Successful selection, system design, installation, operation, and maintenance of a high-efficiency, low-emissions, sustainably fueled hydronic furnace involves an appreciation for state-of-the-art solid fuel combustion technology.

After all, these appliances are not the old-fashioned, low-technology, smoke belching, wood-gobbling products of the past. These units are the result of years of research in solid fuel combustion. To be a satisfied consumer you will need to select the right appliance for your needs, and then skillfully integrate it into your overall heating system through good system design, proper installation, and just as importantly, proceed to fuel and operate it in accordance with the best practices for the type of appliance you’ve acquired.

To compromise in any of these areas – selection, design, installation, fuel selection, or operation – is to experience some measure of disappointment, frustration, and possibly even added expense.

ThisWarmHouse understands that the cost of purchasing an efficient, modern hydronic furnace represents a significant financial investment. The following information will help you achieve the cost savings, environmental benefits, fossil fuel independence, and personal satisfaction you’re looking for as you join with others in transitioning away from dependence on fossil fuel energy. The importance of heeding this information cannot be understated.

In selecting a furnace, you must keep in mind the pitfall of choosing a unit that is either undersized or oversized for your application. To properly determine what size furnace is needed you must know the BTU heat load of the building(s) to be heated, the operating temperature of your heating delivery system, and an estimate of any heat transfer loss within your system. This information is best determined by an HVAC professional unless you have a similar level of expertise. ThisWarmHouse is totally dependent on your input of these values in order to assist you in selecting the correctly sized appliance. Sizing decisions based on square footage alone are highly unreliable. You should always base sizing on sustained BTU output taking into consideration your BTU heat load on the coldest days.

Your hydronic furnace is only one component of your overall heating system. In the majority of cases, it will not be the only component of the system capable of providing heat. (Most installations involve adding the solid-fuel furnace into an existing heating system, allowing the initial fossil-fuel appliance to now serve as a backup furnace.) How your new furnace integrates into your overall heating system again requires the participation of a knowledgeable HVAC professional, the end result of their expertise being in the form of an installation diagram and a bill of materials for the necessary piping, fittings, pumps and controls.

ThisWarmHouse maintains a database of certified installers. It is our pleasure to try and connect you with a professional serving your area.

Using the installation diagram and equipped with the parts identified in the bill of materials together with the installation manual provided by the manufacturer of your new hydronic furnace, an HVAC professional is able to install the appliance in such a way as to ensure safe and efficient operation of the unit in accordance with its capabilities.

Solid fuels are markedly different from the free-flowing, fossil fuel counterparts. Moisture content, type of fuel and fuel size, combined with other factors, such as rated power output and combustion chamber fuel volume, come into play when learning to operate your new furnace in accordance with best practices. To achieve a satisfactory outcome you must become acquainted with the operating characteristics of the unit you have selected and the fuel it is designed to use and be willing to adhere to “best practices” – those practices identified over time as achieving the best performance out of these kinds of green technology products.


Sizing, design, installation, and operation. Each of these considerations must be properly addressed if you expect to get out of your investment the performance and operating cost savings you seek.

Our primary service to you is that of helping you select, and providing you with, a high-quality, innovative state-of-the-art solid fuel combustor (hydronic furnace) for your application. We have sound product knowledge but must rely on your input – acquired by you through your HVAC professional – in order to do our part for you.

By now you’ve likely seen a recurring theme – that you need the help of a trained HVAC professional. That’s right! To skimp on this aspect is to compromise your outcome. Should you choose to take on the role of this key resource yourself, you need to be willing to take on your shoulders the associated risk. We encourage only those with experience similar to that of an HVAC professional to accept such a challenge.

Our technical support policy, outlined below, should further help you to determine which approach is best for you: do-it-yourself or involve a professional.

ThisWarmHouse will prepare and provide a written quote for a proposed hydronic furnace appliance that will include any optional manufacturer suggested components desired by the consumer. (Additional parts needed for installation according to a bill of materials developed by an HVAC professional and provided by the consumer can also be quoted.) Telephone technical support related to system integration design is provided for the first 30 minutes free of charge. Assistance beyond this is provided at the prevailing hourly rate for telephone technical support for you or your qualified installer.

The first fifteen minutes of remote telephone support is available at no charge. Thereafter, the prevailing telephone technical support rate applies.

Your first point of contact should be your installer. Should your installer believe that there is a failure of a product provided by ThisWarmHouse, we will assist you in accordance with the manufacturer’s warranty claim procedure. (If technical support is required for fault identification, support charges may apply if the failure was caused by using fuel contrary to the manufacturer’s specification, installation not in compliance with manufacturer requirements, or if a failed component is not under warranty or was not provided by ThisWarmHouse.)

Our current hourly technical support rate is $95. (Billed in 15 minute increments). Please have your credit card information ready when you call.

We offer expert technical support on a first-come, first-served basis with a response time typically within the same business day.

In order to ensure your solid-fuel-fired system has been installed with safety in mind, Insurance Underwriters and local Building and Fire Inspectors are given discretion to determine if heating installations are safe. They use recommended guidelines developed by recognized national organizations, such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and The International Residential Code. Many Insurance Companies also have specific guidelines concerning the installation of solid fuel-fired heating appliances. These guidelines are intended to protect you and your family as well as your property. Please be sure to check with your Insurance Company and local Building and Fire Inspectors so that you know how to comply with their permitting and inspection procedures and requirements.

Your successful transition to a reliable Alternative and Sustainable Energy System is our mission, and our passion. Through years of experience, we know that you will reap the benefits of modern renewably fueled heating systems if you keep a few very important considerations in mind. We are here to help you in this process.