Help, i'm heating an 1806 Stone Home...

[1806StoneHomeNY]

I just bought a 1806 Stone Home in Upstate New York. It's beautiful.. 2700sf and is currently heated with a OIL boiler (lennox) the boiler system has some hot water radiators and a forced air blower. heats very well.. so well, I'm spending $400.00 a month heating the home.

my question, I would like to add a wood burning element ( I can get fire wood for free)..

is there a way to plumb in a wood boiler? I called "Maine wood furnaces" and the owner told me 'due to the EPA I can no longer sell these systems in the US"

This is crazy talk! I can hook up a wood Stove but not a wood boiler system?? what gives?

I would love to buy one of those 97% effect wood boilers. but, I don't have the 20K to spend on a boiler... maybe someday...

Is there a way I can turn my Oil boiler into a wood/oil combo? if not, what is the best (not most expensive) wood/oil combo boiler on the market ( MUST BE MADE IN AMERICA)

also, I am looking to convert the home to radiant in floor heat too... Thanks in advance to anyone who helps!

 

[Bad LP]

If I was only spending 400 a month I'd be very happy and wouldn't think about woodstoves, a boiler, storage, chainsaws, splitter and wood.

I was buying a tractor anyway so adding that into the wood isn't fair but the winch and chipper I'm thinking about clearly belongs in the "cost of wood heat" column.

I wouldn't trade my radiant floor heat for anything.

 

[peakbagger]

Yes you can plumb in a wood boiler but the important thing is you most likely cannot plumb in a non EPA compliant outdoor wood boiler that you probably have seen scattered around the country side. There were a bunch of manufacturers of OWBs that were selling incredibly inefficient OWBs that smoked the neighborhood out and thankfully many states banned them. They were relatively cheap and inhaled wood. Unfortunately an indoor EPA certified wood boiler is part of a larger system that includes a thermal storage tank and other extra controls. Assuming you have an available flue separate from the one you have on the oil boiler, optimistically you might get indoor wood boiler system installed for 20K. If you need a new chimney add a bunch more. Even if you do install a modern EPA wood boiler or even a new EPA wood stove you still have the problem that you need dry wood and unfortunately unless you find a very rare wood dealer, its about 10 to 1 that what they will sell you is wet or at best partially dried wood. You can search around and possibly install an older non EPA stove. It will let you struggle through with somewhat wetter wood albeit you will be burning more of it and you will be cleaning your chimney more often. Wood Oil combos have fallen out of favor, they are compromise and burn neither fuel well.

US built is tough most but not all wood boilers come from Europe. Might be worth calling Econoburn or visiting them since you are in New York http://www.econoburn.com/. They probably can get you up to speed on what you can and cant do as every state is different.

 

[1806StoneHomeNY]

If I was only spending 400 a month I'd be very happy and wouldn't think about woodstoves, a boiler, storage, chainsaws, splitter and wood.

I was buying a tractor anyway so adding that into the wood isn't fair but the winch and chipper I'm thinking about clearly belongs in the "cost of wood heat" column.

I wouldn't trade my radiant floor heat for anything.

Hello, thanks for the reply. I should mention i'm not living in this home and I have the heat set to 52* and it's still costing around 400.00 a month.. I have chainsaws, splitter, and a tractor.. I have been cutting wood for years off my fathers land.. it's just time and gas...

 

[1806StoneHomeNY]

Yes you can plumb in a wood boiler but the important thing is you most likely cannot plumb in a non EPA compliant outdoor wood boiler that you probably have seen scattered around the country side. There were a bunch of manufacturers of OWBs that were selling incredibly inefficient OWBs that smoked the neighborhood out and thankfully many states banned them. They were relatively cheap and inhaled wood. Unfortunately an indoor EPA certified wood boiler is part of a larger system that includes a thermal storage tank and other extra controls. Assuming you have an available flue separate from the one you have on the oil boiler, optimistically you might get indoor wood boiler system installed for 20K. If you need a new chimney add a bunch more. Even if you do install a modern EPA wood boiler or even a new EPA wood stove you still have the problem that you need dry wood and unfortunately unless you find a very rare wood dealer, its about 10 to 1 that what they will sell you is wet or at best partially dried wood. You can search around and possibly install an older non EPA stove. It will let you struggle through with somewhat wetter wood albeit you will be burning more of it and you will be cleaning your chimney more often. Wood Oil combos have fallen out of favor, they are compromise and burn neither fuel well.

US built is tough most but not all wood boilers come from Europe. Might be worth calling Econoburn or visiting them since you are in New York http://www.econoburn.com/. They probably can get you up to speed on what you can and cant do as every state is different.

Thank you! I'll look into Econoburn. i did call a local company and they are going to meet me Friday to talk about my options. They are also the contractor that originally installed the system in this home. I hear what your saying about the "wet wood".. i always stay one or more years ahead with my current wood stove and i always try to cut dead standing trees.. that helps a lot!

i do have an "extra' chimney.. it will need a new stainless steal liner. but, it could be used for the wood boilers flue.

Again, thank you for the information!

 

[airlina]

Definitely give Econoburn a call, they are located in Brockton, NY (near Dunkirk) and are great to deal with. I started with a factory tour years ago , then bought a 100 model from them and have been happy with my purchase and Econoburn's customer and tech support. I just loaded mine for the nightly burn. New York State is offering cash incentives to approved wood boiler installations and Econoburn participates in this program-check it out on their website, Good luck, Bruce Lina

 

[1806StoneHomeNY]

Definitely give Econoburn a call, they are located in Brockton, NY (near Dunkirk) and are great to deal with. I started with a factory tour years ago , then bought a 100 model from them and have been happy with my purchase and Econoburn's customer and tech support. I just loaded mine for the nightly burn. New York State is offering cash incentives to approved wood boiler installations and Econoburn participates in this program-check it out on their website, Good luck, Bruce Lina

I will do this.! Thanks again.

 

[wolfe64]

Thank you! I'll look into Econoburn. i did call a local company and they are going to meet me Friday to talk about my options. They are also the contractor that originally installed the system in this home. I hear what your saying about the "wet wood".. i always stay one or more years ahead with my current wood stove and i always try to cut dead standing trees.. that helps a lot!

i do have an "extra' chimney.. it will need a new stainless steal liner. but, it could be used for the wood boilers flue.

Again, thank you for the information!

Ask the dealer about the New York State Energy Research Development Agency (NYSERDA) wood heating program. Tax cedits for installation are available and Econoburn is an eliigable gasser.

 

[Bad LP]

Hello, thanks for the reply. I should mention i'm not living in this home and I have the heat set to 52* and it's still costing around 400.00 a month.. I have chainsaws, splitter, and a tractor.. I have been cutting wood for years off my fathers land.. it's just time and gas...

If you are not living there and only spending 400/mo that's a steal. Just paid a 637 LP bill for a house I stayed in 9 nights last billing cycle. When I'm there I burn as much wood as I can. The heat is turned down to 55-58 when we leave.