Building a new house what wood burner is best

[wise8706]

I have about $6500 in my OWB and it came with a twenty year warranty, most people I know with the same unit gets around 30 out of them before they need reworking. I don't really process wood I just cut about 6 cords a year and pile it up.

I get that OWB's aren't for everyone and that's cool but it seems that a lot of people just post outright false hoods about them compared to my experience. My boiler is durable, affordable, and safe. It will keep my whole house evenly heated as hot as I want it and heats my hot water for about $60 a month. If I get to old one day to cut wood I'll buy it. It will still be cheaper than burning gas. I figure if a person gets to feeble to load an OWB they will be to feeble to cut, split and stack 18 years worth of fire wood only to have to pick it up again 2 years down the road when it's dry and move it once again into the house, pick the wood up again and move it into the heater, clean up the mess the wood leaves behind, then build a new house after there wood stove burns their old one down......[emoji28]

Oh and I load my heater in the winter about every 15-16 hours, in the summer (DHW) about once every three days.

Agreed!!!

 

[H-Ranch]

Just to prove to yourself you can, next winter load the boiler in your shower shorts for a week and prove all us indoor snobs wrong. Heck, I've loaded my stove in the buff a time or two. Dare.....

As long as you dare to prove that you can go a week in the middle of winter loading your woodstove only one time per day. I bet you'll be wearing a lot more than shower shorts in your cold house.

If I was building a new house I probably would not go OWB. That sucker would have enough insulation you could heat it with a candle. But... in the dream house I'm living it the OWB is the perfect solution. This is not a one-size-fits-all question though.

 

[7sleeper]

What I find funny is the resistance to gasifiers here im forum. The principle for me is easy, if I can get ~1000°C = ~1800°F or only ~800°C=~1400°F from the same wood, wouldn't it be niecer to need less wood for the same amount of energy?

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[NSMaple1]

What I find funny is the resistance to gasifiers here im forum. The principle for me is easy, if I can get ~1000°C = ~1800°F or only ~800°C=~1400°F from the same wood, wouldn't it be niecer to need less wood for the same amount of energy?

7

Yep.

I also haven't had to clean my chimney in the 4 years I've had mine, and it doesn't smoke.

 

[blakey]

I can't get rid of my owb, it would mess up my dog's routine.

 

[cuinrearview]

As long as you dare to prove that you can go a week in the middle of winter loading your woodstove only one time per day. I bet you'll be wearing a lot more than shower shorts in your cold house.

Wouldn't happen. Load a few sticks three times a day.

But then again, when the wood is right here it's really not an issue clothed or otherwise. And if we have a stretch of really poor weather I can load up about five days worth inside in the built in dryer box and hearth. And if we lose power the stove keeps heating.

If I was building a new house I probably would not go OWB.

And this answers the OP's question. There you go, this is from an OWB owner.

 

[cuinrearview]

it seems that a lot of people just post outright false hoods

then build a new house after there wood stove burns their old one down......[emoji28]

Am I the only one that this made lol?

 

[StihlKicking]

Am I the only one that this made lol?

Nope I lol'd when I typed it, hence the [emoji28] face. Maybe that's not an lol face, I don't know the acronym for laughing so hard I cry face..........help?


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[H-Ranch]

And this answers the OP's question. There you go, this is from an OWB owner.

Actually it doesn't answer the question like you think it does. What I mean is that I would probably not be burning wood in order to heat a brand new build. But if I were to heat with wood it sure as heck would be an OWB. I think it's rare to find an OWB owner who would rather heat with a woodstove.

 

[cuinrearview]

You outdoor wood burning guys are sooooo mysterious.....

 

[cuinrearview]

What I mean is that I would probably not be burning wood in order to heat a brand new build.

Then why are you even offering an opinion in this thread?

 

[cuinrearview]

Nope I lol'd when I typed it, hence the [emoji28] face. Maybe that's not an lol face, I don't know the acronym for laughing so hard I cry face..........help?


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So the hypocrisy in one of your posts made you laugh so hard you cried. I don't think there's an emoji for that.

 

[H-Ranch]

Then why are you even offering an opinion in this thread?

Which I have offered - I would heat it with a candle (that's a joke, son.) The insulation options are so much better/understood now than past building practices that the cost of heating with gas would probably be much more attractive on a brand new build. But there is no way I could heat my current house design effectively with a woodstove.

And your opinion is what besides you can't understand that an OWB has it's place? The only comments you've offered is criticism of OWB's.

 

[cuinrearview]

Which I have offered - I would heat it with a candle (that's a joke, son.) The insulation options are so much better/understood now than past building practices that the cost of heating with gas

I agree. But the OP asked a legitimate question about something completely different.

 

[StihlKicking]

So the hypocrisy in one of your posts made you laugh so hard you cried. I don't think there's an emoji for that.

http://www.nfpa.org/research/report...es/appliances-and-equipment/heating-equipment

Turns out chimneys are second only to space heaters in causing house fires, structural damage, and loss of life. Last time I checked most wood stoves use chimneys. OWB's didn't seem to make the list as a fire hazard. Not sure where the hypocrisy is in my above post. I truly believe that wood stoves can be operated safely but even at their safest are more dangerous than an OWB.

If you want some hypocrisy, well here you go. I just wrote a rant about the safety of OWB and while I do use one to heat my home I also routinely burn a fire in a masonry fireplace for ambiance. [emoji28]

If you burn your house down trying to heat it and I burn mine down trying to get laid wonder if we both end up as the same statistic? Doesn't seem fair to me[emoji28]

 

[NSMaple1]

Then why are you even offering an opinion in this thread?

Nothing wrong with his opinion. And even though he has an OWB & I don't, we're on the same page as far as the thread topic goes. If building new, you can do it to require so little heat source that going primarily wood might not be the best choice. I've burned wood most of my life for primary heat, built new 20 years ago, and spent some fairly big coin on a new wood burner setup 4 years ago. But if I was building new again, wood would be the supplementing heat source at best. Primary would be something else.

I think most here are underestimating the possibilities with new construction these days, and the fairly moderate climate of the OP. In his case, I think an OWB would be pretty big overkill - if the build gets done to full potential, the OWB would spend 90% of its time idling.

 

[wise8706]

IMO OWB's are great for certain climates. Our climate in Michigan is pretty chilly. The main reason I went with an OWB is because I have radiant slab heat in my basement and my attached garage. The OWB will also heat a 32x56 polebarn that will be insulated to the fullest. I have burned wood inside for years and it's just not for me anymore. Bugs, fire in the house, and the smell and mess that goes along with having wood inside. I'll burn 2x as much wood as everyone else in order to have the mess and fire 125ft from my home. Also I want to keep my polebarn heated 24/7 and don't wanna have to fill the stove inside the house and fill the stove inside the polebarn if I was to have a Woodburner inside both buildings.




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[cuinrearview]

http://www.nfpa.org/research/report...es/appliances-and-equipment/heating-equipment

Turns out chimneys are second only to space heaters in causing house fires, structural damage, and loss of life. Last time I checked most wood stoves use chimneys. OWB's didn't seem to make the list as a fire hazard. Not sure where the hypocrisy is in my above post. I truly believe that wood stoves can be operated safely but even at their safest are more dangerous than an OWB.

If you want some hypocrisy, well here you go. I just wrote a rant about the safety of OWB and while I do use one to heat my home I also routinely burn a fire in a masonry fireplace for ambiance. [emoji28]

If you burn your house down trying to heat it and I burn mine down trying to get laid wonder if we both end up as the same statistic? Doesn't seem fair to me[emoji28]

OK. I thought quoting the two opposing statements you made in THE SAME POST illustrated my point but that obviously sailed right over your head. I'll try and make it crystal clear and then I'm done with you.

You first stated that you felt that people were lying about owbs. Saying untrue things or falsehoods or whatever is lying.

You then went on to assert that if you burn wood indoors your house is going to eventually burn down and you're going to have to build a new one. In many more cases than not that is a lie. Straight up. So you did exactly what you accused "others" of doing. You were a hypocrite.

If that does not make sense to you than you are a non-sensical person. If it does, which I hope for your own sake it does, and you continue to deny it making sense then you are stubborn. Either way I'm finished with you.

 

[StihlKicking]

OK. I thought quoting the two opposing statements you made in THE SAME POST illustrated my point but that obviously sailed right over your head. I'll try and make it crystal clear and then I'm done with you.

You first stated that you felt that people were lying about owbs. Saying untrue things or falsehoods or whatever is lying.

You then went on to assert that if you burn wood indoors your house is going to eventually burn down and you're going to have to build a new one. In many more cases than not that is a lie. Straight up. So you did exactly what you accused "others" of doing. You were a hypocrite.

If that does not make sense to you than you are a non-sensical person. If it does, which I hope for your own sake it does, and you continue to deny it making sense then you are stubborn. Either way I'm finished with you.

[emoji1303][emoji28]


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[Marshy]

I echo NSMaple1. Ground source heat pump for main heat/cooling, but if you go this route get a contractor that knows heat pumps. They typically need a smaller sized well pump to run longer when cycling, and multiple bladder tanks for increased water reserve to reduce cycling of the well pump (more mechanical room space). There are many kinds of heat pumps, air to air, ground source, etc., and different sub-groups in those. Air to air heat pumps are not efficient in colder climates. You probably do not want one. (If you have city water then no heat pump .) A supplement to that could be anything you choose, and as a supplement, you can heat with wood are not tied to it. Huge plus in a world of changing circumstance, job travel, injury, resale, kids with asthma, etc. Excessive creosote built up can be from several things, such as colder exterior chimneys, poor draft, and poorly seasoned wood, or choked down fires. Regardless, the chimney/roof line and access to it in winter, will be a consideration for cleaning/inspection. Your going to have to get up there with a chimney brush several times a year, unless you go the outdoor boiler route. Trukn2004 suggests flue stainless, which I second. There is triple wall stainless, in which is insulated between the inner and middle wall, and an air space between middle and outer wall. Another thing to consider, is an outside air supply for a wood stove for better flue draft in a tightly sealed house. Plan it in your home when building, and choosing a stove. Interior design and air flow will have a lot to do with your heating choices. If your plan is to save money by heating with wood, first check with your home owners insurance agent to see if you will be paying in some cases much higher rates, and if that is true with outdoor wood heat as well. Have fun picking and choosing from all the options.

Good reply IMO. I would add that cleaning the chimney might not be required several times year. There are a lot of variables involved and it's not unrealistic to only need to clean it once or twice per session with a properly operating system.

Best tip I received prior to building my house some 30 years ago, was to put the thermal mass chimney in the centre of the home. You get less creosote buildup and use less wood, because you're not heating the outdoors with the main part of your chimney and flue gasses stay hotter and burn cleaner.

Most traditional homes in the artic circle are built around a central chimney. It becomes the gathering place for the family and if designed well, holds and radiates heat to the whole house.

A modern version could also integrate solar with underground storage and floor heat for rooms in outlying areas of the house.

My brother in law has a modern 2000 sqft two story house with a high efficiency thermal mass stove. Giving his living space the mass of soap stone is engineered as a a thermal mass. He fires his stove twice a day, then it releases the heat through the day. The best part is its completely passive and requires no electricity. I love the idea of having in floor heating but they require electricity to pump water. Passive systems do have their advantages and his is about as ideal as you can get if you want ambiance, high efficiency, and passive thermal storage. In a warmer climate it coukd likely be used as a primary heat source.

I cannot understand how, if building new, one would even consider anything else but a wood gasifier with lambda control! You will need only about 1/3 of the wood compared to an owb and with lambda control you don't have to care for one second what type of wood you throw in as long as it is dry. With around a 500 gallon heat sink you only fill up twice a day when very cold.
7

If I was building a new house I would build a new indoor boiler with lambda control into the plans for sure. The boiler itself is very comparable in cost to any outdoor boiler today. The setback for these systems us the thermal storage. To take advantage of my state tax credit for these boilers you have to have certified thermal storage tanks. The certified tanks cost about the same amount as the boiler but, if you don't care for the tax credits then you can make your own storage.

Maybe I missed it, I'll have to go back and look but, the OP needs to determine if he wants to use wood as a primary or supplementary heat source. In a 2 story home greater than 2000 sqft the challenge of heat distribution can become an issue. I would tend to favor a hydronic in floor system combined with a high efficiency indoor boiler with lambda control if it's a primary source. As a supliment heat source, centralized free standing stove with a catalytic combuster would be my primary choice.