IWB without storage

[maplewoodshelby]

Fellows, Thanks for the information from previous posts. It has me thinking more about an IWB then the OWB. Few more questions
Looking at the boilers I would most likely get mine from New Horizon in Sutton WV.
They carry two models that would fit in my installation area the BIOMASS and the ATTACK DP. The Econoburn would also fit and Tarm is an option but further research will be needed to find dealer.
My plan at this point would be to run the boiler much like a regular woodstove without storage and adding wood throughout the day. As I learn more about the boiler and get storage get that hooked up at a later time. Does anyone see any problems with the above models running without storage? I have 4000 sg feet with high ceilings, lots of windows and will be heated with hydronic baseboards.
I have a propane boiler running that system right now. The guy at New Horizon told me to just hook the new wood boiler into the propane boiler. The propane boiler is in a 10 X 10 ft room attached to the garage which is attached to the house. There is one chimney in this room that the propane boiler is hooked up to. The new wood boiler would have to utilize this chimney (or build another one which i don't want to do) I have no future plans to use propane because of the cost. Should I just get rid of the propane boiler and plumb in the wood boiler in its place.

 

[Fi-Q]

I'm a newbie to this site... and don't know much about boiler for now.... but If I were you, I would keep the propane boiler as a back-up. If ever you have to leave the house, or if you get sick... what ever happen... I think it's always smart to rely on more than 1 heating system... just in case......

 

[Piker]

Getting rid of the propane boiler is a matter of personal choice. I don't have anything but the Econoburn set up. If I decided to go on vacation during the winter, I will be bribing someone to tend the wood boiler for me. If you don't plan on using the propane at all... I woudl still keep the propane boiler, just disconnect it from the stack if you are worried about codes. If you decide to leave for a week, it wouldn't take too long to disconnect the wood boiler and hook the propane up again temporarily. Just a thought. Also, some municipalities will allow you to hook two different fuels into the same chimney as long as you can prove that both can't be running at the same time via your control setup. You may have issues with draft control at that point... the Econoburn requires very little draft. .02 to .05.

I can't speak specifically for the other models you mentioned... but the Econoburn does not require thermal storage. It's definitely a bonus for ease of use, but not required. In fact, if you are using baseboard, you would probably have to add some radiation to the house if you wanted to use thermal storage because storage requires the use of cooler water temps. Our EBW200 is heating 3700 sq feet with 28 windows and doors... no storage this last season... not a problem getting 12 hours with GOOD firewood on the coldest day.

Edit to add that we also have high ceilings. family room is 18x30 with 17' square cathedral ceilings.

Good luck

cheers

 

[LeonMSPT]

If you live in a cold climate, and why would you want a wood boiler if you didn't, your insurance company will drop you like a rock if you don't have a reliable back-up to the wood boiler.

What if you get sick, hurt, disabled, leave on vacation or business, and can't feed the wood boiler?

Give you a hint... involves about twenty thousand dollars or so in water damage and another thirty or so thousand to redo the entire plumbing system in your house...

Just hook them up and parallel or series, whichever makes you happy, and burn, baby, burn.

Keep the chimney and connector pipes clean and hook it up just like the directions say.

Fellows, Thanks for the information from previous posts. It has me thinking more about an IWB then the OWB. Few more questions
Looking at the boilers I would most likely get mine from New Horizon in Sutton WV.
They carry two models that would fit in my installation area the BIOMASS and the ATTACK DP. The Econoburn would also fit and Tarm is an option but further research will be needed to find dealer.
My plan at this point would be to run the boiler much like a regular woodstove without storage and adding wood throughout the day. As I learn more about the boiler and get storage get that hooked up at a later time. Does anyone see any problems with the above models running without storage? I have 4000 sg feet with high ceilings, lots of windows and will be heated with hydronic baseboards.
I have a propane boiler running that system right now. The guy at New Horizon told me to just hook the new wood boiler into the propane boiler. The propane boiler is in a 10 X 10 ft room attached to the garage which is attached to the house. There is one chimney in this room that the propane boiler is hooked up to. The new wood boiler would have to utilize this chimney (or build another one which i don't want to do) I have no future plans to use propane because of the cost. Should I just get rid of the propane boiler and plumb in the wood boiler in its place.

 

[maplewoodshelby]

thanks for the info. I failed to mention that I do have a heat pump and Gas insert fireplace in other parts of the house. Neither one can heat this house comfortably alone but they would provide backup to keep things from freezing up. Hence my reason for throwing the propane boiler out the door.

 

[Birdman]

Keep your propane boiler. I hooked up a Tarm 40 in November. Love it. Best decision I have ever made. It is hooked up in series with my original oil boiler. All hot water system. However... if i could do it all over again... I would hook it up in the Primary -Secondary instead of series way. only burned about 30 gallons of oil this year... house at 70 t... big cathedral area too.. little over 2000 sq ft.

 

[Piker]

If you live in a cold climate, and why would you want a wood boiler if you didn't, your insurance company will drop you like a rock if you don't have a reliable back-up to the wood boiler.

This is a very good point. I would add that your insurance company might not drop you altogether though... they just wouldn't pay for damage caused because you don't have a backup. At least that's what my agent told me. I suppose different insurance companies have different rules. We have a big family, so no problem getting someone to feed the boiler if something comes up.

It looks like you already have a "backup" in the house even though it's not ideal. If it will keep things from freezing, I would can the propane boiler. Just my $.02.

cheers

 

[Hankovitch]

I recommend calling your insurance company.
I'll bet it's not nearly as bad as some have made conjecture about.
Let's look at this scenario accurately.
If you have a modern heating system which utilizes a thermostat, then when you have a power outage - none of them will work.
No power to the thermostat, no power to the glow plug, no ignition of the propane or fuel oil, no power for the fan if you have forced hot air, and/or no power to the pumps to circulate water if you have radiators or in-floor radiant heat.
So, what to do?
Simple....
Spend several hundred dollars to a maximum of a kilobuck, and to do the following:
(A) Purchase a gasoline-powered generator,
(B) Get a LONG, heavy-duty extension cord so you can have that generator outside (you don't want Carbon Monoxide fumes inside the house) and run the power from generator to the house,
(C) Have a hook up with hand-thrown switch to disconnect power from the grid and simultaneously connect to the generator (you don't want the lineman for the power company to get a jolt when he reconnects you to the grid!)
(D) Spend an hour with a group of friends in the house while you determine exactly which circuit breakers power what...............
so when the power goes out you simply leave ON the circuit breakers for essential items (all heating system circuits, and perhaps your refrigerator and freezer), and flip off the rest.
Then wait comfortably, reassuredly for the power outage you HOPE never comes!
Sincerely,

Hankovitch in SW Wisconsin.... Been heating a 2,000 sq ft, 125 year old farm house (with NO insulation) for 5 years with an Empyre 450 OWB, and anxiously anticipating the barn-to-home conversion and thus retirement of the Empyre and fire-up of a GARN 2000.

 

[oldmilwaukee]

I don't know about those brands, but the Tarm Solo 40 can operate without storage until you add it at a later date (if at all). I was going to add storage next year (my second season), but due to my experience this first season, I'm now thinking I can do without storage. Storage allows you to up-size to a bigger boiler, which allows you to load more wood at a time, less frequently. If you can be home to load the boiler in the middle of the day, you can use a smaller unit without storage... indefinitely. And if you've already got it, I would keep the propane hooked up as a backup... why would you ever regret that decision vs. the decision to get rid of it?

 

[maplewoodshelby]

How often must you load your stove? Do you have to get up in the middle of the night when it is very cold outside