OWB Purchase and Install Cost

[svk]

This is a hypothetical question at this point for me. But at some point may be reality.

Just curious about the average costs involved for installing an OWB. Lets assume it is a 2500 SF home that already has an indoor boiler so you only need to plumb the hot water into the house.

1) Average boiler system cost?
2) Average cost of materials (all connectors, thermopex, electrical wire, heat exchanger, etc) to hook up existing system to owb)
3) Estimate of labor cost if you had a professional do the work.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Cheesecutter]

6 years ago mine cost 7900 for a Portage and Main OWB, and 2000 for Pex, 2 taco pumps, 2 heat exchangers, 2 sidearms for DHW and all the hardware. I did the install myself. My set up is for 2 houses.

 

[stihly dan]

Maybe more important, annual maintenance cost, and time.

 

[czar800]

A few more things to consider that add up very quickly is how far from the house it'll be and if you will be pouring a concrete pad to place it on.

 

[avason]

Mine was about 1o large about ten years ago. That is including just about everything. With that being said, I just redid my underground insulated pipe for about $1,500. I'm heating around 3700 sqf. With fuel prices being so low, I've actually considered shutting it down. LP is about $1.00 right now. I'm still burning but really considering not.

Edit:
I'm roughly 130 feet from my furnace. I have a 6048 classic.

 

[Johnmn]

I have an aqua - therm unshelterd boiler I put in in a shed big enough to have some wood storage. I did the outdoor hook ups but hired our heating guy to hook up the side arm and to my gas boiler. It cost roughly $7000 but our boiler is a small one it heats up to 2000 sq ft

 

[Trx250r180]

Hope you have plenty of railroad ties saved up for the burner

 

[svk]

A few more things to consider that add up very quickly is how far from the house it'll be and if you will be pouring a concrete pad to place it on.

If i put it where I'm thinking I would put it, about 100-120' from the house. Eventually I'd like to have a garage/shop maybe 3-4 stalls that would also be heated by the same system.

Love my indoor boiler. Just would be nice to be able to keep wood outside.

 

[Dogsout]

Maybe more important, annual maintenance cost, and time.

Was wondering why you would classify the "annual maintenance cost" as being important from a cost prospective. At least for me, my OWB the annual cost to maintain it is very minimal.

 

[VW Splitter]

my daughter and son in law just had one put in. Dont know how much it cost them, but looks like it is gonna use 5 times as much wood as their free standing indoor wood stove used last year. On the plus side, their house is MUCH warmer all over.

 

[flotek]

Everyone wants the mess outside but they dont realize alot of their heat is out there too .. And let's face reality even the dog doesn't want to go outside when it's freezing cold and there's two foot of snow on the ground. Trudging out in the elements to feed a hungry boiler will get old

 

[cantoo]

The snow sits on the roof of my OWB. Don't think there is much heat loss thru the top. There is heat loss around the door but to me it's worth it.

 

[stihly dan]

Was wondering why you would classify the "annual maintenance cost" as being important from a cost prospective. At least for me, my OWB the annual cost to maintain it is very minimal.

Just what I hear about inhibiters, glycol, shut down/storage.

 

[H-Ranch]

Everyone wants the mess outside but they dont realize alot of their heat is out there too .. And let's face reality even the dog doesn't want to go outside when it's freezing cold and there's two foot of snow on the ground. Trudging out in the elements to feed a hungry boiler will get old

How long does it take before it gets old? I'm going on 7 years and I can't imagine going without. Oh, sure - occasionally I'll forget until it's bedtime and then have to go out, but it still makes me smile.

 

[NSMaple1]

If i put it where I'm thinking I would put it, about 100-120' from the house. Eventually I'd like to have a garage/shop maybe 3-4 stalls that would also be heated by the same system.

Love my indoor boiler. Just would be nice to be able to keep wood outside.

Well then - if you're going to do a new shop too, I would do that part up right & make it big enough for a boiler & the winters wood. Maybe garage in one end, and boiler/wood room in the other. Mancave in between?

I can understand wanting to get the firewood out of the house, but can't grasp wanting it outdoors all winter.

 

[blakey]

I installed mine myself 14yrs ago, CB5648 was $8900, total with 3 heat exchangers in 3 different buildings plus sidearm for dhw was about $14k (Canadian dollars) with taxes. OWB is about 200ft from house. Works very well. I placed it 6ft from an existing implement shed so I can wheelbarrow wood out to it. I keep enough wood inside for when there is snow on the ground and try to use lesser outside wood when there is not. Yearly maintenance is very minor, test water and maybe add a bit of water and/or inhibitor every few couple years. Clean out bottom of chimney once a year takes 5 minutes. Scoop out ashes and cover the stack for the summer. Loading takes 5 mins twice a day, open door, rake coals, load wood and forget about it for 12 hrs. Usually run it at least 7 months, provides 100% of our heat.

 

[czar800]

Like others have said I would never like to go back to heating with wood indoors. There's many advantages to an out door wood burner. For starters there's not a fire inside your house. burn time is much longer, set temperature in your house. firewood processing time, chimney cleaning ashes dust and dirt. They also can be used to heat multiple buildings driveways sheds pretty much anything that needs to be heated swimming pool's hot tubs....

 

[svk]

Like others have said I would never like to go back to heating with wood indoors. There's many advantages to an out door wood burner. For starters there's not a fire inside your house. burn time is much longer, set temperature in your house. firewood processing time, chimney cleaning ashes dust and dirt. They also can be used to heat multiple buildings driveways sheds pretty much anything that needs to be heated swimming pool's hot tubs....

Agree with that.

To simply replace my IWB with an OWB is not a financially sound decision as the OWB install cost would heat my home with electric for close to 10 years. However if I am adding heat to multiple buildings at the same time it makes it a no brainer when the time comes.

 

[djones]

My biggest concern was return on investment, how long before payback was achieved ? Mine paid for itself within 4 years so now all I have is savings, regardless of the fuel cost. My wood is free so the only cost to me is my fuel mix and the occasional saw chain/bar. Being a die hard DIYer, even my saws were cheap. Buy low and repair whats needed. It's gotten me through the last 60+ years.( being frugal)

 

[Del_]

Usable life?

Labor for increased fuel usage?