has anyone ever had any experience with them or know of anyone that has?
Yes, I have heard of them, but can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would go through the trouble of one! An outdoor unit that heats air and then transfers that same air to your house ductwork would ideally be insulated with some type of weather proof and sun resistant material. Unless you plan to have outdoor warm air unit built into the side of your house (garage) and just let it blast through an opening. There is a reason why so many people have gone with OWB and not the hot air type outdoor units. For starters, you only have to run two hydronic lines (typically 1" lines) from the OWB to the house in addition to a 120v power source line for the OWB. With the outdoor furnace, not only will you run the power line, but also a supply and return trunk line with weather/sun resistant insulation to and from the unit. Sure is easier to drill two small holes for the supply and return lines and bury them than to cut a hole in the wall of your house for the supply and return ductwork, no? And then you would have the ductwork laying across the yard to and from the furnace to the house??? Think it over and read some of the drawbacks and negative reviews of an outdoor warm air furnace before you get too committed. But then, if you do decide to go with one, I sure would be interested in the install and progress with pics of same!!
I never really thought that deep into it. But I guess I was more curious than anything about them. I had never seen or heard of one. Now it just seems asinine to even think about one. Thanks!
You can, of course, heat water outside and transfer it to air within your forced hot air furnace's plenum, and many people do.
I drive by a house on my way to and from work that has one of those outdoor hot air furnaces. It's sitting on blocks on the side of the house, but I can't tell if they punched two holes right through the wall of the house for the supply and return ducts or if they are going through a window (or what used to be a window). The duct work is supported by some splits. Definitely doesn't look like a very professional install. I've wondered more than once what benefit a unit like that has, short of easing any paranoia about having fire in the house.
I would strongly consider one of these if I had a forced air system. Kuuma "Smokeless" Vapor-Fire High Efficiency Wood Gasification Furnaces & Fantasic Sauna Stoves by Lamppa Manufacturing Inc. I had a complete hydronic baseboard system throughout my house already. And love thermostatically controlled zones throughout controlling the temperatures of my heating with wood.
