Tarm in woodshed, without anti-freeze?

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MrEd

Feeling the Heat
Hearth Supporter
May 9, 2008
426
Rural New England
Is this crazy to even consider?

I would love to put my tarm in a shed, about 35 feet from my house. It would store the tarm, and wood etc. Keeps the mess, fire danger, dust out of the house; keeps my garage available as a garage, and makes putting up wood more convenient..problem is I don't really want to go with anti-freeze/heat exchanger solution. Even though know it would work, from what I hear in talking with folks, its not the best way to use a tarm.

If I built a really insulated shed, perhaps a really think cement slab with radiant heat, and had a backup heat source (electric?), could I get away with no using anti-freeze? or is the risk to big?

I know I can keep the tarm itself from freezing up, but the underground pipes would be the more likely place I'd run into problems.

Opinions?
 
I'd consider it myself if I couldn't put the boiler in an ideal inside site. I don't think you need to go the the extent of a radiant slab. If the shed is well insulated and the pipes are buried below the frost line, you should be fine. Storage in the shed would about guarantee it.
 
You could use an electric baseboard as backup in the boiler room.Also could heat trace the pipes.Probably won't need to use them but better than using antifreeze.
 
Just a thought that I have been considering. What about a T fitting on the boiler return with an electric hot water heater element installed? With a thermostat set to turn it on and the circ pump when temp fell to, say 40, off at 50 or so. Any thoughts?
 
Geez, I may need to rule out this option. Found underground/insulated pex, 1 1/4 diameter, for just over $28/foot...yikes, that alone may rule out this option. Even for my relatively short approx 50 foot run we are talking about almost $1500...can't see how that price is justified.

Are there cheaper alternatives?
 
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