Outdoor wood boilers/furnances

   / Outdoor wood boilers/furnances #1  

PapaPerk

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Hello,

I know nothing about outdoor wood furnaces/boilers. I'm interested in the kind that heats water and then is pump through a heat exchanger in the existing air handler.

Anyone know of a good website that has a basic guide to these units? I know there's a lot of mom and pop shops that make them. I'm only interested in high quality professional outfits that are low polluters.

Thank you for any help!
 
   / Outdoor wood boilers/furnances #2  
Look up central boiler, heatmor, and heatsource1.
 
   / Outdoor wood boilers/furnances #3  
Dont let anyone fool you, they are lots of work. Both neighbors on each side of me have them. 2500 sq ft and 2800 sq ft and each use 25 to 30 ricks of wood per season. Not for me.

Chris
 
   / Outdoor wood boilers/furnances
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Diamondpilot said:
Dont let anyone fool you, they are lots of work. Both neighbors on each side of me have them. 2500 sq ft and 2800 sq ft and each use 25 to 30 ricks of wood per season. Not for me.

Chris

Do you think a wood stove in the house is a better heating option?
 
   / Outdoor wood boilers/furnances #5  
Check out the Boiler Room at Hearth.com. Do some research and you will find that most outdoor wood boilers are very inefficient and more expensive compared to the indoor gasification boilers.

I have a Tarm gasification boiler hooked to a 750 gallon thermal storage tank. Here in northern Vermont I burn around 6 cords to heat my 4500 square foot house and domestic hot water. Guys around here with outdoor boilers are burning 10-15 cord to heat similar houses.

People love the outdoor boilers because you can burn green wood, but that's what makes them inefficient. You waste a lot of BTU's burning the water out of green wood.
 
   / Outdoor wood boilers/furnances #6  
I have an indoor wood boiler, not outdoor however the principle it the same. We live in north eastern CT, have a 2000sf house and once it gets cold enough for heat, I switch off the oil boiler and turn on the wood boiler

We keep the heat set at 68 in bedrooms and 70 in rest of house.

For the last few years we burn about 3.5 - 4 cords of wood per year.

If I move I am taking the wood boiler with me.

I have helped 2 other people get and install them and they agree with me.

I will say one advantage to indoor vs outdoor is not having to go outside to stoke the fire.
I can get up in the morning an build up the fire in my underwear.
 
   / Outdoor wood boilers/furnances #7  
Dont let anyone fool you, they are lots of work. Both neighbors on each side of me have them. 2500 sq ft and 2800 sq ft and each use 25 to 30 ricks of wood per season. Not for me.

Chris

A rick or face cord is about 1/3 of a full cord, so 25-30 ricks or face cords would be 8.5-10 full cords. That does not seem so bad to heat a 2500-2800 sq ft home.

I myself have a Central Boiler and I thoroughly enjoy it. I own 343 acres of mostly woods so there is no issue obtaining my wood. Also enjoy putting the firewood up for the season, it is exercise and therapy for me.

Do your homework, properly sized, set up, fed good wood, and operated, they are very effecient. I have had mine for 7 years now and still find it quite enjoyable, PLUS I just love not handing over money to the man for my heat!
 
   / Outdoor wood boilers/furnances #9  
Try Central Boiler..we put one in for my son last year(Northern NY)..worked well.Large old farm house and kennel.He burned about 25 cord.they do make a more efficent model..a little more money,but burns a lot less wood.
 
   / Outdoor wood boilers/furnances #10  
Do you think a wood stove in the house is a better heating option?

They both have good sides and down sides. Boiler will heat the whole home evenly but require more wood. Less mess though.

Wood stove cheaper but does not heat evenly.

Chris
 
 
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