Heating water with a freestanding wood stove-

[dunckele]

We are looking for a way to avoid using fuel oil to heat water. My idea is to build a cement board/ceramic insulated box around our free standing wood stove. This box would open enough to provide access to stove controls and to add fuel. The column enclosed above the stove would contain multiple passes of baseboard fin tube. Well water would pass thru this array before entering the electric hot water heater. An extra tank could act as a buffer. We also have a radient slab in the garage (where the wood stove will be) that could act as a heat sink. Any body out there shuddering at the thought?

 

[dunckele]

Span the seams with a second layer.

 

[dunckele]

Span the seams with a second layer

 

[fossil]

Well...a few things. A solid fuel-burning appliance located in a garage is generally a code violation (safety hazard from volatile fumes). Is the purpose of the stove going to be soley to heat water? If so, there are more efficent, purpose-built devices to use for that. If not, if the stove is also intended for space heating, by enclosing it in a water jacket you'll drastically reduce its effectiveness as a space heater. What is it about the garage floor that makes it radiant? Are there hot water pipes embedded in your garage floor? More questions than answers, I know. Welcome to the forum! Rick

 

[gpcollen1]

Kind of peripheral to your question - but regarding the electric hot water heater, check out the Nyletherm Residential Heat pump Hot water Heater. It is an add on to an electric - in place of the bottom element. Mine works great. Only problem is that I probably wont be able to use mine in the few coldest winter months as it needs to be over 40 to operate.