choices of cost saving heat alternatives

cybil

Hi....I am currently heating with hot water baseboard oil heat. I need some input or rather ideas (wiser than my own). I am wondering which, if any, would be the most economical option over the long haul. (1.) an outdoor wood boiler (2.) a new inside wood/coal boiler and new (separate chimney brick or prefab?) (3.) A wood stove with prefab chimney installed set in a smallish room with fans for circulation. I will need to install a different flu from the oil furnace if I do not wish to remove it (which I don't). Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thank you.

Steamhead

First thing I'd do

is get a pro to evaluate your current system. Wood, coal or any form of solid fuel takes a LOT of work, and you have to figure that into the equation.



Have your pro do a heat-loss calculation- it's possible, even probable, your current boiler is oversized. Many are. A smaller boiler will use less fuel.



You also might want to have an energy audit done. If areas with no insulation are found, I'd fix these first. That would reduce the heat loss and amount of fuel needed still further. If at that point you still want to go with wood, you can get a smaller wood-burner.



For the hot-water system, you'll want to add an outdoor-reset control. This will save fuel by limiting the water temperature on milder days. You don't need to heat your boiler to 180 degrees if it's 52 degrees outside.



If you have an electric heater for your hot faucet water, you can save money and get more hot water by adding an indirect tank to your boiler. The cost per BTU of oil is much less than electricity.

Al Letellier_21

alternatives

Good advice from Steamhead as usual but I want to add my two cents worth. Think long and hard before doing anything with solid fuel. The main issue is what to do with the heat you generate when the demand is met. Solid fuel units burn fuel even after they meet the demand and it just doens't make sense to this old, French (yes, I can make fun of myself) heating guy. In my book, heat needed, burner on...no heat needed, burner off. Buy the most efficient boiler you can afford and carefully compare fuel sources (if you have a choice). Outdoor wood boilers require alot of attention and maintenance. I have investigated 8 destroyed outdoor boilers this winter here in the northeast......they are unique animals and I think are headed for stricter rules and regulations.

Good luck

Robert_25

Two words...coal stoker

Unless you really enjoying cutting and splitting mountains of firewood, forget an outdoor woodboiler.  They are terribly inefficient, smokey, and require frequent attention.



If you live in the Northeast I would start doing some research to see if anthracite coal is available in your area.  Despite what the common person thinks, anthracite burns with zero smoke, low emissions, and is very economical compared to fuel oil or propane. 



I have an EFM (Electric Furnace Man) stoker boiler in my home, and I think it is the best investment I have made to date.  The EFM boilers are ASME stamped, built like tanks, and the stoker is simple in operation.  The beauty of a stoker is that when there is no call for heat, the unit just "sleeps" and occasionally runs off a timer to stay burning.  My EFM idles at 150 degrees during the day, and my daily maintenance consists of changing the ash tub...about 2 minutes.  Here is a video to show you what an EFM looks like in operation:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hW65fisK1I&feature=player_profilepage



Other stoker boiler manufacturers include Keystoker, Axeman Anderson, Alternate Heating Systems, Leisure Line, and a few others.