OWB vs. Add-on Wood Furnace

[bowtechmadman]

I'm voting for the OWB...heated with inside add on and there is no way I'd go back after having an OWB. Hell I go out in the cold every day to go to work so what's 5 min more adding wood twice a day. Plus I don't think I could hold enough wood inside to prevent having to go outside to get wood anyhow.

 

[johnnylabguy]

I'm voting for the OWB...heated with inside add on and there is no way I'd go back after having an OWB. Hell I go out in the cold every day to go to work so what's 5 min more adding wood twice a day. Plus I don't think I could hold enough wood inside to prevent having to go outside to get wood anyhow.

I have to admit that although its nice just to go downstairs at night in my skivvies to load the IWF, it would be even nicer to feed it earlier in the evening when I'm dressed and outside anyhow. AND NOT have to feed it at 11 pm in my BVDs(Osage orange sparks burn RIGHT THROUGH COTTON).

 

[zogger]

I guess my vote would go to the indoor wood furnace. Since that is what I use and have experience with. Use an older Glenwood Stoves wood furnace, next to a propane furnace. Havn't used the propane since 2008. Forced air system, with AC also. The house has an unfinished basement, "cellar" or engine room as I call it. Built in the 40's. It has a wood/coal room right next to the room with the furnace, so its easy to get wood to the furnace.

I back the tractor & trailer up to the back of the house to toss wood in through the removable windows in the wood/coal room. I usually go down and add some wood to the furnace every 4 hours or so. Doing so, the furnace fan rarely comes on. Just the slow radiant heat rises through the duct work, to maintain a very steady temp in the house. The furnace is centrally located, along with the warm air ducts. The cold air return ducts are to the outside of the house's floor plan, coming back to the furnace.

I put wood in the furnace last night at 11:30, before going to bed. Didn't get up till 7:30 this morning. Am usually up before that. Fan was running and circulating room temp air that was down to 68*. Normally the house temp is 72*-73*. There was still some hot coals to spread around to add wood to, and soon get the fire back up and going. Was windy last night also, 7* and -15* wind chill.

Outdoor furnaces intrigue me, but I think if this old reliable beast ever needs replacing, it will be with another indoor furnace. If I can find one that runs and works similar to this one. In the dead of winter, I don't get a whole lot of exccersize as it is, so going up and down the steps isn't a bad thing. I guess it comes down to your existing setup of your house and cost, to decide between the two. For me, another indoor furnace would be the choice. The best part of either one, is seeing the propane trucks drive by, and not pull in.


Gregg,

Gets easier when you have to get up to take a leak all the time, just chuck another chunk in. I do on real cold nights, moderate nights just let it coal down, theres always something in the morning. handfull of kindling, some small branches and splits, back to throwing good heat in minutes.

 

[zogger]

1st off, keep in mind furnaces have been around a long time. Keep that in mind when people talk about them, they may be talking about a 30 yr old inefficient unit. I would compare the 2, of the last 10 yrs only. Also there is a BIG difference in a cheap furnace, than a quality furnace. My furnace heats my water, only load it twice a day or less, can keep my house at any temp. Also can heat the house with NO electricity. Power was out for 3 days with average temps in the low teens, house stayed around 70 deg.
I like not having to go out in the rain or snow to feed it. No snowblowing a walkway to the boiler, no walking thru the mud, no making repairs at night in the freezing cold going as fast as I can so it doesn't freeze up on me. Plus there is no way the wife will go out in the freezing cold snow to load it, the oil unit would be turned on 1st:msp_angry:.

What make/model is that again? I cant keep up with everyones rigs...

 

[aokpops]

Here is want I think the owb will burn about twice the wood . Making it real hard to get to burning season wood . There are no bugs in season wood .The cost will be about twice as much for a owb . Can do what you want but hands down a inside furnace is a lot less work

 

[stihly dan]

What make/model is that again? I cant keep up with everyones rigs...

Zog, mine is the kuuma vapor fire. But what I was trying to get across is that technology has come along way. Its like comparing a 1985 ford taurus to a 2014 ford fusion, they are both sedans, but the fusion will work much more efficiently with nicer amenities. An old wood furnace is nothing like a new wood furnace. same with indoor wood boilers. I don't think owb have been around as long, or at least still being used like the 30 yr old furnaces are. (I could be wrong) So this has to be noted When comparing owb to a furnace.

 

[zogger]

Zog, mine is the kuuma vapor fire. But what I was trying to get across is that technology has come along way. Its like comparing a 1985 ford taurus to a 2014 ford fusion, they are both sedans, but the fusion will work much more efficiently with nicer amenities. An old wood furnace is nothing like a new wood furnace. same with indoor wood boilers. I don't think owb have been around as long, or at least still being used like the 30 yr old furnaces are. (I could be wrong) So this has to be noted When comparing owb to a furnace.

Cool beans man! Yours sounds like the best of both worlds. Ability to take advantage of modern tech, but still be usable if the power is down.

 

[Gap Goat]

New Keyboard

I have to admit that although its nice just to go downstairs at night in my skivvies to load the IWF, it would be even nicer to feed it earlier in the evening when I'm dressed and outside anyhow. AND NOT have to feed it at 11 pm in my BVDs(Osage orange sparks burn RIGHT THROUGH COTTON).

:msp_biggrin: :msp_biggrin: :msp_biggrin:

It is a good thing I always have an extra keyboard or two since I am the IT guy at work. I have an OWB and love it. I advise three things to anyone thinking about getting one. Do you like cutting, splitting, stacking, etc? Do you have access to wood? Do you have the time for the first two? If the answer to any of these questions is no then take a good look before you leap.

 

[colson04]

: I advise three things to anyone thinking about getting one. Do you like cutting, splitting, stacking, etc? Do you have access to wood? Do you have the time for the first two? If the answer to any of these questions is no then take a good look before you leap.

Yes to all 3 counts. Actually just went and cut wood yesterday/today to help clear out a fence line at the farm. Had a gnarly old oak that dropped a limb into the field so it was time for it to go. Along with a couple cherry trees near by.

Well, after reading what ya'll have shared, and talked to people locally using both forms, I seriously think I'll have an OWB next year. We've got more wood to cut on the farm then we can handle, and as we acquire more land, suddenly there's another fence line to clear out. So access to good hardwood is not a concern. Plus there's a serious possibility of a new pole barn at my place so the OWB wins out there too. Heating the hot water is another plus.

I appreciate you guys taking the time to share your experiences and your suggestions with me. A lot of useful knowledge all put together to help make an educated decision.

 

[colson04]

Installed and ready to fire!

So, just an update to this thread, I did buy an OWB about 2 weeks ago. I picked up a Ridge Wood 6000 and it's currently all setup and ready to start a fire once the weather starts getting consistently cold out here.

Cost breakdown went something like this:

Concrete pad for stove: $80
Ridge Wood 6000 OWB: $3699
HX, Plate HX, Pump, Underground PEX: $1050
Delivery: $200
Installation costs: $950 (as capable as I am, I did hire out the install due to time restraints on my schedule)
Underground electrical: $125
Tax: $300

Total: $6,404

Not horrible, but not cheap either. I could have saved on the install, but it wasn't in the cards here. I did save some cash pouring the concrete pad myself and digging the trench before the installers showed up. I also drilled the hole through my basement wall and sealed up where the thermopex enters the wall. Install took them 5 hours with a 20 minute lunch break in there.


At this point, I'm just waiting on the weather to cool off and start staying cold around here. I could fire it up to heat my DHW, but I don't think it's worth burning the extra wood right now. I also had the installers leave me a tie in point w/valves to heat my attached, insulated garage. I wasn't ready to have them run any lines there while they were here, but I can set that up anytime I'm ready to.

 

[Cheesecutter]

My prediction... another happy OWB owner. You will love it.

 

[hdp]

owb not even a question love my hoss, and I actually don't burn that much more than when I had my add on, plus no mess and no fires in the house

 

[kennyl70]

OWB all the way...... i have a OWB and i have friends that have both OWB and add ones. the friends with add ons have OWB envy everytime we get together, they have trouble regulating the heat with the inside ones they have said. always have heat coming through the duct they say. OWB you can regulate right to the degree.