reduce heating bill with Wood Stove

[dave1949]

Heating oil-fired boilers are not cheap either, and have yearly or more frequent maintenance requirements and costs. Their useful life is probably longer, in the 15-20 year range. But they start to get outside the efficiency range of newer units within ten years or so I think.

I have a Peerless 90K btu propane boiler that isn't used much now since we converted to an electric water heater last year, but it's never needed anything in seven years. :thumbsup:

 

[clemsonfor]

Why cant the firebox be made out of like 1/4" plate so that it will last 30+ years? The thicker the metal is the longer it will last, and those could be made to either be bolted in or welded in easy to make them replaceable. The thicker plate will make it heavier but its not like 2 guys are lifting it into place anyway, nor would the thicker plate make it that much more expensive, say $200 for metal vs $50?

 

[cartod]

The heatmasters are Stainless steel boilers and I have seen them last over 20 years.

 

[SpringHollow]

How long boilers last and their paybacks are dependent upon so many variables that it is hard to compare between installations. Some leaks that might occur are easy to fix, others might be disasterous. Every solution to increase longevity carries its own risks. For example, most of the stainless steel used is prone to thermal cracking. Treating the boiler water and the use of anodes can be good insurance. The payback on my boiler is about 2 1/2 years as compared to buying propane to heat the house and shop. I already need the equipment to maintain the property and I want most of the dead trees cleared out any ways. Might as well get heat from them.

Ken

 

[cartod]

How long boilers last and their paybacks are dependent upon so many variables that it is hard to compare between installations. Some leaks that might occur are easy to fix, others might be disasterous. Every solution to increase longevity carries its own risks. For example, most of the stainless steel used is prone to thermal cracking. Treating the boiler water and the use of anodes can be good insurance. The payback on my boiler is about 2 1/2 years as compared to buying propane to heat the house and shop. I already need the equipment to maintain the property and I want most of the dead trees cleared out any ways. Might as well get heat from them.

Ken

Wow, that's a broad stroke. The tip I would give a new stove buyer is that there is alot of trash talk among distributors and owners of competitors. Try to read alot and don't listen much to the bomb throwers.

 

[SpringHollow]

Wow, that's a broad stroke. The tip I would give a new stove buyer is that there is alot of trash talk among distributors and owners of competitors. Try to read alot and don't listen much to the bomb throwers.

I was not referring to your comment about Heatmaster being stainless. They make their's out of 409 SS which is the correct one to use. Many companies use the wrong grade ss and the owners get lots of leaks. But if I remember correctly, the companyI am referring to has been in business for less than 15 years. So maybe you are referring to a different company since you said greater than 20 years and therefore my comment about their's being 409 SS might not be correct.

The reason it is difficult to compare one person's boiler experience with another person's boiler experience is because so much depends upon where and how the unit is installed and maintained. One person's boiler might rust out in a year because they have soft acidic water and do not add treatment while another person with different water and appropriate treatment might last 30 years. How they operate it can make a big difference - letting a boiler repeatedly cool way down and then heat back up is a great way to encourage corrosion. Where I live, it is often humid in the summertime. The firebox of the boiler would rust if I did not clean it out and prep it properly at the end of the season. But just because I have had good luck with my current boiler and how I run it does not mean that someone else will have the same positive outcome. The first brand boiler I had leaked within 3 years and I chose to replace it. A friend who lives nearby got the same one as my first one and had a leak at 3 years as well but since that repair, he has run another 15 or so years without a leak. So if you asked me, I would say it was not the best made boiler and if you asked him, he would say it has performed pretty well for him. So all one can do is try to do as you say, research the available options and try to make the best decision you can and choose to operate your boiler appropriately.

Ken

 

[330T]

I dont know how much its reduced my heating bill because the house was just built and we used some very efficient building methods. But last winter our heat only came on a few times early in the morning during the work week.

We keep our Fireplace Xtrordinair 44 Elite running almost non stop when the temp drops below 40F. Our house is 4,000sq/f and it does a very good job keeping it warm. *last winter was very mild in Northern Ky

Edit-
I looked long and hard at wood chip boilers for hot water and heat. They are available all through Europe but the US government will not let them be sold here in the states UNLESS its for commercial use. I also looked into making my own wood pellets and really just started looking at time vs savings and didn't want to add to my list of To-Dos

 

[jimgerken]

Why cant the firebox be made out of like 1/4" plate so that it will last 30+ years? The thicker the metal is the longer it will last, and those could be made to either be bolted in or welded in easy to make them replaceable. The thicker plate will make it heavier but its not like 2 guys are lifting it into place anyway, nor would the thicker plate make it that much more expensive, say $200 for metal vs $50?

My neighbor's Classic (Central Boiler Co.) is 1/4" plate. I welded inside it for three hours in the last two weeks. It's seven years old. Thicker metal transfers the heat to the water less effectively, they tell me. Also, the thermal conductance of Stainless Steel is lower than mild steel.

 

[330T]

My neighbor's Classic (Central Boiler Co.) is 1/4" plate. I welded inside it for three hours in the last two weeks. It's seven years old. Thicker metal transfers the heat to the water less effectively, they tell me. Also, the thermal conductance of Stainless Steel is lower than mild steel.

I would think a copper boiler would be idea. the thermal conductivity is amazing, heating and cooling it expands and contracts predictably and doesn't get brittle.

 

[jimgerken]

Your suggestion of copper brings up a question for me. What drives the stove companies to the materials they use? Would copper even work? would it be too soft and get damaged by tossing in the wood? OK, that's three questions.