May change my mind about Gasser.

[steamfitter1]

Hey guys. I had picked out a Gasser and found a storage tank after reading tons of stuff on here and other places online. I will try to give as much info as possible. I am heating about 1750 sq ft of well insulated newer home in VA on 8 acres where the climate is much milder than where a lot of you are(and domestic water). Any way, I was talking to a guy at work today and told him what my plans were. Turns out that he is moving and bought an ncb80 and never installed it. He is asking $1700 for the boiler and a roll of insulated pex pipe that he can't remember the length. Would any of you jump on this deal? Should I just get the gasser which will cost me about 8k more since I would be building a bldg to house it and a lean to for wood? I know that many will say hell no! No smoke dragons! But I had to ask.

 

[woodsmaster]

Id be pretty tempted to go the cheap route too. If you do make sure the underground line is the good stuff and not the crappy wrapped stuff in a tile. if it's the cheap stuff sell it and buy some good thermopex, logstar, or do the foam in trench method. Don't expect it to last 20 years like a good gasser and be prepared to cut a little more wood.

 

[steamfitter1]

Thanks for responding. The pipe is the wrapped stuff in a drain tile. I am still undecided and he may sell before I make up my mind. How long should I expect the "cheap" one to last? I don't want to be replacing something in 5 years. I'm actually unsure if this unit is big enough. It seems that I would be at max capacity. I spoke to a mechanical engineer that designs a lot of our projects. He said that it would take 50k btus to heat my house

 

[maple1]

You will have to factor other personal type items in too, in order to decide.

e.g., you would save on the time & expense of building a boiler building - but you will also likely be using more wood, and all the wood will be outside in the snow & cold all winter.

 

[steamfitter1]

Very truly maple 1. That's exactly what I was looking for. Any reason to buy or not buy it because I'm on the fence with my decision. Honestly, it doesn't snow a ton where I am and when it does, it melts fairly quickly. We only get a few below zero mornings per year. And not too many days that the high doesn't break 32 degrees F.

 

[maple1]

Sounds like an OWB might be a bit overkill for your heat load - it might spend most of its time idling. Don't know much about the rest of your sitation or existing system though.

 

[steamfitter1]

I have 2 heat pumps. Electric bill in winter is about 450/month. A buddy of mine with same situation got an owb and his bill in winter has been about $70. He got a central boiler 4030

 

[Whitepine2]

I have 2 heat pumps. Electric bill in winter is about 450/month. A buddy of mine with same situation got an owb and his bill in winter has been about $70. He got a central boiler 4030

GO FOR THE GASSER I had one of the others lasted 5 years been running a P&M 250 for 5 years and just like new
just a little dirty and 1/3 the wood used. Love it but you might look into storage as it don't get that cold where you are
I find the colder it is the better it works with storage you would only need to fire it part time not really an option
for me where it's colder.

 

[woodsmaster]

a gasser with storage is awesome but where you live it would be hard to justify the price difference.

 

[Fred61]

A lot to consider here. I don't know much about heating in Virginia or if $450.00/month is high for heat pumps. I do know that the amount of insulation is not as important as having it installed properly. 50k btus is not much heat loss. My house calculates out at 45K but I only run my EKO 4 hours a day during the coldest part of the winter. That's saying that my heat loss is only 25 or 30K btus. With a gasser which is the more expensive choice and all the supporting plumbing would take 12 to 15 years to pay back. Going with the conventional boiler would only be a little less expensive if you still need to install the supporting plumbing and distribution. I would definitely have storage with either choice given your heat load. It would allow you to burn hot without extensive idling which would eliminate a muddy creosote mess.

My place was borderline when I first installed the EKO and after eight years it is approaching payback. It would have taken longer if I had to buy all my wood. In the eight years since installation I have super insulated and tightened up the place so much a gasser would be out of the question. It would take a lifetime to pay back over burning oil. Got room for a parlor stove?

 

[steamfitter1]

A lot to consider here. I don't know much about heating in Virginia or if $450.00/month is high for heat pumps. I do know that the amount of insulation is not as important as having it installed properly. 50k btus is not much heat loss. My house calculates out at 45K but I only run my EKO 4 hours a day during the coldest part of the winter. That's saying that my heat loss is only 25 or 30K btus. With a gasser which is the more expensive choice and all the supporting plumbing would take 12 to 15 years to pay back. Going with the conventional boiler would only be a little less expensive if you still need to install the supporting plumbing and distribution. I would definitely have storage with either choice given your heat load. It would allow you to burn hot without extensive idling which would eliminate a muddy creosote mess.

My place was borderline when I first installed the EKO and after eight years it is approaching payback. It would have taken longer if I had to buy all my wood. In the eight years since installation I have super insulated and tightened up the place so much a gasser would be out of the question. It would take a lifetime to pay back over burning oil. Got room for a parlor stove?

$450/mo is average. That's my whole electric bill. I do spend about $80/mo in propane because my wife likes the fireplace. (Gas logs)...She doesn't like the idea of a wood stove. More for the mess than anything. I also get free wood. One buddy owns an excavating company and another one a tree service.

 

[BoilerMan]

Buddy has tree service..........hmmm..... I'd go cheap OWB, but would still do storage either way. And dont use the wrapped pex, just sell that and go the ways mentioned above.

TS

 

[steamfitter1]

My buddy sold the Natures Comfort boiler to someone else upon my recommendation. I am now trying to figure out which system to go with. Lots of choices. But the idea of free wood to heat my home has got me pushing forward with this. I just had my excavator buddy drop me off a dump truck load of "free" oak logs. I will surely be doing some welding for him in the near future. Haha