I have been looking into EKO, Tarm and Econoburn by Alternative Fuel Boilers in Dunkirk, NY. Also getting conflicitng advice on water resevoirs, such as not necessary and potential for spread of black mold.
Anyone have an Econoburn boiler?
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Are you referring to "heat storage" when saying water resevoir? First I've read about black mold.
I don't have a boiler yet. I was told by a dealter/installer in New Hampshire that he would not install a water resevoir for a wood boiler because of the liability from black mold growing in the water in the resevoir. I am asking if this is a legitimite concern.
I am not a mold expert, but I would think that if the container was sterile and did not contain a black (or any) mold spore, and that water did not either, then once it is sealed, there would be no way for a mold spore to get in. There needs to be a mold spore for mold to grow.
with a closed or pressureized system this should be a concern because there is not enough oxygen to grow bacteria, it is a concern in a open or non pressureized system if the water temp is is low enough for a period of time, you would need to get the boiler water temp over 180deg f and circulate in the wood piping loop on a monthly interval during your off seasons. most open system boiler distributors sell a oxygen scavenging add mix to mitigate bacteria and corrosion
Within the Storage Tank it's a pretty sterile environment after it has been brought up to 170 degrees. Also the tank should only have a small breather vent. Hard for much mold to get in. It shouldn't just be an open vat. By using the storage to produce DHW in the summer the tank is re-sterilized every so often. I don't think the black mold concern is something to worry about especially if the boiler is fired every so often.
wcj1287 said:
The mold issue will only occur in an open storage tank which is not in use. Once you fire the storage to 160*, pretty much everything of biologic nature in the tank is dead. As long as it's relatively sealed it will remain so even when cooled of because the water has been sterilized.
The necessary vs not is a matter of debate. Suffice to say that in Europe, where they have elevated the efficient burning of wood to an art form, a storage or buffer tank is almost universally mandatory. You can't get any grants over there for an installation if your system does not incorporate storage. It is a proven fact that a wood fire is most efficient if it burns hot and completely without idling or shutting down. You have to have storage to do this.
Will any of the units you listed "work" without storage? Certainly. They all will. You will however spend much more time firing and tending your boiler and lose probably 10-15% of the efficiency the boiler is capable of if you don't. Often times dealers and manufacturers downplay the importance of storage in an attempt to keep the installed price down. Storage costs money no matter how you do it.
As to the three brands, they each operate on the same principle and performance is very very good with dry wood. The Econoburn carries the same ratings as a gas or oil fired boiler and as such may be a better choice from an insurance and inspection standpoint. You want to compare things like firebox dimension, weight of the product (heavier typically = better) ease of service and maintenance, parts availability etc when you make your decision. Any of the three will do a good job if installed correctly. I know that Econoburn now specifies that their unit be installed by a professional heating or boiler person. Installation is critical to the performance and safety of any of the brands. I also know from personal experience that Econoburn backs their product up very well.
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