Wood Boiler in Workshop?

I'm still running through my options on how to heat my house centrally with wood. I know a lot of guys build "sheds" to put their indoor boilers in and then pipe the water to/from the house.

I have a 30x50 insulated steel building that I want to heat anyways. The building has 2 overhead doors and just about anyone would call it a "garage".

Anyone have experience in NJ with putting a wood boiler in a building like this? Is it "legal"?

ac

From a typical code standpoint any structure with an overhead door in it is capable of housing a vehicle. Therefore it is a violation to install any fuel burning appliance in that space. Check with local authorities though. Many places have their own rules that may supercede or provide a way around certain things.

If it were me I would really hesitate to install a wood burner in there if you have vehicles in it. Even gas cans scare me as the vapor is heavier than air and will literally crawl across the floor and find the combustion air inlet of your boiler. Very unpleasant thing happen when that occurs.

You could always put up some walls and a false ceiling inside the shed in a back corner with decent vapour barrier and fireproof drywall on the "shed" side and then cement board on the boiler side, put a door into the new "room" and you should be good to go. You can always plumb in a radiator on the shed side and you don't have to insulate the walls of the "room".

I also wouldn't want any way for gas vapour to get into the air inlet of a burning wood boiler.

Can't answer for your location. I installed my Tarm and storage in my new 32 x 48 x 14h pole bldg shop, insulated, fully finished on the inside, in-floor heat, etc. Wood working is the prime activity. I installed a 12 x 12 OH door to haul in lumber and to be able to move in and out large objects, cabinets, etc. No code where I live, but no vehicles in the shop, no gasoline, etc. Also, when the Tarm is operating I don't do any work that could create dust or fumes. Insurance company would not insure the bldg due to the boiler install. Fire risk is nil, storm damage from falling trees is the loss risk.

I installed mine in my attached 2 car garage. New York code does not prohibit putting a fuel appliance in a garage. However there are some requirements that need to be meet. The combustion source needs to be above the floor by a minimum of 18" and should have a source of fresh air exchange. Then the normal codes apply like distance between walls and ceiling from the appliance. Gas fumes ARE heavier then air and do lay low but they will creep out the bottom of the OH doors and really they wiil disipate when you go in and out. But you shouldn't get any fumes if the containers that it is stored in are sealed tight.

I put mine up on cement block which make the firebox eyelevel. Real nice to load. I also insulated my walls and ceiling with Roxul, it's a fireproof insulation and isn't any more expensive than fiberglass. I installed 5/8" fire rated Sheetrock and have a fire extinguisher on the wall. I installed a sprinkler head over the unit that is hooked up to my domestic water.
My insurance company (nationwide) knows about it and I'm good to go.

I know a guy who had a Miller trailer furncae in his workshop and was working on a gas tank (snowblower, ATV?) and the gas fumes were pulled into the oil burner and made black smoke come out of the chimney.... his neightbor came over to tell him of the black smoke outside and they shut off the miller......... and poof. Flash fire they were not hurt but the shop was.
Real hazard.

That said, I worked as a master mechanic in a largeish shop all heated with ceiling hung wast oil furnaces. Pain in the neck to climb up on the ladder to service them (we had to often) but the cumbustion was above the fumes so there was not the explosion hazard.


TS

I was hoping I'd be able to build a boiler "room" in the back of the shop with just a man door. I was figuring on an outside air source for the boiler.

My wife is going to try calling the town tomorrow when the building department is open. Any suggestions?

ac

If you can get around the "codes" , your boiler will throw a lot of heat off, and a shop is lot better place for it than just a bldg. in the yard to house your wood and boiler. Even if you have to throw up some walls and use fans, it's almost free shop heat.

My plan is to heat the shop anyways...so that was exactly why I want the boiler in the shop.

ac

You might have to partition off the boiler completely in its own room with just an outside entrance to it.

The outside only entrance would be less than ideal.

ac

I'm with you avc, I like to have the boiler in a conditioned space. All that heat gets put to use.

TS

If I could do over I would have a separate boiler shed with room for storage and a cord of wood. While you do gain heat, I would rather not lose any shop space or have to worry about fire. No insurance concerns either.

In Nebraksa that might work, but in NJ I'd pay tax on that "shed" every year. By the time I added in what they would whack me, I could just burn oil!