Suspending wood burner for several months

[Duckfoot]

Hi new member, been searching but can't find an answer to my question. I need to suspend using my wood burner for a few months and maybe indefinitely for the next few years.

I have major back issues and wood has been scarce because of this. Anyway, I have a central boiler with water setup and with hx that goes into the plenum to my propane forced air furnace. I can turn the propane on with no issues and use that.

My Woodstove guy said to just leave the pump circulate and the door solenoid should be disconnected. He said basically that the lp furnace will keep the water around 60-80 in the line, but I feel this is basically wasting propane as the hx will be basically cooling the air flowing through when the lp is on, if that makes sense.

My thought is to put a bypass for the furnace hx and just let the pump circulate. I can't see how running water can freeze and this would eliminate colder hx in cooling the lp air.

Does anybody have any input. I live in WI so it does get pretty darn cold. It is an open system so I don't think adding antifreeze is an option.

Again I may not even keep the using the boiler but would like to preserve the system without wasting too much energy.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Medic21]

I have to agree that would be a waste of propane. If it was mine I’d go with antifreeze.

 

[Duckfoot]

I have to agree that would be a waste of propane. If it was mine I’d go with antifreeze.

Not sure I can. I thought if it was an open system you couldn't???

 

[Medic21]

Not sure I can. I thought if it was an open system you couldn't???

(broken link removed)

 

[Duckfoot]

(broken link removed)

Thank you. I'm curious placing a bypass for the hx in the forced air plenum will allow me to just continue to circulate water without fear of freezing So long as I keep the circulating pump on. I'd like to use antifreeze as a last option.

 

[Medic21]

Thank you. I'm curious placing a bypass for the hx in the forced air plenum will allow me to just continue to circulate water without fear of freezing So long as I keep the circulating pump on. I'd like to use antifreeze as a last option.

If your line set is good quality I don’t see how it would pick up enough heat from to keep from freezing. May ask Central Boiler customer service but, I would think draining and blowing out the lines in cold weather then filling it in the summer to keep corrosion down would be a better plan than nothing.

 

[Marshy]

I'd say you stand a good chance of freezing IMO. I would consider adding glycol. You might only need a 20% concentration or so to get protection down to 0F. That's all a guess but I'm sure there is info out there to help. Idk what it cost but if you are hanging it up for more than one year I would consider the cost over the whole duration not what it costs just today. Compare then glycol cost vs repairing a line or water jacket.

 

[warno]

I'm going to agree with everyone else saying that freezing is definitely a possibility. There's been pictures posted here of Niagara Falls frozen over. So it's not always true that flowing water won't freeze. If you are not putting heat into the water it will likely continue to lose heat as it flows through the loop. Might be slow but might be enough to let it start freezing as well.

I would suggest draining and blowing the lines clear for this winter and refill in spring. Or use the glycol antifreeze and leave it full.

 

[maple1]

Sometimes redundancy is a very good thing. This sounds like one of those times.

I would either drain everything, or add the glycol. Most likely glycol. The glycol will likely be pricey but I don't really know for sure as I haven't had to buy it. If you drain everything, you will need to be absolutely sure you get all the water out of everything. If anything is left in the lines, they will likely freeze. And there would also be the added threat of corrosion happening on the insides of the empty boiler. If this turns into multiple years, that likelyhood increases. With glycol & treatment, it should be good for as long as it needs to be. Then you could also circulate it once in a while to keep your pumps up to snuff too. If you rely only on the circulator running, I could see a freeze up happening. Especially if you don't pull some heat out of the house with it. But if your underground isn't the good stuff (Thermopex), that could turn even more pricey & impact your house heating some. And maybe still leave a chance of freezing. If that circulator stops running for whatever reason and maybe not even for very long, that could be the end of things.

 

[salecker]

I would drain and sell the Central Boiler...if you can
Then in a few years if your back is up to it,get a gasification wood boiler and give your back the break it deserves,by not having to burn as much wood.
Just my .05c

 

[maple1]

^Good point. Having it sit unused for a few years certainly won't see it appreciate in value. Or condition.

 

[Duckfoot]

Well I decided to just order wood and use the owb. My boiler guy said 2500 to put antifreeze in and he wouldn't guarantee anything from the lines to corrosion, etc. thanks for the teplies