Woodboiler with Woodstove

[chuck172]

I'm going through too much wood already in this shoulder season. My Tarm has a big firebox and with 500 gallons of storage, the heat doesn't last too long. Last night with the temp around 40*, I started a small fire in my Lopi endeavor. Just a small fire. Normally I would have fired up the wood boiler.
The wood stove kept us toasty warm in the living room, the wood boiler, from the previous morning start, kept the far bedroom heating zones @68*. Hot water was still available in the morning.
What I'm saying is I think I can sometimes save on firewood by burning the woodboiler less frequently, by starting a small fire in the wood stove. Anyone else burn both?

 

[Duetech]

I don't have both but it sounds like you found a "sweet spot" for your set up. After all this is about economics too isn't it? I use my boiler in the summer but discovered it was pointless to try to keep the boiler filled with wood (no storage) so I went to half loads (then less) and shut the boiler off at night and started it again when I got home the next afternoon. Got all the dhw I needed but got about 3-4 times more hot water for the same wood.

 

[chuck172]

Yeah I guess the name of the game is to:
1. Burn wood instead of oil for heat and hot water.
2. Fine tune the boiler and woodstove to burn less wood while doing it.

 

[Jeff S]

I dont have a wood stove in the house but have thought of installing one for the ambiance it creates.With a wood stove ,during the shoulder season we could heat the livingroom/kitchen area where we spend the majority of time as opposed to heating the entire house much the same way you are doing.I have no dought there would be a wood saving as an added benefit since you are only trying to satisfy a portion of the heat load.

 

[MrEd]

I have both, but have been using my woodstove less and less as I have improved the operation of the boiler. Before the tarm, the woodstove used to run 24/7, now I go days without using it.

A day like today (rainy, 50 degrees) is perfect for a small fire in the woodstove (Hearthstone Heritage) which does a nice job of keeping the kitchen/living area warm and toasty, and then if needed start a fire in the tarm around 6PM to warm up the bedrooms. On cold days I don't use the woodstove unless we are having people over and want the 'ambiance' of a visible fire (like tomorrow on Thanksgiving)

 

[shoeboxlen]

I have both I purchased a insert for our living room with a power heat circulator on it and used it for a couple years before we got our eko. I have lit it a few times since the boiler was installed. but for the effort I have to say the boiler is better even heat no mess no worries with my daughter getting burned etc etc but if there is a power outage and my generator goes out (has happened) its a nice backup heat source in that case.

 

[chuck172]

With the woodstove I get that "warm to the bones" feeling. Radiant heat which I don't get from fintube radiation.

 

[STANG302]

That is what I am shooting for with my build next summer. Use the quadrafire 3100 in the living room. Should be able to heat a 1000 sq ft area with a loft no problem. And have a garn or similar setup to provide for radiant heat to the shop and cover all hot water needs for the rest of the house. With the goal of fireing the boiler to a minimum.

 

[timberr]

Hey Stang,

I have an Eko 25 with 500 gal. of storage and a Quadrafire 3100 in the basement. I only use it when the temps get to 0* or below. The Eko heats 1,800 sq.ft, DHW and hot tub. Currently I burn once per day.

Good luck.

 

[peakbagger]

I have both a boiler and woodstove but no storage, therefore, I dont run the boiler unless there is a significant heating load. I also try to minimize electric use and it doesnt make a lot of sense to run the controls and circulator pumps during spring and fall when natural draft works fine for heating up the house. I also live in rural area, and there is a lot to be said for having a non electric source of keeping the building warm!

 

[djblech]

I just replaced my VC Dutchwest with a Lopi Liberty. This is in my family room that has alot of windows. (My whole house has alot of windows, I like windows.)I like using the Liberty in the spring and the fall. I haven't fired up my boiler yet because temps have been above freezing during the day. I don't think the Greenwood should idle most of the time. Temps are supposed to drop next week so I will be firing the boiler soon.

 

[loggie]

Hey chuck,
Funny to read your post because I have been playing around with the wood stove and my 1250gal switzer.The standing heat loss is pretty good on the boiler so I cannot go more than two days or so with some heat in the morn and some at nite on one fire so I make a fire in the stove sometimes to stretch it. I am located in warren co not too far from you. My radiant heat cannot heat my house on the coldest days so I supplement with the stove.There is something about sitting in front a hot stove watching the fire after working outside in the winter that you just cannot get with radiant heat ;-)