Need some guidance as to wood boiler or add-on furnace

[Mauk12]

I am in the middle of an extensive remodel, and had planned on putting in a psg caddy...(than I found this form). My house is 1350 on the main floor with 1000 square foot basement. I have the perfect place to install a wood furnace next to my lip furnace. I have access to wood as I have plenty in the yard to clean up. I also have a small shop about 100 ft from my house, it's just a hobby shop but would be nice to put heat in.

This is where I'm hung up on if I should continue with my plan to install a caddy or explore the avenue of an outdoor wood boiler. Does anyone on here have any experience with both? Cost is an issue for me how much will it cost for the wood boiler all said and done? What are the pros and cons to an outdoor wood boiler?

How far can you run lines to the house?

Can you heat two buildings with one boiler?

Can you turn heat off to the shop when you want ?

 

[STIHLY DAN]

You can heat 2 buildings, you can shut off, regulate either one. You can go a long distance, but pipe sizing is a must.

If you go the furnace route look up Kuuma Vaporfire 100, best on the market built right in your state.

 

[brenndatomu]

What stihly said ^^^! And you'll need a whole heck of lot more than just yard clean up to keep up with feeding an outdoor boiler. 'Less you have 'bout a 50 acre yard! OWB is a pretty substantial financial and firewood production commitment. If you do go that route though, DON'T cheap out on the lines! Don't do it, you WILL regret, sooner or later.

 

[maple1]

Just how big of an issue is cost?

If you figure $20/foot for underground lines for starters - what does that do for your thinking?

 

[Mauk12]

Just how big of an issue is cost?

If you figure $20/foot for underground lines for starters - what does that do for your thinking?

Now that I've done more research(sigh) it seems that I can't find an insurance company that will cover an add on furnace. So I had a dealer for central boiler stop by today and very thoroughly explained to me how the system would work. I think I have a fairly good idea what I'm up against, (I've said this before lol). He has me interested in there 5036 model because you can burn large pieces and don't have to worry as much about moisture as in the beginning I won't have much for seasoned wood. He suggested I install the plenum in my LP furnace and heat through ductwork, and than continue on to my water heater. Than run the other pump outlet to my shop and over to my garage for hydronic heat in the floor(which is in the next few year plan). The boiler would only need 55' of underground to the house and about 15' to my shop. At a later date I can run to garage floor (about 80').

Questions I have ??

Are central boilers the way to go?? Keep in mind my dealer lives 2 miles away and stocks all components.

Would you spend the extra coin and install rads or run loops in the floor joists before I reinstall my basement ceiling?

I see a lot of you state you have a lot of water storage on your boiler systems, and CB model 5036 only stores 196 gallons, is this a pro or a con?

 

[mech644]

Storage is typically used to allow batch burning: light the fire and let the boil run at it's hottest and most efficient until the wood is gone, the btu's not consumed for heating the zones get stored in the tank. Fairly simplistic description but thats the crux of it.
I suppose you could utilize storage with a CB, but that is not really what they are designed for. The CB will have a circ running 24/7 so you would have to incorporate controls/valves to isolate that loop from the storage when the fire cools down.
I would spend some time defining your goals for a heating system: max efficiency from the fuel? minimum wood handling? boiler must be outside or can it be in the basement? what is your budget? if going with an OWB do you see yourself handling 7+ cords of wood annually? how will you feel about having to get leaks in an OWB welded after 10 to 15 years of use (better then average chance any unpressurized boiler will suffer corrosion, can't fight physics), a gasification boiler is definitely more efficient but compared to OWB they require a higher degree of fuel quality (DRY WOOD) and operation skill, ultimate performance is highly dependent on how the entire system is integrated.
Touting the ability burn wet wood as a selling point is kind of regressive. If the goal of burning wood is lower heating costs and stay off the petro crack pipe then wouldn't one want to get as much energy out of each stick of wood as possible? Using up +30% of the available energy to boil off water is not efficient.

Not sure if any of this has answered any of your questions, but this forum is loaded with good sound information and great people willing to help understand it.

 

[maple1]

How much wood do you want to process & prepare every year?

If 12 cords doesn't scare you off - the OWB might be your option. Did you get a price?

 

[JP11]

No matter what the salesman will say.. Water does not burn!

To simplify the physics.. You must first steam the water out of the wood to burn it - All that energy is wasted energy NOT going into the hot water to heat your home.

Keep reading. Lots of good info on here.

 

[lexybird]

Well You better love to cut stack and split wood if you want a boiler .. And love trudging in sub zero blizzards to keep it well fed ..Some of those cb and hardy owners in a cold snap can burn a full 4x4x8 cord of wood in one week ! The caddy would be so much more ideal 3 grand versus 10 grand and a third of the woodusage Your house is not big enough to even warrant an owb when a high tech furnace should easily accomplish this id hunt for different insurance and keep. Searching for coverage