I currently heat our house solely with a quadra fire 5700. It does a great job but has a hard time with the -20° f nights lately. I have been thinking about hooking up an older energy mate boiler for next winter. It would go in the attached garage. I would put a coil in the lp furnace plenum and a side arm exchanger on the water heater. My thoughts are to provide better temps on colder days, heat our water, and warmer garage. I know the old boiler isn't very efficient but I already have it. Any suggestions or comments?
thinking about adding a boiler
- Thread starter tbrown
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
Karl_northwind
Minister of Fire
you'll want to do some searching on here regarding placing a boiler in a garage. it will depend on your insurance company and inspector.
I don't know anything about the energy mate boilers.
if you're like the rest of us in Wi. you're scrambling to not burn a drop more propane than you have to. I understand. keep an eye on your hard earned $$. you'll spend a lot on a chimney, and a fair bit on the rest of the system. make sure you're really counting your cash input into this.
I have a co-worker that we set up with an electric boiler and a coil in his furnace. he only runs the boiler during off peak electric time. it's about the same as $1.75 propane cost wise at $.06 per KWH. the rest of the time he burns a pellet stove, which keeps up most of the time.
the big question is: are you going to just run on the wood stove down the line, and only use the boiler occasionally? if so, do something that won't freeze, rust out, or burn your garage down.
Boil&Toil
Burning Hunk
I don't know what you have now, but I'd look first at making the woodstove's job easier with more insulation and better sealing, replace windows if needed, etc. rather than tossing a boiler at it for a relatively rare temperature excursion. The insulation will help when it's 20 below, and also when it's not, and probably costs a good deal less than a new chimney, plumbing, etc....unless you have already done all that can be done there.
The house is only ten years old so not much to be done on improving insulation. I have an chimney system to put in the garage. My insurance is fine with the boiler in the garage. I would run the boiler steady and the stove most of the time to keep the downstairs warm. I haven't burnt any propane in three years and am happy about that. Local price is $5 gallon.
Karl_northwind
Minister of Fire
well then, I guess you might have a plan. consider looking at some of the threads here about improving the efficiency of old wood boilers by firebrick lining and such. and burn dry wood. if you can arrange storage of some type, so much the better.
I paid $5.49 a gallon last week. with the off peak electric heater I installed to heat my basement floor, that 100 gallons should last the rest of the season without buying more.
next year: wood or pellet boiler.
I paid $5.49 a gallon last week. with the off peak electric heater I installed to heat my basement floor, that 100 gallons should last the rest of the season without buying more.
next year: wood or pellet boiler.
Thats my biggest concern is the efficiency of the old boiler. I have dry wood and would like to burn as clean as I can. But I can't see spending a lot of money to save on wood I don't pay for.
- Status
Similar threads
