Well, here are some of my thoughts, as well as some observed facts.
1. You have a high efficiency furnace. The exhaust that comes out is not very hot compared to regular furnaces. The secondary heat extractor is what kicks up the efficiency to about 94%. Saves on heating bill for sure.
2. In the IDEAL UNIVERSE where nothing will go wrong, your setup does work. But we are not there, so thing can go wrong. There are some differences between your first home setup and your current home.
First home did not have any extensions added, it was higher off the ground than current . Your problems can start when, you could encounter an unexpected snow storm that dumps way more snow than usual. Your exhaust blocked can do some
nasties.
A. Damage your furnace by overheating it. Could possibly cause flame rollout. That is when the inshot flame into the heat exchanger enters the control area where all your controls and valve are located. Possible fire hazard for sure.
B. A partially blocked exhaust can (I said can, not absolutely will) depending on amount of blockage cause incomplete combustion. Insufficient air to fuel ratio. That is when the CO (carbon monoxide) comes to focus. When your
furnace is working properly, the exhaust fumes contain CO2 (carbon dioxide) and water vapor. There are traces of other things as well but generally small.
C. A heating inspector would advise you against your setup for such safety reasons.
3. We all try to figure ways to do thing that are convenient and cost free. Safety is one thing that should not be overlooked. You are where electricity is easily available. Have a GFCI outlet on the exterior of your home installed and use one of these. The current consumption in dollar$ is trivial compared to one Service Call to repair your furnace.
25 watts thermostatically controlled.
