Have been doing alot of reading of the forums on hearth.com. There is a ton of great information here. Im going to be installing a wood boiler this next summer. Before going on the internet and learning about boilers I was looking at a smoke dragon. Have decided against because of the inefficiency. I have been convinced now that I want a gasser. I will be heating a 100 year old farm house(has been remodeled, new windows and insulation) about 1600 square feet. House has forced air with offpeak elec heat pump, elec plenum and lp backup furnace and lp water heater. I also want to heat a 40X80 pole shed 16' ceiling. The pole shed is partitioned into a 40X32 area with infloor radiant heat. I want to use this for a rec area and heat to 60 degrees or so. The rest of the pole shed 40X48 I want to use as a shop and heat to 50-55 if working on a project but not heat constantly. There is no heat source now in the 40X48 portion and is already cement so no in floor heat option there. The plan was to put gasser in pole shed and run unground lines to house for DHW and install a HX in duct work, leave existing system in place in house for backup and summer AC. In the pole shed hook up the in floor in the rec area and put a forced air HX in the other side. So finally here is my question, I think I have read that you need hotter water for the air HX and not as hot for the in floor heat and DHW. What boilers tend to work better for each? I have been looking at EKO 60, Biomass 60 and most recently at a GARN. Thinking the EKO and Biomass will work with out storage and have hotter water quicker, if I need storage I think I will go with a Garn, plenty of room for the monster in the shed. What kind of brought this question was someone mentioned on a thread about the Garn not having hot enough water in the am for showering etc.... Might not be an issue for me cuz Im going to preheat water before it goes into water heater, if its not hot enough I suppose the lp will kick in. Sorry for the long post but thought the more info the better the opinions.
For now we will keep working on the wood supply, my boys and I have cut and hauled 11 full cords of oak and ash in the last month. 4 cords split so far and 2 cords stacked. Goal is 20 cords by end of summer and another 20-25 next year. I want a stash before they move out, and I like the thought of being 3-4 years ahead.
For now we will keep working on the wood supply, my boys and I have cut and hauled 11 full cords of oak and ash in the last month. 4 cords split so far and 2 cords stacked. Goal is 20 cords by end of summer and another 20-25 next year. I want a stash before they move out, and I like the thought of being 3-4 years ahead.