OWB Advice

[sawjunky23]

Been dealing on a new house for a while now and we finaly worked out the details and got it bought. I want to continue heating with woodas I did at my last place. I had thought about trying to install an add on furnace but there is no good way to run a chimney in the house as the utility room is almost in the center of the basement and it's plenty crouded in there. I have been thinking more and more about an OWB but I am concrned I am going to struggle to keep up with the demand for wood. The house is about 4000 sq. ft with an ICF Basment and it had spray foam Insulation on the main level. The house has pretty good windows also so I think it is going to be fairly efficiant, anybody with a similar sized house and similar set-up running an OWB? I am trying to get a realisitic general idea of how much wood an OWB is going to consume in a winter. I know it willl obviously depend on temps and what not but a general idea would help.
Thanks.

 

[Erik B]

Been dealing on a new house for a while now and we finaly worked out the details and got it bought. I want to continue heating with woodas I did at my last place. I had thought about trying to install an add on furnace but there is no good way to run a chimney in the house as the utility room is almost in the center of the basement and it's plenty crouded in there. I have been thinking more and more about an OWB but I am concrned I am going to struggle to keep up with the demand for wood. The house is about 4000 sq. ft with an ICF Basment and it had spray foam Insulation on the main level. The house has pretty good windows also so I think it is going to be fairly efficiant, anybody with a similar sized house and similar set-up running an OWB? I am trying to get a realisitic general idea of how much wood an OWB is going to consume in a winter. I know it willl obviously depend on temps and what not but a general idea would help.
Thanks.

In talking with a couple of friends that have an OWB and from reading what guys on this site say about wood consumption, you may be looking at a minimum of 10 cords per year.

 

[Paragon Builder]

If you are in the northeast, with a house built like that you may get by with less than that. It really comes down to btu usage. If you feed the boiler what it needs instead of just stuffing it full, over time you figure that out based on temp and how long til next fill, then you will use quite a bit less because of less smoldering. But from my experience if your house as well insulated as you say then you should be well under 10 cord nov-april.
I'm burning about 20 right now in an old 3500 farmhouse [emoji33]

 

[Erik B]

If you are in the northeast, with a house built like that you may get by with less than that. It really comes down to btu usage. If you feed the boiler what it needs instead of just stuffing it full, over time you figure that out based on temp and how long til next fill, then you will use quite a bit less because of less smoldering. But from my experience if your house as well insulated as you say then you should be well under 10 cord nov-april.
I'm burning about 20 right now in an old 3500 farmhouse [emoji33]

@Paragon Builder He lists his location as the Land of 10,000 lakes which is just west of me. Minnesota gets chilly from time to time.

 

[Paragon Builder]

Yeah I saw that but wasn't sure where that was. Thanks Eric.
I will say I have not met someone with an owb that does not like it. They may not be the most efficient, but the mess is outdoors, and most of us get our wood free or at least cheap.

 

[Erik B]

Yeah I saw that but wasn't sure where that was. Thanks Eric.
I will say I have not met someone with an owb that does not like it. They may not be the most efficient, but the mess is outdoors, and most of us get our wood free or at least cheap.

And a lot of those with an OWB have the equipment to handle a lot of wood.

 

[Paragon Builder]

And a lot of those with an OWB have the equipment to handle a lot of wood.

Now that you mention it.... Yup, every one I know!!

 

[sawjunky23]

@Paragon Builder He lists his location as the Land of 10,000 lakes which is just west of me. Minnesota gets chilly from time to time.

Yep...MN Gets chilly in the winter! A few winters ago I thought I was a couple years ahead and I ran out of wood.

 

[Jakers]

what part of the state are you in? in my area tree services are always looking for places to drop off free soft woods perfect for boilers. big trees add up fast if you have the space. i bet i drop off between 25-40 cord a year at random places in ottertail and grant county

 

[sawjunky23]

And a lot of those with an OWB have the equipment to handle a lot of wood.

That's the other problem I have. I don't have a dump trailer or any heavy equipment to handle large amounts of wood at a time. I used to burn about 3-4 cords a year and I am afraid that with my current set-up it is going to be too much work if I could get by with 10 cords I would be okay I think. My hesitation with a boiler is that you pretty much have to keep it burning all the time. With my furnace, if I ran low on wood I just shut er down and burned gas. But with the new rules starting in Jan. I don't want to wish I had put one in and not be able to either.

 

[sawjunky23]

what part of the state are you in? in my area tree services are always looking for places to drop off free soft woods perfect for boilers. big trees add up fast if you have the space. i bet i drop off between 25-40 cord a year at random places in ottertail and grant county

I live about 45 min South of Minneapolis. I get most of my wood from a friend who does exactly what you are talking. I don't have room at my place for a big pile of wood. I like cutting at his house since I can just leave the brush behind

 

[AIM]

I burn about a truckload a week. just tossed in the truck not stacked. I have an uncle with an OWB that burns about a truckload a week. My neihbor down the road with one say he burns about a truckload a week.
I see a pattern here.

 

[sawjunky23]

I burn about a truckload a week. just tossed in the truck not stacked. I have an uncle with an OWB that burns about a truckload a week. My neihbor down the road with one say he burns about a truckload a week.
I see a pattern here.

What size "truckload" like pickup sized?

 

[cantoo]

Aim, I burn a couple of truck loads a day.

Actually I don't think my OWB is too bad considering I'm heating 2 houses, 2 domestic water supplies and a big shop sometimes. I burn a lot of junk so difficult to keep track but I'm still real happy with it. Cut a silver maple down today that was full of ants ----> more BTUs for me. Wouldn't want to put it in the house though.

 

[Paragon Builder]

Aim, I burn a couple of truck loads a day.

Actually I don't think my OWB is too bad considering I'm heating 2 houses, 2 domestic water supplies and a big shop sometimes. I burn a lot of junk so difficult to keep track but I'm still real happy with it. Cut a silver maple down today that was full of ants ----> more BTUs for me. Wouldn't want to put it in the house though.
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You need to clean the windows on your truck [emoji23]

 

[ebucher]

I live in northern va. ~4000 sq ft. home with 6" walls all spray foam insulation. Good quality Andersen Windows. I go through about 10 cords a year. CB6048

 

[lindnova]

I live near you. 1500 SF house (2 levels = 3000 sf) and heat a 1100 sf garage plus domestic hot water. The house has t-mass insulated concrete foundation and spray foam upstairs.

I have a Heatmor 200css and go through 10-15 cords a year. If it were just the house it would be way under 10 for sure. It works great, but those things do waste some heat and are not real efficient. If you want to go away for the weekend you need to find someone to fill it or shutdown. I leave the pump running so the boiler doesn't freeze. Plan on spending a lot of time tinkering with the best loading and if you do any install yourself plan on a lot of time for that also.

I wouldn't recommend one unless you have a good source of wood or a plan to get it. You better like working with firewood also. Even though they work with wet wood dry wood will burn much cleaner and go through less.