Helo all,

I have just moved into an old house with a wood burning funace in the basement. It is a cast iron affairand appears to be in fine condition. It is a Monitor No. 7430 made by the Monitor Furnace Co. fron Cincinati Ohio. The only information I can find on the company are the court records of its dissoloution in 1885. As the house was built in 1905, it would appear that the furnace was brought from another building and installed well after its date of manufacture, probably from another state as the town it is in (Clarkston Washington) was not even a town untill long after 1885.

I am quite familiar with the operation of wood stoves having grown up in a home where that was the primary source of heat, and the operation of this furnace seems to follow the same principal. There is a "register" of sorts directly over the furnace in the center of the house and there are two clean outs, one above the fire chamber and one below, as well as a feed door and a chamber built into the front marked "Humidifier. Keep filled with water." There is a flue in the pipe connecting the furnace to the chimney, and a draft operated by a chain that routs to the kitchen on the first floor. My assumption is that this device operates like a very large wood stove, however, if anyone has had experience with this type of furnace, I would appreciate any insight or special considerations you might have.

Thank you very much,

Justin

-- Justin Weigel (watermark@cableone.net), February 16, 2002

Answers

My wood furnace is quite a bit newer but i operate it basically like a big wood stove. Except for being ducted and having a fan built in there's not much differernt from the woods point of veiw. The only two thiongs I'd check carefully would be your insurance to ensure your covered and get a profesional opinion to the furnaces condition. Not matter what kind of heating system you have you should have a carbon monoxide detector or two or even three.

-- Ross (amulet@istar.ca), February 16, 2002.

I don't have a suggestion, just envy. Have a great day! :)

-- Judy Hill (hillsacres@sk.sympatico.ca), February 17, 2002.

Go over to www.woodheat.org Read through the site and ask questions on the email list. There are alot of wood furnace users over there.

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), February 17, 2002.