Outdoor wood furnaces, what are the good ones?

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I am looking at installing an outdoor wood furnace and was wandering what are the good ones, which ones to stay away from, things to watch out for, and must have features on the furnace. I will be connecting the furnace to an existing (new) forced air gas furnace. I will be using the wood furnace for my primary heat and have the gas as a backup and fall/spring use. We have a 2100 sq ft home that has 10 ft ceilings. Also, I would like to find one that doesn't smoke like a steam engine. I know it will smoke some, but are there ways of firing it, specific wood to burn, specific model or brand of furnace, or any other trick that helps cut down on the smoke. I have looked at Central Boiler, Heatmor, and a couple of others. Any pro's or con's on each model or manufacturer would be greatly appreciated.

-- David Hoff (David_Hoff@hill-rom.com), March 08, 2001

Answers

David, I am curious about your choice of an outdoor wood furnace in the first place. I had never seen them until we moved here to NW Minn a couple of years ago. I know they must have great advantages; but I can't imagine going outside to fill the furnace when it is so cold. Our Ashley woodstove in the basement sure works well. Thanks Cynthia

-- Cynthia Speer (farmsteader@gvtel.com), March 08, 2001.

David! In my opinion you've already seen the best. Central Boiler is the Cadalliac of all wood burners. I sell'm and haven't found anything else that comes close in comparison. If I did--I'd sell them! I'm not too loyal to any manufacturer if their product is not what I think it should be. Central Boiler's product actually is better than what they advertise! Thats hard to find nowadays. They will work fine with you're present setup. The small one [cl4436] is all that you'd need. Load'n them about once every 3 or 4 days is awful hard to beat.

I've seen the competition and they just don't compare to the Classic! Email me for more info if you want or check their website at www.centralboiler.com. hoot. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), March 08, 2001.


I second what Hoot says. We have had our Central for 7 years and they're great. As for the type of wood, well, I guess the experts would have to tell you that. This lady doesn't know much about wood!

-- Ardie from WI (a6203@hotmail.com), March 08, 2001.

Hey Ardie: How much space do you heat? and how much wood did you use this winter?

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), March 08, 2001.

We reaearched them for our house in WI, and figured you get what you pay for - the more expensive stainless, airtight models look great. We opted not to get one in the end because 1) if the power goes out your heat goes out and 2) they don't run on "low" if you only want a little heat for a short time. As for wood - if you burn solid, dry, seasoned hardwood the smoke should not bother you. Burn hickory or cherry and you might even like it!

-- David C (fleece@eritter.net), March 09, 2001.


Okay, I asked my husband about John's question. We have a huge old farmhouse and we only heat the downstairs. We don't know the footage. The upstairs is storage and my sewing room. This year we've used 1/2 to 3/4 of 10 cords of logs. It has been a relatively mild winter. About losing heat when the power goes out, you will lose it if you have gas or even a corn stove as it is needed. Also,if you only want a little heat, you put in a little wood. I used to hate the smell of wood smoke. Funny how our tastes change, huh! God bless!

-- Ardie from WI (a6203@hotmail.com), March 09, 2001.

Thanks Ardie. We've got a Johnson energy converter and I'm not thrilled with it. The reason I got it was because they claimed it used less wood. Yeah, right, in the summertime maybe. This year we burned up a whole semi-load of oak slab wood(translate to 10-12 cords) and we ran out of wood about two weeks ago. I shut the boiler down and drained it and we're finishing the winter off with the earth stove.

The good news is that when its burning it burns really clean, practically no smoke. When I look into the "volcanic combuster" the flame is blue. It heats 180 gallons of water.

Hoot, how much water does the model you mentioned heat?

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), March 09, 2001.


We have a Taylor water stove, this is the second year with it, they do use up some wood but we are quite happy with it. We get hard wood scraps from the lumber mill at 20 $/pick-up load, cheap heat & hot water, we use alot of hot water with 4 small kids, winters are not to severe in central Virginia.

-- Bruce burdge (comfreybruce@richmond.com), March 09, 2001.

david there are many types of outdoor stoves I sell a forced air unit prices start at 2,375.00 I also sell a hot water unit that is stainless steel and has a large door prices start at 4,200.00 thanks micah at mblb@mhtc.net

-- micah bahr (mblb@mhtc.net), April 11, 2001.

David, the Central Boiler blows the competition away! I studied them all, their firebox is by far the most efficient, low maintanence design. Burns less wood, less filling! I love it!

-- Jeff Hanson (jhansons@hotmail.com), June 15, 2001.


Dave, I have researched numerous stoves, and visited a few facilities, I opted to go with the Central Boiler "Classic" stove. You know the saying "you get what you pay for" is 100% true! This is without a doubt the very best stove on the market---- in every aspect! The people there are professional and fun to work with. Many other reps for other manufacturers, don't know their butt from page 9, or all they do is slander the competition. I hate dealing with those idiots. Buy a Central Boiler--- you'll be glad you did!! bkb

-- bob k brenley (bkb@spacestar.net), August 01, 2001.

I'm in the process of looking for a ourdoor woodstove to heat our home and the hot water. I would like to hear from anybody who has a Central Boiler or an Empyre. I live in northern Wi. not far from the worlds biggest air conditioner {Lake Superior}. The Central Boiler is made in MN. and the Empyre is made in Canada. I would really appreciate any info on either one or if anyone knows of a better wood burner.

-- Dan Deardorff (danandmary@centurytel.net), October 28, 2001.

In reply to all the Central Boiler Fans, is it stainless steel? How do you clean out the ashes? Have you read your warranty? (If so then read it again and then throw it in your classic because that is what it is worth)

In reply to the question, buy a HEATMOR. They are by far the best built and best warranted unit on the market>

-- Bill Blackmer (zrsnowman@surferie.net), December 18, 2001.


I am also looking for a wood-fired boiler system, and I've looked at some of the systems mentioned. Our home is about 3000 sq ft on two floors, and we currently use a wood stove in the basement which provides radiant heat. Our house is 20 years old, and our thought was to remove the old wood stove, put in a heat exchange unit with a blower in the basement with the heat distributed through a ducting system in the ceiling downstairs to vent both up and downstairs rooms. How reliable are they in cold weather (i.e. -40 or worse?) and do you still require backup heating? How much wood (cords) would you use for heating a house of that size? Does it produce alot of heat around the heat exchange unit, or does it stay cool externally? Also, we have a pool and a hot tub, hot water tank and some outbuildings on our farm that we'd like to heat using heat exchangers - is it worth the add'l cost? We're in central British Columbia - I've been told that this technology is just starting to make inroads here but has been used for many years in the eastern provinces and prairies. If anyone has suggestions or comments we'd love to hear from you before we make this investment. If it's just a big smoke machine that wouldn't impress me much, and I want to make sure that for the cost I can efficiently heat the house as well as the other things mentioned. If they aren't efficient, I don't want to waste my time and money putting heat exchangers in place, and I could probably get by with a smaller boiler unit. Your input would be much appreciated - we have to replace our existing system in summer of 2002.

-- LaVerne MacDougall (klmac@telus.net), January 02, 2002.

Hey David, I use to sell central Boiler and I retired. They are GREAT!!! I couldn't have asked for anything better other than I didn't get one for myself. But now I am ready to buy one and it is the only one I will buy.There is no perk here when I say this. What they offer is true.

-- Pam Russell (blkcat_1969s@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.


I bought an Canadian built EMPYRE stove made by Coseburn and it has been great. Keeps us toasty and plenty of hot water too. Seemed just like the Central Boiler only less expensive. This is my second winter and it has been flawless.

Bob O'Neill

-- Bob O'Neill (roneill1@aol.com), February 28, 2002.


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