Save $$$ - Heat with Wood

[Oaktree]

Presently I have a home with an outdoor wood boiler that is my primary heat. The heat is in floor radiant heat. I usually load the boiler in the morning and that will last through the night. I have a propane boiler in the same loop as backup in case the wood boiler goes out (doesn't happen very often).
The wood boiler is easy to load and the dirt and smoke all stay outdoors
.........

I can't think of a better way to heat with wood.

No argument that it's a lot cleaner than having a woodstove inside, but the cost seems to outweigh the advantages. I imagine there's an electric circulating pump between it and the heat exchanger inside...not much good if the power goes out.

Also seems kind of inefficient to have it going in the fall or spring when all you need to do is take the chill off in the evening.

And that's the downside to any blown-in insulation, it makes working in the attic a PITA.

Not to mention the mess if you ever have to tear out a wall/ceiling with this stuff behind it!
The PO of my 1830s-vintage farmhouse had it put in at some point. They didn't do a very good job, and neglected to put baffles in on the sloped ceilings upstairs. Re-doing that was a nasty project.

 

[turnkey4099]

No argument that it's a lot cleaner than having a woodstove inside, but the cost seems to outweigh the advantages. I imagine there's an electric circulating pump between it and the heat exchanger inside...not much good if the power goes out.

Also seems kind of inefficient to have it going in the fall or spring when all you need to do is take the chill off in the evening.




Not to mention the mess if you ever have to tear out a wall/ceiling with this stuff behind it!
The PO of my 1830s-vintage farmhouse had it put in at some point. They didn't do a very good job, and neglected to put baffles in on the sloped ceilings upstairs. Re-doing that was a nasty project.

Speaking of mess. Me and my brother were blowing insulation into the stud spaces in my mothers house. I was on the ladder jamming the hose into the holes, he was feeding. I slipped and the hose came out. My brother didn't notice and kept feeding the blower.