Best Of

I am happy to propose some compromises to the client, I'm grateful for the suggestions. The client would not like to have any electricity powering anything in their main buildings.

I will certainly need assistance with developing the heating options, and presenting the implications of one system over another. Understood on the issues with this being a non-standard request by the client; all my research led me here, and this seems that the HeatingHelp community would be one of the only out there to steer me in the right direction.

Since the client will be heating with wood, should a gravity furnace be considered as well as steam and hot water?

Yes, we will be considering very thick, highly insulated walls. The Euro tilt windows I am aware of are Zola, Innotech, EuroLine, WASCO and EAS. Are there any others that should be considered?

Based on our preliminary research it seems that this will be the best options. However, we were wondering if a gravity furnace(s) would also be something worth considering. Are there any reasons why a furnace wouldn't work?

The facility will consist of two main buildings, each around 11,000SF.

Hello Jamie,

Thank you for your interest and thoughtful questions.

There will be electricity available on site; however, the client has provided specific instructions that they will not use it within their main building. This aligns with their religious charism, which is similar to that of the Amish (though they are not Amish). As a result, they are seeking a purely gravity-driven flow system with hand firing. They are aware of the challenges this presents and do not expect modern temperature control—internal temperatures of around 50°F in the dead of winter would be acceptable to them.

Honestly a Passive-haus design may be easier.

Super thick walls Top notch euro tilt/ swing windows.

Barely need to heat it w/ much at all…. maybe just some candles.

I immediately thought of a post apocalypse compound with very few parts. Efficiency takes a back seat to simplicity, durability and ease of repair. Steam vs gravity in a no parts store world. The sun and wood.

Also, are you planning on insuring this building? Around me insurance companies won't insure a building unless it has a thermostatic-controlled heating system, and won't insure anything that burns solid fuel (wood or coal).

Being off-grid is a romantic notion but there are a lot of practical details to work through.

Hand fired steam boilers are, of course, perfectly possible — had them for years! Still do, on some heritage trains. But… either you have rather simple mechanical draught controls or you have a fireman. And the draught controls are not all that easy to find these days, since I doubt that anyone has made them for a century or so…

Another question. How big is this structure? Or is it multiple buildings?

@delcrossv in theory steam would be an economical way to get the job done… But where will the builder find qualified steamfitters who can install that system properly at a reasonable cost in "the mountain states"?

That's why steam came to mind. Especially if it's no electricity at all. Smaller piping.