One Small Disadvantage of Outdoor Boiler

[fuelfarmer]

One small disadvantage of having your wood burning thingy outdoors is !6 inches of SNOW.

 

[hiker88]

I totally understand how rough it can be loading a boiler. This morning, when I was going to get my boiler going, I tripped over my cat and one of my slippers came off, causing me to spill my morning latte.

 

[bassJAM]

I can't imagine having to bundle up every time you need to start a fire or load wood. I'm very glad the house I bought has the stove in the basement, even then I find it a pain to put on slippers to go check it before going to bed

 

[fuelfarmer]

I am not complaining. I can start and stop the boiler with my phone. But I do have to get on my coat and hat with the long ear flaps to put chips in the bin every two or three days.

 

[stee6043]

6"?!! I don't think us poor souls in west Michigan even recognize 6" of snow anymore. I'm to the point this year that I don't even get my snow blower out unless we get more than 3-4". What a year....glad some of you others can get some of the white stuff. You can keep it! ha.

 

[lindnova]

You can come help me load the boiler at 10 pm with -18 actual temp, 40 MPH winds, -50 windchill, 2 ft drifts between the house and furnace. Then in the morning at 6am when it is -24. Only had several of those days this year!

Actually I don't think it is that bad. Slip on boots, jacket, hat, gloves, 2 minutes in the cold and back in. If no snow, use slippers. Last night it was a balmy 5 above with 20 mph winds. I didn't even put on a jacket. Unless you bring all your wood inside, still have to go outside to haul it in anyway.

It is all relative to what you are used to. Our bodies get used to the cold after a while. I have been out splitting this winter, with a face mask of course, in subzero temps. Snow - it is what it is we deal with it here. Maybe it will be warm enough sometime this winter to make a snowman with my son.

 

[PassionForFire&Water]

6" must be a typo.
Probably closer to 6'

Where is your wood boiler?
Is it under the snow or in the semi?

 

[BoilerMan]

Hmmmm, well there is over 3' of snow at the end of my driveway right now. It's blowing like crazy and we've had 3"/hr out of this storm. We decided to call it a snow day unless we get a no heat call or no power emergency.

It's 2:00 and the house is 71F inside, and I haven't even stepped outside yet today. Working on some house projects while my son sleeps.

All wood is quietly stacked and ready for the daily burn tonight. That wood has been inside in 35% relative humidity since October 2013. An advantage of indoor install and keeping a whole winter's worth of wood inside.

TS

 

[Fred61]

The weather here is CLEAR AND STILL. -- That's CLEAR up to your ass and STILL snowing. The National weather service just reported the official snow depth for this storm here at 20 inches.

Happy to have an indoor boiler

 

[heaterman]

The weather here is CLEAR AND STILL. -- That's CLEAR up to your ass and STILL snowing. The National weather service just reported the official snow depth for this storm here at 20 inches.

Happy to have an indoor boiler

That's hilarious!! Awesome even........

Around here it snows every day, either from a storm system blowing through or lake effect........although that will come to an end if the Big Lakes freeze over much more than they are.
Superior, believe it or not, is 95% ice covered!! Erie is nearly 100% ice while Huron and Michigan ar close to 80% last I heard.
Ontario we don't care about here because it's down wind.

Been running the Windhager now for about 1 year exactly and pellet consumption just hit 8 tons. Not bad for an old drafty (IE: well ventilated) house.
For what I can buy pellets for that figures out to about $1,300 total. Cheap heat even for a purebred Dutchman such as myself.

 

[fuelfarmer]

Yes that should read sixteen inches of snow. For those of us that live just a little north of the mid south that is a bunch of snow.

The boiler is the black box. If you lean a little to the left, and look past the feed tank leg you can see a smoke stack.

 

[velvetfoot]

It's a chip boiler?

 

[mike van]

I don't care how cold it is, how much snow, etc - It all beats the oilman pulling in the driveway and the bill in the mail two days later for over 1000.00 -

 

[fuelfarmer]

It's a chip boiler?

Yes, Wood chip and other biomass.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

The only thing that should be outside is the smoke. Edit: And the wood

 

[BoilerMan]

The only thing that should be outside is the smoke. Edit: And the wood

Just the smoke........Edit: And the snow!

TS

 

[maple1]

The only thing that should be outside is the smoke. Edit: And the wood

I'll take my wood inside, thanks.

I also realize some want everything outside, and for their own very good reasons - so I'm not going to tell them they're doing it wrong.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I'll take my wood inside, thanks.
I also realize some want everything outside, and for their ovn very good reasons - so I'm not going to tell them they're doing it wrong.

Agreed . As long as they are aware of the pros and cons its their decision. Thats where we come in,with the pros and cons.
Iv got a friend with an OWB. I dont even tell him directly that he may want to season his wood more than a few hours before he tosses it in the stove.

 

[BoilerMan]

Iv got a friend with an OWB. I dont even tell him directly that he may want to season his wood more than a few hours before he tosses it in the stove.

100% agree, to each their own in that respect. They will see the light on their own.....with time. And seeing how small our woodpiles are compaired to theirs!

TS

 

[flyingcow]

I can't imagine having to bundle up every time you need to start a fire or load wood. I'm very glad the house I bought has the stove in the basement, even then I find it a pain to put on slippers to go check it before going to bed

My routine is to start a fire when I get home at night, before i go inside the house. usually the kids or my self are going out again, and will feed the boiler if needed. But i will admit, a breezeway between house and garage would be nice.

 

[skfire]

100% agree, to each their own in that respect. They will see the light on their own.....with time. And seeing how small our woodpiles are compaired to theirs!

TS

My brother in law keeps his wood pile of half and full logs chilled under ice and snow before he boils them in his OWB.
He gets a triaxle load around Aug and he is ready for winter...it is customary to go out by his place for Xmas dinner and we load the boiler for boiling wood....no matter what I say or try to help I get the look.....this year he is out of the 12 cords, got hemlock from me and cherry from his neighbor, so now he is boiling that.
his call, his life but I will not help him change the door and chimney again this summer.