Bio-Bricks

[muss]

Need info on bio-bricks for son-in-law. Being a pellet burner i haven't the faintest idea. He would like to use them in place of cordwood . Are they efficient ? Cost factor vs cordwood , etc. Hope to get some help on here like i get on the pellet stove forum . Thanks folks . Muss

 

[BrotherBart]

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/BioBricks/

 

[Cath]

You can also try searching the terms "Bio Bricks" "Bio-Bricks" "BioBricks", etc. to find some recent threads.

Here are a few worth checking out:


Hearthroom Thread: Bio Bricks Year In Review – 3/6/08 by nhtodd
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/16217/

Hearthroom Thread: Bio-Bricks please help me to like them – 1/11/08 by mbk 2000
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/13734/

Hearthroom Thread: quick question about bio brick weight – 1/8/08 by mbk 2000
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/13593/


~Cath

 

[compressedwoodsupplier]

bio bricks are ok but maybe consider ENVI Blocks. People are reporting back to me that 2 bricks are burning 5-7 hours in a wood stove depending on the efficency of the stove and teh damper settings.
price is comprable
O'Hara Ice in maine has them
207-542-0834

 

[backpack09]

I ran Enviblocks after my seasoned wood ran out.

They are about the same dimensions as cordwood. The can be stubborn to get started. But once they are going they can burn for long periods of time with the stove damped way down low. On a typical 8 am to midnight 25* day I could keep my 1000 s.f. first floor between 75 and 80 on 6 logs.

They burn with little ash.

The cost last season BTU wise was slightly more than the cordwood I bought.

This season I will not be buying them again simply because I have cut and split my own supply for this year.

Dan

 

[SteveT]

I followed all of the links, read all the articles I could find etc., and decided on BioBricks for my primary fuel in 2008/2009. So no actual experience but all the research convinced me they will be just fine for my needs. With more time to find/cut/season I will probably use some cordwood after this season.

Some obvious advantages are less storage space and a consistent product (no risk of paying for seasoned wood and getting sorta green, or getting less than a full cord). They will cost more than cordwood (at least in my area). But not greatly more. My calculations:

BioBricks @ $272 a ton including delivery. 17 million BTU's in the bricks. 12.9 million net BTU's at 76% efficiency. Net will be 47,500 BTU/dollar.

Seasoned oak @ $250 a cord including delivery. 20 million BTU's in the wood. 15.2 million net BTU's at 76% efficiency. Net will be 60,800 BTU/dollar.

So, BioBricks will cost about 28% more than cordwood in my area (the manufacturer says a stove will run at higher efficiency with BioBricks. I have not factored that into my calculation; if true the 28% differential is overstated).

BTW using the same calculation, heating with BioBricks will cost me half of heating with oil at the current price ($4.65/gallon). Who knows what oil will cost in six months???

 

[backpack09]

Investigate the Enviblocks if you have a chance. They sell for a bit less than the biobricks per ton, and I found the handling easier, much more like handling logs on a reload than little paperweights.

 

[SteveT]

Seasoned oak @ $250 a cord including delivery. 20 million BTU's in the wood. 15.2 million net BTU's at 76% efficiency. Net will be 60,800 BTU/dollar.

Some folks may notice that I used 20 million BTU/cord instead of the 24 million published value. The thought was that since it seems that it is near impossible to actually get a full cord, some correction was necessary. 20 million is a "guesstimate".

 

[savageactor7]

I'm thinking if you bought a pallet load of those bio bricks at the right time you could save yourself some dough, like pellets. Everything has it season and that goes for those BB's as well. I sounds to me that they would be perfect while your away at work...I don't know about the rest of you but it just kills me to have to pay to heat an empty house.

 

[compressedwoodsupplier]

Try both envi and bio.. There is a difference Alot of people like the envi over the bio. Personal preference i guess