I would think it is possible, but do you really want to? I would worry big time about building codes and zoning regulations, especially if I lived in a town. Such a system, even if you build it yourself, would be a large initial investment. And if it gets very cold where you are, you would need to keep the water warm all winter or deal with antifreeze.
A couple of different people I know have had, or still use outdoor boilers. Both of them thought that using such a system would save them a whole lot of money, but only the guy that is still using his system decided that it was really coming through for him. And he saves money only because he has a source of LOTS of free, or nearly free wood. A friend of his has a tree service and gives my friend most of the trunk wood his business generates. My friend owns 3 or 4 substantial trailers that the tree service loads wood on at various jobs. I think my friend spends quite a bit of time moving trailers around and unloading and stacking wood. And every day he has to fill the firebox with wood and often has to tinker with his system. He burns more than 20 cords of wood every year and probably has nearly 100 cords stacked on his property. Free heat? Not hardly. The other guy sold his place with the boiler because he found it to be too much hassle and expense for the wood he had to buy.
Both systems have had smoke issues. Especially when the fire is getting going, my friend's boiler looks like an old coal fired steam locomotive working hard. It becomes much better once the fire is burning well, but that initial smoke just wouldn't make it if my friend didn't live way out in the country, with no close neighbors. And my County sometimes has burning bans in the Winter because of poor air quality concerns.
Have you considered putting a wood stove in your house? A good, tight wood stove doesn't have to be kept hot all the time, and most can be set so they don't waste much heat up the chimney when they are not being used. Lots of people use wood stoves to supplement their regular heating systems, and unlike some other types of heating equipment, a wood stove will generally work fine when the electricity is out. And a good wood stove with chimney shouldn't cost more than a few thousand dollars unless you really got elaborate.
A buddy of mine works in a cabinet shop. For years he has brought home most of the scrap wood from the shop in 5 gallon buckets, all year. His boss likes the arrangement, because then he pays less for garbage fees, and Jim saves lots of money on electricity by burning the scraps in his living room wood stove. That room is also the most comfortable room in his house during the winter. For the most part, the fuel is very clean, chunks of hardwood that have been trimmed off for one reason or another. Jim also has a woodshed completely filled with pieces he has brought home over the years.
Construction and remodeling debris probably wouldn't be as clean as Jim's wood supply. And it would be more trouble and time to cut it to stove size and load it to carry home rather than just tossing it into a dumpster. And at home, you have to unload it again and probably stack it for future use. Only you can decide if it really is worth your time to get your heat the more self-sufficient way.
Unless your business really generates a lot of usable firewood and it costs you a lot to get rid of that debris, I doubt that you would ever come out ahead with an outdoor boiler. At least the ones I have been around require a whole lot of wood be fed to them. It would take an awful lot of labor to keep them fed with mostly 2 by lumber pieces. But again, only you can make the decision for your situation. Good luck!
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Hydraulics - Cylinder Anatomy - by Curtis von Fange. Let’s make one more addition to our series on hydraulics. I’ve noticed a few questions in the comment section that could pertain to hydraulic cylinders so I thought we could take a short look at this real workhorse of the circuit. Cylinders are the reason for the hydraulic circuit. They take the fluid power delivered from the pump and magically change it into mechanical power. There are many types of cylinders that one might run across on a farm scenario. Each one could take a chapter in
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
