Outside Wood Furnace: An Affordable Way to Heat Your Home

Each year, millions of homeowners have a difficult time heating their homes. The problem is so large that you may also be having a difficult time. Heat is something that every home needs; unfortunately, it is sometimes difficult to afford. If you are interested in saving money on your home heating, you are urged to examine outside wood furnaces.

Outside wood furnaces are placed outside of your home, often a safe distance away from it. Wood and water are used to heat your home. In fact, an outside wood furnace can also be used to heat more than just your home. Most wood furnaces are equipped to handle a number of different buildings. These building may include a garage, barn, or tool shed.

All outdoor wood furnaces come equipped with easy to use controls. These controls allow you to control the level of heat that your home is receiving. This alone may save you money. In addition to saving you money, it may also offer you comfort. When trying a new product, such as an outdoor wood furnace, many individuals are leery of the unfamiliar. Having complete control of your outdoor wood furnace may be just want you need to clam your nerves.

When it comes to outdoor wood furnaces, many want to see savings right away. In a way, you may be able to see immediate results. However, it is important to keep of the cost of an outside wood furnace in mind. Wood burning furnaces come in a wide variety of different makes and models. Each of these units is likely to cost a different price. While you may think that the cost of an outdoor wood furnace is high, the furnace may be able to pay for itself. In as little as a couple of years, the amount of money you save on home heating may make up for what you paid for the furnace.

One of the reasons why using an outdoor wood furnace is so affordable is because of the wood. Wood and water are both needed to operate an outside wood furnace. The cost of wood is relatively low and, in some cases, you may not even have to pay for it. Whether you live on land with a wooded area or you have free access to wood, you may be able to save a substantial amount of money. Even if you must pay for wood, you will find that is it relatively easy to afford.

The amount of money you will save by heating your home with an outside wood furnace will vary. Your previous home heating costs will need to be taken into consideration, as well as the type of outside wood furnace you plan on using. For an accurate estimate on savings, you are encouraged to speak with a trained professional. You can do so by contacting an outdoor wood furnace dealer, such as Hawken Energy.

Brad King is a writer for Hawken Energy where you can find a great deal on a outside wood furnace

How You Can Benefit from an Outdoor Wood Furnace

In today’s society, many prices are on the rise. Unfortunately, the income of most individuals remains the same. Many individuals and families are finding it difficult to afford a number of necessary things, such as heat and hot water. If you are one of those individuals, or even if you would just like to save money, you may be able to benefit from the use of an outdoor wood furnace.

Many individuals have heard of an outdoor wood furnace before. Outdoor wood furnaces have been used for years now, but until the recent increase in energy costs, many individuals were unfamiliar with what they are. In recent years, the sales of outdoor wood furnaces have increased. There is a good reason for that increase, cheaper heating costs.

Cheaper heating costs are just one of the many ways that you can benefit from the use of an outdoor wood furnace, but, perhaps, it is the most important. When financial trouble arises, many individuals try to cut out unnecessary expenses. These expenses are likely to include meals away from home, movies, and additional entertainment. Unfortunately, home heating and hot water is not something that can be eliminated. For many individuals, an outdoor wood furnace is just a way to save money, but for others it is a way to survive.

A large number of homeowners need to heat more than their home. If you have a garage, barn, or shed, those facilities can also be heated with an outdoor wood furnace. This means that you do not have to spend your days in your garage, shed, or barn without heat. This is something that many individuals which to achieve, but many are worried about the cost of doing so. Depending on the size of those buildings and the outdoor wood furnace you select, you may be able to heat a number of facilities with just one unit.

By using an outdoor wood furnace to heat your home, you are also investing in a heating method that is relatively safe. It is important to note that all heating methods have some risks. Little incidents have been reported with outdoor wood furnaces. You will also find that many manufactures and dealers recommend that you place your furnace a safe distance away from your home. This distance will significantly reduce the danger of using an outdoor wood furnace.

In addition to being safe, in a general capacity, you will find that many outdoor wood furnaces are safe for those with young children. The main structure of an outdoor wood furnace should be placed off the ground. The controls are often placed in a secure location, out of the reach from many children. This means that if you are a parent, you can rest assure knowing that your wood burning furnace should not pose any risks to your children.

The above mentioned examples are just a few of the many ways that you may be able to benefit from the use of an outdoor wood furnace. For additional benefits, you are encouraged to take a closer look at outdoor wood burning furnaces. You can easily do so by speaking to a product manufacture or dealer, such as Hawken Energy.

Brad King is a writer for Hawken Energy where you can find a great deal on a outdoor wood furnace

Who Can Benefit from An Outside Wood Burning Furnace?

Outdoor wood furnaces are increasing in popularity. This rise in popularity is often due to the amount of money a person can save from using one. Outside furnaces are known to help reduce the cost of heating. When it comes to outside wood burning furnaces, many individuals are unsure exactly who can benefit from them. The truth is that just about anyone can.

As previously mentioned an outdoor wood burning furnace is most well known for its ability to heat on a low budget. This low-cost heating is often most beneficial to homeowners. In most cases, many individuals spend the majority of their time inside their homes. This means that a home must always be heated. In addition to being heating, hot water is needed. An outside wood burning furnace may not only be able to provide indoor heat, but hot water as well.

For quite some time, homes of all sizes have been heated by an outside wood burning furnace. If you find it difficult to afford the cost of heating your home, you are encouraged to learn what an outside wood burning furnace can do for you. Almost all homeowners have reported a drop in their home heating costs. Many of these homeowners saved a substantial amount of money. The amount of money you will save will vary, depending on the type of furnace you purchase.

While homeowners may benefit the most from the use of an outside wood burning furnace, they are not the only ones who can. In addition to homeowners, business owners may also be able to benefit from these outdoor furnaces. As with homes, an outside wood burning stove also provides low cost heating. The smaller the cost of home heating, the more a business owner is able to profit. If you are a business owner that is trying to reduce your expenses, such as heat, you may want to see what an outdoor wood furnace can do for you.

In addition to heating large buildings, such as a home or business, outside wood furnaces can also be used to heat smaller facilities. These facilities may include, but should not be limited to, barns, shed, garages, and greenhouses. If you find yourself spending a large amount of time inside your barn, garage, tool shed, or greenhouse, you may be able to benefit from the use of an outside wood burning furnace.

In addition to providing you with cheap heat, you will also enjoy the fact that you are in a heated environments. Many garages, sheds, and barns are not heated. If you are spending a large portion of your time in one or more of these facilities, there isn’t any reason why should be cold, especially when it is so easy to create a heated environment. If you are interested in heating your home with an outdoor wood burning furnace, you may not even need a separate furnace. Many outside wood burning furnaces are able to heat, at least, two buildings.

As you can see, whether you are a homeowner, business owner, farmer, or an indoor gardener, you can benefit from the use of an outside wood burning furnace. For a reasonable, upfront price, you could be saving money on the cost of heating. You may even be able to notice a savings right away.

Brad King is a writer for Hawken Energy where you can find a great deal on a outside wood burning furnace

Stoke Your Body's Furnace With Low Carbohydrate Food

Though there are many different low carbohydrate diet plans, they are based on the same principles. When carbohydrates (such as starches and sugars) are consumed, the body's blood sugar level rises. To counteract high blood sugar levels, the body releases insulin, which in turn increases fat storage and decreases the body's ability to burn fat.

When a low carb dieter restricts carbohydrates, his or her blood sugar is only slightly raised, thus preventing excess insulin production. But many low carbohydrate dieters’ hopes are ruined by uncontrollable sweet cravings, hypoglycaemic mood swings, hunger urges and lethargy.

The truth about carbohydrate is that too much carbohydrate provides too many Calories and probably also has certain negative effects on blood glucose and insulin levels. Despite this however, the body must still have a minimum amount of carbohydrate (as glucose) to stay alive.

Although the brain and nervous system normally want the most glucose, these organs can get along without it in a pinch. But that's not true for certain blood cells and other types of cells. They must have a steady supply of glucose, because without it they'll quickly die.

For this reason, glucose is so important that your body will begin to make the glucose it needs for these cells out of muscle protein if it doesn't get enough carbohydrate from food. But, although possible, this is a stressful emergency reaction (called ketosis), which also makes you miserable with hunger, cravings, and many other unpleasant sensations. Obviously, dieting would be much more successful if we could avoid all that.

When your body runs low on any nutrient it needs to stay healthy, it naturally triggers hunger to make you go get it some more of that thing. But if you habitually eat foods that have too little of whatever it's running low on and too many Calories, you're going to get fat from this reaction.

Fortunately you can lose the weight again by simply reversing the process. To do so, you learn to eat things that have lots of what your body needs but not many Calories. When you succeed at this your body has no reason to trigger hunger and food cravings even when you're eating very few Calories and it's burning excess fat (stored Calories) to make up for this.

This reaction is as true for carbohydrate as it is for each of the other nutrients. If you eat too little carbohydrate, your body will trigger hunger because it needs a minimum amount of glucose every day to supply the cells that can't use anything else.

If you eat too much carbohydrate, you'll get fat because too much carbohydrate has both too many Calories and the aforementioned negative effects on blood glucose and insulin levels. So how much is "enough but not too much"? That amount is probably highly variable depending on your lifestyle. A stressful "go-go" day can require a lot of carbohydrate while a relaxed day probably won't. However, most scientists put the minimum amount of carbohydrate that most people will need in the range of 50-100 grams per day (which is 200-400 Calories from carbohydrate). This is the amount that prevents your body from starting to make glucose out of muscle protein.

Since most food labels list the amount of carbohydrate in the food you eat, tracking and controlling amounts is not difficult. Try to eat in the range of 400 Calories from carbohydrate per day. This will usually prevent the hunger and cravings that are triggered by too little glucose.

There are several other nutrients that also trigger hunger and cravings when you get too little of them - and which must therefore also be managed similarly.

Lo carb diets are all the rage and you can easily see why. While lowering your carbohydrate intake you thusly have to burn less calories, which means less exercise

What You Should Look For When Buying an Outdoor Wood and Coal Furnace

Each day there are hundreds of individuals who consider purchasing an outdoor wood and coal furnace. Many times these individuals are looking to find ways to save money when heating their home. Purchasing an outdoor wood and coal furnace is a great way to do just that; however, there are number of factors that should be taken into consideration when buying one.

There are millions of Americans who are termed as impulse buyers. An impulse buyer is an individual who tends to buy things right on the spot. It is possible to get a great deal when buying on impulse; however, it is often considered a bad method of shopping. When a large item, such as an outdoor wood and coal furnace, is being purchased buying on impulse could be costly. For this reason, individuals who are interested in buying an outdoor wood and coal furnace are encouraged to research products and seriously think about their decision before making a purchase.

An outdoor wood and coal furnace is one of best outdoor home heating methods because it allows wood or coal to be used. When looking to buy an outdoor furnace there are many individuals who assume that they would want to use wood and wood alone to heat their home. The cost of an outdoor wood and coal furnace is not that much different from a traditional outdoor wood furnace. The price will be higher, but many individuals love the fact that they have a choice.

Once a specific type of outdoor furnace has been selected you will next need to find a model. There are a large number of individuals and companies who sell outdoor wood and coal furnaces. This means that you are likely to come across a wide product selection. The best way to select the best outdoor wood and coal furnace model is by knowing what each has to offer. Many online websites or printed catalogs should provide detailed information on the specific furnace models. You should use this information and apply it to what you will need in an outdoor furnace.

When buying an outdoor wood and coal furnace it is also likely that you will take the price into consideration. The price of an item is important; however, your purchase should not be solely based on it. Lower priced items do not always mean the better deal. It is important to remember that if you want a high-quality product you will have to pay for it.

By researching outdoor furnaces online you should be able to compare the quality of a product and the price at the same time.

The purchase of an outdoor wood and coal furnace is one that should not be taken lightly.

By not taking the time to research and understand outdoor wood and coal furnaces you could be putting yourself at risk for paying too much money for a poor quality furnace.

Knowing what you need in a furnace is the best way to ensure that you are getting a great value for your money.

Get a great deal on a outdoor wood and coal furnace

What is an Outdoor Wood Furnace and Why You Should Own One

Throughout the world wood is used to heat a large number of homes and businesses.

Wood furnaces are used because they can save a home or business owner valuable money in heating costs. Wood furnaces can be a great heating method if they are used in a safe way. Unfortunately, many homeowners and business owners are not using their wood heating in the proper way.

Wood stoves are a popular source of home and business heating. They are a great way to heat a home or business and save money, but they can also be extremely dangerous. The reason why so many wood stoves are dangerous is because they are actually used inside.

There are many risks and dangerous associated with using an in-home wood heater.

Individuals using an inside wood stove to heat their home or business puts themselves at risk for having a fire. What many individuals fail to realize is that that same heating method can still be used, but in a safer way.

The use of an outdoor wood furnace is a great way to save money and keep your home or business safe. In addition to be safer to use, it has been noted that an outdoor wood furnace is likely to burn more efficiently than indoor wood stoves. There are many individuals who are more than happy with the money they are saving using an indoor wood stove; however, with more efficient burning an outdoor wood furnace could save even more money. Efficient burning also means that you will not have to feed wood into the fire multiple times a day. Many outdoor wood furnace models only require wood once a day; however, the exact amount will all depend on the model in question.

Anyone who has ever owned an indoor wood stove knows how difficult it can be to maintain the operation of the stove. The use of an outdoor wood furnace is so much easier. You will not have to worry about brining wood into your home or business. This means that you can cut wood outside and always keep it outside. This will not only save you valuable time, but it will prevent a number of bugs and other insects from entering your home or business via the wood you bring inside. In addition to keeping wood and bugs outside, you will also keep all smoke and dust outside. This means that your home or business could look and smell better with the use of an outdoor wood furnace.

Many outdoor wood furnaces come in the shape of a small building. This means that you can have an outdoor wood furnace without ruining the beauty of your property. In fact, many outdoor furnaces can be customized to match the color of your home or business.

With the ability to save money, keep a home clean, and your family safe why would you want to use a traditional wood stove any longer than you have to?

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What Can a Coal Furnace Heat?

It almost seems as if each day the price of just about everything in the world increases.

One those price increases includes the cost of home heating. There are many families who continue to live with the cost of high heating; however, others refuse to. Refusing to pay a large amount of money to heat your home does not mean that you have to go without heat, but it does mean that you will have to find alternative heating methods.

The use of a coal furnace is a popular heating alternative that is used by a large number of homeowners. A coal furnace is a low-cost and safe way to provide heat to a home. What many individuals do not realize is that a home is not the only thing that can be heated by a coal furnace.

Owning and operating a business can be costly even for the most profitable businesses.

This is why many business owners try to cut costs wherever and whenever they can. The latest increases in heating costs have left many business owners looking for alternative heating methods for their business. A coal furnace can heat a business in the same way that it will heat a home. Since the unit is placed outside, a retail store or an office with a coal furnace will not experience any smells or fumes.

Garages are either attached or not attached to a home. Many times when a home is heated so is the attached garage. Home owners with a separate garage may be looking for a cheap way to heat it. A garage or a shed are one of the many buildings that can use a coal furnace for heating.

It is also possible for a coal furnace to heat a farm. Due to the steady decrease in revenues and the increase in heating prices there are many farmers who are loosing valuable money. Purchasing a coal furnace is a great way to help relieve the costs of heating a barn, no matter what the size of it.

In addition to just heating a building, a coal furnace will provide hot water. This means that a business owner, garage owner, or a farmer can still complete their daily activities with hot water. It is also important to note that a coal furnace can provide heat for swimming pools and hot tubs. There are many coal furnace models that are designed to provide heat and hot water to multiple buildings and sources.

Once a coal furnace has been purchased and installed, the coal furnace will soon begin to pay for itself. Thanks to this low-cost heating method many families are able to afford more necessities and many business owners and farmers will still be able to operate their business without having to pay outrageous operating costs. Whether you are a homeowner, a business owner, or a farmer you should least consider further examining the benefits of a coal furnace.

Get a great deal on a coal furnace

Purchasing a Wood and Coal Furnace

The majority of individuals in America heat their homes with gas or electricity. Many of those individuals mistakenly believe that gas and electricity are their only home heating options. The fact is that there are a number of home heating alternatives. One of those methods is the use of a wood and coal furnace.

The decision to purchase a wood and coal furnace is a large one. The biggest cost of owning a wood and coal furnace is the initial purchase; however, that purchase can quickly pay for itself in the money that you will be saving. The best way to decide if a wood and coal furnace would be beneficial to your home is by weighing the pros and cons of all heating methods. Once this is done it is likely that you will see the benefits of owning a wood and coal furnace.

Once the decision has been made to purchase a wood and coal furnace you will need to find out where they are sold. There are a number of home heating stores or home improvement stores that sell these furnaces. Making a purchase from a department store is easy to do; however, you may be missing out on other furnaces. The size of a retail store often prevents a wide variety of items from being sold. There are currently hundreds of different wood and coal furnaces. Purchasing one from a retail store may limit your selection to only two or three furnaces. For this reason, there are many individuals who make the decision to purchase a wood and coal furnace online.

The greatest benefit of online shopping is that you can compare products and their prices all in a matter of minutes. While using the internet to purchase a wood and coal furnace has a number of benefits it also has one fairly large disadvantage. The internet makes it possible for anyone to sell just about any item that they want. The purchase of a wood and coal furnace is not a cheap one; therefore, you will want to make sure that you are dealing with a reputable company.

The best way to determine if you are dealing with an experienced heating company is by visiting their company website. All reputable online wood and coal furnace dealers should have a company website that offers valuable information on themselves and the products that they sell. It is also important to make sure that a company’s contact information is displayed on their website. If you agree to purchase a wood or coal furnace you may need to contact the seller; therefore, this information is essential.

As previously mentioned, the purchase of a wood and coal furnace is a big one, but it is one that could save you hundreds of dollars a year in home heating costs. Why should you and your family settle with high come heating costs when they can be so much lower with the purchase of a wood and coal furnace?

Get a great deal on a wood and coal furnace

The Benefits of Owning a Wood and Coal Burning Furnace

Americans love having options. Options allow us to select the outcome of a particular situation. An option may be a small as what to have for lunch or as large as how to heat a home. Americans looking to heat their homes have a number of home heating options and that is something that is very pleasing for many.

With the high cost of gas there are many individuals who automatically eliminate it as a home heating method. With gas eliminated that leaves coal, wood, and electricity. There are a number of benefits to heating your home with electricity, but there are also benefits to heating your home with wood or coal. For this reason, there are many homeowners who make the decision to purchase a wood furnace or a coal furnace. What if there was an option that would allow you to have both? That option is what is known as a wood and coal burning furnace.

A wood and coal burning furnace is a combination of each individual furnace. Many times the furnace is used as a wood furnace, but there is always the option of using the coal.

Most wood and coal burning furnace owners use the coal only as a secondary backup. If coal is never used in a wood and coal burning furnace it is still nice to have the option to use it if need be.

Having a choice may be the greatest benefit of owning a wood and coal burning furnace, but there are additional benefits. Another one of the most popular benefits of owning a wood and coal burning furnace is the money that could be saved. Using wood and even coal to heat your home is often drastically cheaper than the cost of heating a home with gas. A wood and coal burning furnace can provide cheap home heating for houses of all sizes.

Another benefit of owning a wood and coal burning furnace is the safety that it provides. Since wood and coal burning furnaces are outdoor furnaces they are likely to reduce the risk of a house fire. It is possible for an outdoor furnace to be installed close to the home, but it is often safer when it is a small distance away. The chances of a fire occurring in an outdoor furnace is slim, but if one should occur it can’t spread to the home if it is not right next to it.

As you can see, there are a large number of benefits to owning a wood and coal burning furnace. In fact, the above mentioned benefits are just a few of the many. If you are interested in learning the additional benefits of owning a wood and coal burning furnace then you should get browsing. Simply by reviewing product descriptions and pictures you should be able to see why there are an unlimited number of benefits to owning a wood and coal burning furnace.

Erik Holden
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Building A Hobby Crucible Furnace

Efficient melting of metal in the hobby foundry requires a simple, but well designed, easy to operate melting furnace. A well-designed furnace does not necessarily mean it will be expensive to build, or that it is complicated to construct and operate.

If you're just beginning your metal casting journey, there will be a multitude of questions that will need to be answered; and if you follow some simple methods, your learning curve will be dramatically reduced.

A well-built furnace will take you another step along the path to being able to maintain an important piece of equipment for your hobby foundry set up. Without an efficient furnace your hobby metal casting experience could well be one of total frustration & disappointment.

It is possible to build a furnace from scrap materials found around the workshop. This is not to say that it will look trashy, or poorly made, the point being made here is that you do not need to build everything from new materials. The only material you will need to buy is the special high temperature resistant refractory to line the furnace walls with, plus a few brass connectors from the local plumber for the gas feed line and some brass rod to custom-make your own special gas jet for the burner. The rest you can quite easily make yourself if you have metal working skills.

One of the biggest problems the hobby foundry worker has to overcome, is to acquire the knowledge to build a high-energy output burner, the subject of burners can raise many arguments amongst hobby foundry workers, and there is a straightforward solution to building an efficient burner, by following simple instructions any practical person can fabricate an efficient burner that will quickly melt metals such as aluminium and bronze without effort. The process to build a high output furnace burner is really quite simple, but there are a few small parts that need to be machined on a lathe.

If you don't have the luxury of a lathe in your workshop, perhaps a friend can help you out. Although, many hobby metal workers do own a metal lathe these days, it is almost a must have for the average home engineer in this ever-increasing DIY age. You will also need a MIG or ARC welder (Max 180 Amp) to fabricate the furnace.

Be very careful with your gas pipe & joint connections, although there are no great line pressures involved with the gas feed to the burner, but any small leak could lead to the possibility of a dangerous explosion.

Propane gas expands between sixty and one hundred times once exposed to air. So be aware, gas is the most efficient fuel you can use to fire a crucible furnace, but it can also be an extremely dangerous material. You need to follow any building instructions carefully and not be tempted to take any shortcuts as they may lead to personal injury.

If you are a resourceful, practical person, you could build your own crucible furnace for less than $70.00US, this is a mere fraction of the cost of a commercial unit, and should be equally as efficient, and provide many years of reliable melting service.

Like many things in life, you can learn from established proven methods, or you can spend many months floundering around by yourself, not knowing what to do. To dramatically reduce your journey to metal casting success; learn from fourteen years of metal casting success, visit our web site now. http://www.myhomefoundry.com

One Fan to Fire Up the Furnace

 

We live in a high-speed world. We want every thing now. Sadly, the "I want it now" attitude does not working in the field of marketing. Marketing is all cafefully planned, that's why you must assume the position of the bard.

Bards of old traveled the world and weaved their musical webs to whomever would listen. If there were even one person, then the bard would cast his spell. And in the world of music you have to build your fan base one fan at a time.

I remember my first band. I hooked up to sing with this glam rock band a decade ago. We were about to play in the rec room of our dormitory. There were a dozen people and I was excited. It was my first opportunity to play on stage, when the drummer declared, "If there aren't more people, I'm not playing." I was devesated. It awoke me to something a number of bands have...arrogance. And it started me on the bardic path.

Since then, I've made every opportunity to play to individuals. I was down in San Marcos, Texas last year and my partner hadn't yet arrived. A couple came in looking to hear some "Irish" music. I played "An Irish Lullaby" for them. The woman was in tears by the time I ended. Her husband? A music writer for the local paper. Needless to say, we got a spectacular review of our first album!

You see, every person is important. And the more the each individual adores you, the more likely they'll tell their friends and bring them out to shows. And the sad thing is no matter how hard your try to bring a crowd, sometimes they don't come out. So make each show the best it can possibly be for the one or two people in the audience. They will appreciate it, buy your album and tell all their friends.

One devoted fan is worth a hundred casual listeners. And you never know. That one listener could be your ticket to success!

Bard Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards has helped 1000's of musicians make money with their musical groups through the Bards Crier Music Marketing and Promotion Ezine and the Texas Musicians' Texas Music Biz Tips. Now you can get personal advice by visiting http://www.bardscrier.com for FREE "how-to" music marketing assistance.

No time to visit the site? Subscribe to the BardsCrier.com distributed weekly for Free. Just email subscribe@bardscrier.com

Every Day That the Furnace Works Is a Good Day

 

The things that make our lives better - our homes, food, clothing and our families should make us feel good by just knowing we have them. But those important things likely have been a part of our lives for a long time. Human nature turns our attention away from the familiar. So we seldom feel very happy about what we have. But if something important to us is taken away and then is somehow recovered, we feel joy and appreciation.

Too bad we humans can't feel so fortunate about things before they are taken away. How great we would feel about our health, our abilities to move around, our mental abilities to reason and remember, and the numerous other things that are out of our minds just because we take them for granted. Shouldn't we make 'asset awareness' a higher priority in our lives? What better way is there to get more out of life? That little bit of wisdom would make us happier if we could just get ourselves to put it into practice.

My furnace stopped working late one evening this winter when the temperature outside was heading toward the lower twenties overnight. There would not be a furnace repair shop open at that time of day. I have quite a few tools, am mechanically inclined, and have some knowledge of how the furnace works. So I went down into the basement and started removing the pump/blower assembly from the oil-burning furnace so it could be inspected. When the mounting bolts were removed and the assembly taken out, several small pieces of shattered plastic could be seen lying at the bottom of the combustion chamber. The plastic shaft linking the motor to the oil pump had shattered into many small pieces. There would be no heat in the house overnight and probably a good part of the next day.

The temperature in the house had dropped into the lower 60s around 8 p.m. when I noticed the furnace was not coming on, as it should. By 10 p.m. when I had discovered the root cause, it was in the mid 50s. Fortunately, I have a lot of extra blankets. I took three, folded each in half for a total of six extra layers and put them on the bed. I put on a coat, a second pair of pants, heavy socks, a knit hat, and knit gloves and went to bed.

I was quite comfortable that night. The next morning, the temperature in the house was 48 degrees F. I was dressed warmly and was reasonably comfortable as long as I kept moving quickly and didn't slow down. The urge to stay warm felt like an overpowering concern. A call to the nearest furnace repair shop (about 10 miles away) gave me the good news that a replacement part was in stock. The $12 price seemed like a real bargain to get back a heated home again. Just after noon I had completed the repair just in time to eat lunch as the house warmed up to the balmy 68 degrees were the thermostat was set. What luxury!

We have so much. We heat our homes. We provide ourselves with food and other necessities. We have many luxuries and creature comforts. Every one of those good things should be celebrated and enjoyed. All of what we have is special - the newly acquired, the familiar, the big/important things and the little things. It is special to be able to prepare a plate of food for supper, take it out into the yard and sit down in the sun and eat it. If that doesn't seem special, visit a nursing home (most of us will live in one some day). Most of the residents there are wheelchair bound. They eat in their rooms or in a large dining hall with other residents. Those are their only two choices.

When I walk out onto my lawn with my plate of food, I am going to enjoy it. I hope I always remember - every day that the furnace works is a good day.

Alan Detwiler started the web site Leisureideas. Visitors to the site are encouraged to use imagination and whatever happens to be available to discover new ways to enjoy themselves.

Alan writes books on how to pursue playfulness and a sense of wonder. His books are available in digital format and can be purchased and downloaded on the eBookMall web site. Go to http://www.ebookmall.com Then do a search for Detwiler.

Faulty Furnace Exhaust Vents... The Rest Of The Story

 

Early in 1995 the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations (MCCR) announced a program to replace up to 20,000 mid-efficiency gas furnaces in Ontario, because their plastic vent pipes were prone to failure, and might leak carbon monoxide into the house. Other sources indicated the number might have been as high as 40,000 - but no one knows for sure.

The crux of the problem was that no other type of vent pipe had been approved for use with mid-efficiency furnaces.

Hundreds of home owners planned to sue the government, the manufacturers and others for refusing to pay for the entire replacement. At that point, home owners were expected to pay about $1000 of the estimated $1500 cost to exchange the furnaces for high-efficiency models, which would function safely with plastic vent pipes currently available. The home builder was to pay $200, the ONHWP $200, and the gas companies $100.

By the end of 1995 neither the Government of Ontario, which approved the faulty vent pipes, nor the manufacturers had made any contribution toward the cost of replacements in private homes and businesses. But the government did pay for replacements in government-funded non-profit and co-op housing.

And apparently, the program offered nothing to people who had already replaced their mid-efficiency furnaces before this program was announced.

On September 12, 1995, the Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations issued a Safety Order requiring all owners of heating appliances with high-temperature plastic vents to have these systems corrected by August 31, 1996. Gas utilities and propane suppliers were required by Ontario law to discontinue the supply of fuel to appliances which had not been corrected by the deadline. Correction consisted of replacing the defective vent with an approved alternate vent, if available, or replacing the whole heating system.

Two vent pipe manufacturers in Toronto claimed they had safe, effective replacement vent pipes (a special grade of corrosion-resistant stainless steel) which would solve the problem with mid-efficiency installations. These replacement pipes had not yet received approval, and for some furnaces, replacements were never approved. One manufacturer asked the Premier’s office to spend some of the millions ear-marked for furnaces in government-funded homes, to speed up testing and approval of the replacement pipes. The upgraded vent pipe installations typically cost a little over $400 per house.

In theory at least, all affected furnaces should have been re-fitted or replaced, by August 31, 1996.

However private home inspectors were finding some of these heating systems still in service, with the original hi-temp plastic vent pipes still in place, as late as the summer of 1997. It is entirely possible that some still exist today. Home owners should watch out for plastic exhaust vent pipes labelled Sel-Vent, PlexVent or Ultravent. (or any vent other than those in service on high efficiency furnaces, which are labelled ABS, PVC or CPVC, and are acceptable)

A licensed gas-fitter/installer should be consulted, if own a mid-efficiency furnace and you are uncertain of the vent pipes attached to it.

All owners of gas heating appliances should have CO (carbon monoxide) detectors in service, and have their appliances inspected regularly.

Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home inspections.

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