| #ffffff;" /> | | | | injection of a controlled amount of air just above |
| BTU’s measure heat units | | | | the flame is necessary. This action increases the |
| The common measurement for heat is British | | | | efficiency of the appliance. |
| Thermal Units (BTU’s), the amount of | | | | A lot of smoke out the chimney indicates that |
| heat it takes to raise the temperature of one | | | | wood energy is being lost and loss of efficiency. |
| gallon of water 1 degree. | | | | How does coal measure up? |
| Heat loss is the amount of BTU’s required | | | | Coal has virtually no air or water in it. |
| to heat the structure after deducting the heat | | | | Coal will not burn unless you provide air to the fire |
| that escapes through doors, windows, and roof. | | | | chamber on a continuous basis. If you shut the air |
| BTU input is simply the number of BTU’s | | | | off to a coal, the fire will go out. |
| found in an energy source. For example: | | | | Coal remains at 12,000 Btu’s per pound |
| - #1 fuel oil has about 125,000 BTU’s in a | | | | because it contains no water. |
| gallon | | | | How does Corn Measure up? |
| - #2 fuel oil has about 138,500 BTU’s in a | | | | Corn has the same BTU’s per pound as |
| gallon | | | | wood. Dried corn with 12% moisture weighs |
| - LP (propane) gas has 95,000 BTU’s in a | | | | about 56 pounds per bushel. It has about 8,000 |
| gallon | | | | usable BTU’s per pound (same as wood). |
| Furnace efficiencies determine how much heat is | | | | A bushel of corn will provide about 448,000 |
| captured in your home | | | | BTU’s. If a corn furnace is 70% efficient, |
| BTU output is the efficiency in which your furnace | | | | it will deliver about 31,360 BTU’s of heat |
| captures these BTU’s when burnt. A gas | | | | into your home. The heat loss in an average 3-4 |
| or oil furnace less than 15 years old, connected to | | | | bedroom home with reasonable insulation is about |
| a chimney, is about 80% efficient. The other 20% | | | | 25-30,000 BTU’s per hour on a winter |
| of energy produced by the furnace goes out the | | | | day. You can check your heat loss with a heating |
| chimney. Gas and oil furnaces must produce this | | | | professional or utility company. It would take |
| amount of heat to take combustion bi-products | | | | about 6 bushels a day to provide the same |
| out of the home. | | | | amount of heat as a gas or oil furnace. |
| A condensing gas furnace, with two or three-inch | | | | Other Interesting Facts |
| plastic pipe vents and forced draft fan is about | | | | - The EPA sponsored a meeting in Portland |
| 90% efficient. | | | | several years ago where it was determined that |
| The American Gas Association (AGA), | | | | fireplaces were about 1% efficient. |
| Underwriters Laboratories (UL), or other | | | | - Wood pellets are generally very expensive |
| accredited testing facilities certify these | | | | compared to a wood log. There are about 8,000 |
| efficiencies. The Gas Appliance Manufacturers | | | | BTU’s per pound of usable energy in |
| Association (GAMA) and Department of Energy | | | | either one. |
| (DOE) accept these certified results. | | | | - The answer to inefficient Wood furnaces is |
| Unfortunately, these same organizations do not | | | | Central Heating using Multi-fuel or Combination |
| rate wood furnaces and wood stoves for | | | | Wood/Gas, Wood/Oil or Wood/Electric Furnace |
| efficiency. | | | | Multi-fuel and combination fuel central heating |
| How efficient are wood furnaces? | | | | furnaces come with optional air conditioning, |
| Most solid fuel furnaces and stoves are about | | | | electronic air cleaning, and/or humidifier. Two |
| 30% efficient. Wood and all solid fuels such as | | | | side-by-side thermostats control these furnaces. |
| coal, corn, and grain have the same 12,000 | | | | The homeowner can burn wood as a primary |
| BTU’s per pound of energy. After | | | | fuel, using the gas or oil burner to ignite. When the |
| deducting water content, heat values of woods | | | | wood burns down, the gas or oil burner takes |
| have about 8,000 Btu’s of usable energy | | | | over to keep the home comfortable. The |
| per pound. This lower efficiency is comprised of | | | | Yukon-Eagle brand furnace has a massive heat |
| various factors: | | | | exchanger (firebox), a secondary air system that |
| Wood burns at different temperatures because | | | | burns the smoke and unburned gases, and a large |
| of the different amounts of water in it. Wet | | | | circulating blower. These furnace components |
| wood burns at a lower temperature and is | | | | make this furnace extremely efficient and use a |
| therefore less efficient because of incomplete | | | | fraction of the amount of wood of an outdoor |
| combustion. | | | | boiler, other wood furnaces, stoves, or indoor |
| Forty percent (40%) of the energy in wood is | | | | boilers without these features. The Yukon-Eagle |
| unburned gas released as wood burns. This gas | | | | Multi-fuel wood is UL Listed (approved) to heat |
| fails to ignite and release its energy because it | | | | your home with wood or coal without electricity. |
| starves for oxygen. To burn these gases, an | | | | |