Efficient,practicle,simple wood boiler

Mike Thomas_2

Wood boilers are not simple, and are never efficient. Unless you want to spend a lot of money on large storage systems to store the heat it can produce, (usually several thousand gallons of water),and then spend more money on control systems, to use that stored energy. My advice, take the time and money you are thinking of spending on a wood boiler and cutting, stacking and stoking all that wood, and spend it on improving the energy efficiency of your home and current or new heating system.

Rich Johnson

Practical,efficient and simple wood boiler

I am looking for the most practical,efficient and simple wood fired boiler. The wood boiler would be an add-on to my existing natural gas,126,000Btuh system. What are your opinions on advantages or disadvantages of this type of system. Any comments on the H S Tarm wood gasification wood boiler?

jim post

Tarm experience (1st year)

I had a Tarm Solo Plus 30 set in my garage last summer...I don't have heat storage...piped it into the existing lp boilers piping which serves 3 zones of HW baseboard...also provides DHW though a heat exchanger on my electric hot water heater. WE load the wood boiler approx. 3 times every 24hours depending on outside temps. I have been happy with the results...last night it was 12 below zero and our 60s vintage ranch held steady at 70 degrees...and our garage was in the 40s this am(we used to keep the house at 62 before the tarm just to save $$ on lp).

I've heard people say heating with wood is a "lifestyle". I agree...there is alot that goes into it. For me it's scrounging, hauling, splitting, stacking, hauling, restacking inside, and loading wood. Then there is the fire tending, ash removal and chimney cleaning. Adds up to a pretty big investment of time in addition to the purchase price. Beyond that, there is the "screw this up and your house burns down" voice that takes up residence in your head when you light that first match...okay maybe that last part is just me. :-)

my two cents anyway,

jp

hr

an expensive sport

sometimes.

When you add the cost of the equipment, tie in to current system, return protection method, buffer, dump zone, all fuel vent material, combustion air, insurance premium increase, etc.

Not all homeowners are a good marriage potential with wood heat, I've found. They like to load once a day, flip a switch and be forever warm. Overheating in my somewhat mild climate is the biggest problem. Folks jam them full of wood regardless of the outdoor temperature or weather forcast. Or leave the door open or unlatched.

Screen your customers very carefully. Give them a fire starting, pratical exam. Check and see if they have campfire merit badges You'd be surprised how many people have little to no fire starting and maintaining skills.

I'd like to "uninstall" a couple of the wood burners I have sold over the years

That being said, I love my wood gasification boiler. Paired to a 500 gallon buffer, injection mixing, and a variable speed inducer, it purrs like a kitten. It has taken a few years and a couple revisions to get to this point As long as I can physically cut, split, haul and ignite, I will be a woodburner.

hot rod

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