Wood-fired Central Heat
(Page 3 of 7)
February/March 2003
By Greg Pahl
DUAL UNITS
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There is yet another, very popular, multi-fuel strategy: dual units, sometimes referred to as "add-ons." With this approach, a separate wood-fired boiler or furnace is installed as an add-on to an existing fossil-fueled central heating system. If properly installed, a dual-unit strategy will result in effective operation for both units. The add-on strategy is an ideal way to make an existing fossil-fueled system renewable at least part of the time. The drawback is that it's expensive to install a second system. But dual systems do offer maximum operational and fueling flexibility.
OUTDOOR BOILERS
This discussion about wood-fired central heat would not be complete without mentioning outdoor boilers. Outdoor boilers (often erroneously called "furnaces" by their manufacturers) are quite popular in many rural parts of the United States.
In most designs, a water jacket surrounds the boiler's firebox and heat is transferred from the fire to the water, which is then pumped through insulated underground water lines to your house. The hot water then passes through a heat exchanger, or directly into a variety of heat emitters, and can be connected to your domestic hot water tank as well. In addition to your home, a properly sized outdoor boiler can also heat separate garages, sheds, workshops, and even barns and swimming pools.
Since the combustion takes place outdoors, the indoor dirt and dust normally associated with burning wood in the home are eliminated. On the downside, you need to put on your boots, cap, gloves and parka to trudge out into the blowing, drifting snow to keep the fire going.
Because they're located outside, these boilers are exempt from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emission standards. Due to their oversized fireboxes, many outdoor boilers are hard to regulate for a clean burn and tend to produce more air pollution than their indoor cousins. These units tend to smoke a lot, especially during the automatic restart phase after a long off-cycle.
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