Heating workshop

[potter]

I've recently got the wood heating bug and have recieved great help on the Hearth section.
My pottery studio is currently heated with propane using infloor slab and a Munchkin boiler. It's about 1500 sq. ft., well insulated, high ceilings.... about 400 gallons of propane per year. The boiler is up in a loft attic space, manifolds for the tubing on ground floor.
So I am posting here for ideas and directions to info about tying in a wood fueled apparatus into this system. I am a complete newbie- don't know what the options are. Outdoor wood boilers are available here....I've heard they're smoky
and efficiency issues and I didn't make races to accomidate entry into the building. We don't have neighbors near to be bothered smoke wise.....so it's not out of consideration. Space is an issue inside though....
Hope this is the right place. Thanks.

 

[potter]

Been reading additonally on the site-
I have an unheated metal pole building next to the one I want to heat- could you put a wood furnace (EKO) in an unheated space llike that and run tubes to my existing system?

 

[flyingcow]

Fairly new to this site also, but you'd need to have an insulted building(or build an insulated room in your pole barn) to put the furnace into. I'm probably way off base ,but you want to do some figuring in to changing heating systems. 400 gals of propane doesn't seem like alot. :question: By the time you figure your installation cost and price for wood, might not be worth it. I don't know how 400 gals of propane equals to wood in cords. Again, I'm probably way off.

 

[potter]

I could probably frame off a space-
Your right about the costs these boilers are expensive, but there's alot to be said for independence and flexibility with fuel. Propane is only going up. But I would take a hard look at the numbers.
I've thought about simply putting in a woodstove. don't really want to punch a hole in the roof. and a m concerned about the tubing in the slab and the slab getting too cold while the wood stove is running. It seems this would create inefficiencies as the slab ramped up- unless wood was burned 24/7.
Anyway, just at the research stage. Thanks.