Mothballing my profab boiler

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muleman51

Member
Feb 18, 2008
246
SE Minnesota
That's it, I'm going to quit cutting wood for now, I'm tired and wore out. What is the best way to mothball a boiler. With the price of propane I'm done for now, maybe when I retire in 3 years I'll go back to cutting wood. I also have a 1000 gallon storage tank for sale. Also for the rebuilders out there I have an Adobe (greenwood) boiler for sale. Happy heating. Jim
 
I also have a 1000 gallon storage tank for sale. Also for the rebuilders out there I have an Adobe (greenwood) boiler for sale.

Throw it into the items for sale forum on this site.
 
If I was going to not be using it for 3 years, or maybe longer or maybe even forever - I might consider just selling it. Then getting a new boiler when that time comes if it does. Those units have had their issues - sitting for that long might not be good for it & your asset might deteriorate.
 
I recognize what can be a struggle and lots of work to obtain stove wood. I can understand that the crash in propane prices changes the price equation on wood/propane. What was your experience with the Profab? Did it meet your expectations? Did it meet marketing performance information? Are there some things others can learn from your experience?

Your heating climate in SE MN is much different than mine (I live near Walker, MN). Yet wood still remains my heating fuel of choice. For both our 1500 sq ft house and 1500 sq ft shop, 4 cords of aspen/pine for each (8 cords total) is all I need for a heating season. A large aspen or pine can produce over 1/3 cord, so about 12 trees for 4 cords. At age 68 years I still enjoy the exercise, being outdoors, and the even the peace of wood cutting, splitting and stacking. I am retired so I don't have too much time pressure on me. My wood supply starts each season with two full years of c/s/s wood on hand, so each heating season starts with two year dried wood.

I wish you well. And I tend to agree with maple1 on the future. Propane is subject to world markets, market interruptions, politics, etc. Wood is in our "back yard" and is a guaranteed fuel source regardless of world or economic disruptions.

Edit addition: One large pine hit by lighting provided more than 2 cords of stove wood.
 
I really do like to cut wood when I have time , I have more wood standing dead than I can use, just don't have the time now. My boiler seems good enough if I just have the wood ready. I bought wood last year to keep it going. I need to put in a new line to the house as the original is leaking some and sees too waste heat as it is probably waterlogged. I can put in a small boiler for what it will cost to put in the line. I can always put the line in later if I really want to burn again.I definitely will have to use the boiler I have as my wife isn't too happy the choices I have made with the last two boilers. I should have just bought another Aqua therm, but Olaf had sold the company by the time I needed another one. Besides I don't think I will miss going out to feed the boiler four times a day. We are trying to get the basement ready to spray foam so that should help with heating also. We just have too much to do and too many irons in the fire. JIm
 
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