Looking for Boiler in Ontario (recommendations)

[funbus]

Hi, title says it all. Looking for recommendations on products in my area, southern ontario.

Was looking at one from a company called Polar. Anyone have any thoughts on this setup?

(broken link removed to http://www.polarfurnace.com/my_folders/updraft_page/50279B_-_rev_2_-_Updraft.pdf)

I want:
-gassification, outdoor
-load twice per day max
-remove ash without letting cool
-easy maintenance
-hooks into my existing oil

 

[seymour]

the eko series are very eff. and super easy to maintain. but you will need storage

 

[henfruit]

Call Ted Kestor 613 349 9267 Vigas Dealer

 

[maple1]

Don't get hung up on buying a boiler locally. Or even in the same province. Or even the same country. This is one item where buying local could leave you with very limited choices.

 

[funbus]

Okay thanks for the suggestions folks. I'll look those up. So if I don't get hung up on local, what are some of the best brands? I've looked at Empyre but here bad things about Profab customer service. Portage and Main sound decent but I hear expensive. I guess my concern is having someone local to help with install.

 

[goosegunner]

Polar Furnace was Wood Doctor. If you google for Wood Doctor you should be able to find out all you want to know. From the things I have read I would research throughly and tread very cautiously.

gg

 

[goosegunner]

The link you posted is not a gasification boiler, same old design.

gg

 

[funbus]

Hey GG, thanks for the replies and the warning on Polar. Think I am going to go with Central Boiler. There is a CB dealer near me and I like what I read about them. I'm also no longer convinced I need to go with a gassifier. I'm thinking maybe just going with the classic model. Seems to be quite a bit cheaper. I'm not sure what the benefit of gassers are besides a bit of efficiency. I have an unlimited supply of wood so efficiency is not a great concern. Also I like that the classic can run a backup fuel.

Thanks everyone for the tips and the site in general for all the great posts I've read in the last week.

 

[cityboy172]

I'm going to collect the check from selling my classic central boiler tonight. After 7 years I decided that 14+ cord a year to heat my ~1,400 sq ft drafty old farm house is assonine. I will be doing an indoor gasifacation boiler, and believe I should be able to cut that number to under 10 cord for the season, hopefully less.

 

[funbus]

Whoa, that's a lot of wood.

 

[maple1]

I would not get an outdoor boiler. I would get an indoor gasifier, and put it in an outbuilding that would also be a shop and a woodshed that would hold my entire winters wood. And put storage in my house if at all possible - although some on here seem to have decent luck running some gassers without storage.

Do not underestimate the work that it will take in keeping that unlimited supply of wood fed into a traditional OWB - you will be doing that for the lifetime of the unit. Or someone else will have to if you can't.

 

[cityboy172]

Whoa, that's a lot of wood.

14 is my best estamate with as cold and windy as it was. By far the worst year in the 7 years I've been running. I know for a fact that in mid to late January it was a little over 2 face cord a week. Free wood is free wood, but that made me shake my head and re-evaluate what I had been doing. Just something to think about.

 

[henfruit]

I think you need some insulation.

 

[cityboy172]

I think you need some insulation.

Lol, it's the next on the list after the boiler. I think I'm going to replace the single pane windows also.

 

[Fi-Q]

Single pane windows, In ontario ! BBBRRRRR ! Do you have " winter ´´ single pane to add on ??

 

[cityboy172]

Single pane windows, In ontario ! BBBRRRRR ! Do you have " winter ´´ single pane to add on ??

Yeah, something like that. Most of the windows have storm windows that are still there / still work. Makes it better, but still sucks. Looking forward to the home upgrades. Honestly didn't think I would of been in this house still, or I would of done this stuff already.

 

[Woodfarmer1]

Polar Furnace was Wood Doctor. If you google for Wood Doctor you should be able to find out all you want to know. From the things I have read I would research throughly and tread very cautiously.

gg

For what it's worth, I have spoken to polar, they were never owned by wood doctor. The parent company had manufactured some boilers for wood doctor after previously manufacturing their own line of boilers. They also do custom manufacturing for other industries.

 

[Mushroom Man]

I live in S.E. Ontario and winters are cold here. My recommendation in response to your question is to get a gasifier even if you source it from afar. Your time is precious (perhaps your most precious resource). To spend twice as much of your time processing wood is foolish even if it is abundant on your property.

To have your boiler rot out prematurely (from being open-looped to the air) is unnecessary. A good well designed indoor gasser with storage is the modern alternative to old technology.

Gassers tend to be low maintenance items that seldom require repairs. A good dealer should be able to supply parts and advice as necessary if repair is needed.

As you age you will appreciate the gasser more and more as you enjoy the efficiency and save your precious time.

 

[heaterman]

I live in S.E. Ontario and winters are cold here. My recommendation in response to your question is to get a gasifier even if you source it from afar. Your time is precious (perhaps your most precious resource). To spend twice as much of your time processing wood is foolish even if it is abundant on your property.

To have your boiler rot out prematurely (from being open-looped to the air) is unnecessary. A good well designed indoor gasser with storage is the modern alternative to old technology.

Gassers tend to be low maintenance items that seldom require repairs. A good dealer should be able to supply parts and advice as necessary if repair is needed.

As you age you will appreciate the gasser more and more as you enjoy the efficiency and save your precious time.

^^^^^^^^ Ditto what he said. He speaks the truth. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[AaronM]

I'm in a similar position to the OP and will share what I can.

Spent last winter heating the farmhouse with a combo of wood stove and propane forced air. We all know what propane prices were like...lol. I'd like to avoid that this year if possible! The wood is cheap/free and plentiful, so figured a reasonable payback period for a new boiler.

-1800 sqft home - half 100+yr old farm house, half late 90's addition
- Add a rad to the furnace plenum - easy and the existing furnace has proven effective at heating the home
- Some sort of thermal storage in the basement
- Water heater integration

After reading this, I am seriously considering the indoor boiler in the garage setup. My wood is stored there anyway, so why not entertain a slightly cheaper unit (I suppose because they don't have an enclosure) that I can load in the insulated garage?

For an indoor, I've found the following in S.E. Ontario:

- Eko 40's available in Markdale (Durham). They sell product & supplies only, no installation offered
- Biasi 3Wood 7's available in Ariss (near Guelph). Again, they sell just the products needed, no install.
- Empyre Elite 100's available in Schomberg (toward Barrie). Same deal, no install.

Not sure on the rules for pricing or mentioning suppliers, so please feel free to PM me for what I've found.

What I can say is that the Empyre has an $800 rebate on for August and the Biasi with all installation equipment (furnace rad, insulated pex, valves, dumps, etc) cost about the same as just the boiler from Empyre or the EKO.

Unlike the OP, I'm a little apprehensive about the installation, handy as I may be, so I continue to read this amazing forum!!

Aaron

 

[maple1]

The Biasi isn't a gassifier - so keep that in mind. I was checking those out when I was looking too, but fortunately (I can say now) I kept looking.

I think of those 3 I might pick the Eko - but don't know what you're looking at for costs. The Elite was also on my short list - but it's an open boiler, and have also read a few bad stories on here since. Although there are also happy users.

I bought mine sight unseen from someone I had never talked to some 1500 miles away in another country. No regrets at all - it was at the end of my driveway before my bank draft got to him. Has been in operation just short of two full years with no issues (aside from one cracked refractory from a year and a half ago that I have done nothing about) - and pretty sure after looking up my flue again a couple weeks ago that my chimney cleaning days are over (haven't swept since before the install).

 

[AaronM]

Thanks Maple1 for this. I know the 3 boilers in question are all essentially different aside from the fact that they are ideal for the "in the wood shed" installation scenario. I think the OP was set on a gasser, eliminating the Biasi as you mentioned.

I guess what I struggle with is that though different, is any of them a better choice than the other? I absolutely feel like I'm buying a new car. While I would never recommend that someone buy a Jeep Compass/Patriot, I'm happy to drive mine and fix it regularly (it legitimizes my garage lol).

And you hit the nail on the head- cost is always a factor! Trying to get the best bang for the buck and the smallest payback period possible within reason. Ideally, I'd like to be up and running for under $10k.

Admins and Funbus, apologize if I'm hijacking this thread, will certainly start a fresh one if need be.

I'll have a look through your install thread and see what I can learn as well.

You had a Benjamin! There's a distributor about 30 mins from my house! Care to share your thoughts and experiences? As this classifies as and indoor boiler

 

[maple1]

Going private - for a couple reasons.

 

[GS7]

Okay thanks for the suggestions folks. I'll look those up. So if I don't get hung up on local, what are some of the best brands? I've looked at Empyre but here bad things about Profab customer service. Portage and Main sound decent but I hear expensive. I guess my concern is having someone local to help with install.

Pretty tough to top the Woodmaster Flex Fuel

 

[Woodfarmer1]

Don't waste your money on empyre