Again, regulate or ban outdoor wood burning furnaces and boilers

[MJR]

(WSYR-TV) Lysander, New York (WSYR-TV) - The town of Lysander is considering joining 50 other communities in New York that regulate or ban outdoor wood burning furnaces and boilers. The devices sit in a shed or outhouse-type structure and heat water, which then travels through pipes into the house.

There's quite a debate about the furnaces in Lysander. The Department of Environmental Conservation says studies show the emissions from outdoor furnaces do impact air quality.

Art and Sue Anthony live next door to one. “The kids can't go out and do snow forts without getting smoked out,” says Sue.

But owners of them insist the furnaces burn clean -- and save money. Brian Holz used to spend a thousand dollars each month on natural gas heat and hot water. Then, he bought an outdoor furnace three years ago for $10,000.

“With my savings in gas, it paid for itself in 2 1/2 years,” says Brian.

“Everyone's trying to come up with a way to beat the electric bill,” says Lysander town councilor Edward Reed. “Some options are great and some have trends that are negative.”

That's why Lysander town councilors are addressing the issue. They referenced legislation from all over the state.

“We didn't want to be too stringent, but [we] at least wanted a regulation that would give us some control,” says Reed.

The regulation would control new furnaces or boilers put in, but a lot of issues came up at the meeting -- such as how many feet they should be from property lines and how it'll be enforced. The town board decided to revise the ordinance before any sort of vote takes place.

The town board is also starting to work on a policy regarding the construction of windmills, as more communities deal with that issue.



Copyright 2008 Newport Television LLC All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 

[TJ-Bill]

thats just Sad,, THey had a little bit this morning about burning wood as heat, had a guy from the local Lung Assoc. on talking about how bad it can be for you. Smoke from wood is bad but smoke from Natural gas, coal, oil and propane is good.. Probably because it takes more $$ out of the pockets of the little guys and into the big pockets of the large coporations.

:help:

 

[iowawoodcutter]

thats just Sad,, THey had a little bit this morning about burning wood as heat, had a guy from the local Lung Assoc. on talking about how bad it can be for you. Smoke from wood is bad but smoke from Natural gas, coal, oil and propane is good.. Probably because it takes more $$ out of the pockets of the little guys and into the big pockets of the large coporations.

:help:

if they want to worry about your lungs, why not outlaw smoking? While we are at it why not outlaw donuts and fast food? We need the government to control our lives and tell us what is good for us and what is not!!! And we definitely need the government to become socialist in the bad economic times, by bailing out financial institutions...

Screw it, I am moving to China. I can't wait for our government to become totally socialist/communist anymore, I need to be told what to do and how to live right now. Maybe I can get some of those cheap knockoff Chinese chainsaws everyone has been posting about lately even cheaper!

 

[Wet1]

I suspect the days are numbered on these things, that or they will mandate a cat must be used on them... it's only a matter of time IMO.

 

[AOD]

Why don't these things run with more excess air? Part of the reason they are so smokey is most OWB's are way oversized for their heating loads on all but the coldest days, so they sit on low fire with little excess air for a long time, and when they come off cycle they burn off all the unburnt byproucts of being on low fire. I think if they came out with smaller boilers that burn a bit hotter it would help. Of course, morons who burn trash, rotten or green wood or tires are not helping the problem. Setting the aquastat a bit higher and keeping the boiler jacket from getting too cool will help a lot too, the house can be controlled with a primary/secondary loop and mixing valve, just like a commercial/industrial boiler system.

 

[Jake1297]

Already happening in Maine

Maines outdoor boilers are regulated as of "March 08" To be sold in Maine they have to meet stringent emission standards. So we here can't buy the cheap model for $4600, we have to buy the one that goes for $11,000. I'm sure the whole country will be going that way and in time the prices will come down.

 

[ken45]

I can certainly understand the concern, the one's I've noticed around here really put out the smoke and can smell up an entire valley (and this is a rural area). There may be other ones operating better than I don't notice.

We did a bit of research on them a few years ago and concluded that the concept stinks (literally). Too low of an operating temperature (surrounded by a water jacket) and then the off cycle pours out unburned gasses.

Again, there may be some that operate cleanly, but those aren't the ones that are noticed...and cause the trouble.

Ken

 

[aktaylors]

Well as much as I hate government regulation... I live in a neighborhood. 1/4 acre lots two of my neighbors but in wood boilers this summer. One is about thirty feet from my house the other about 60. I'm very concerend about the air this winter. Already I can smell it in my house. I burn wood from an epa rated stove and all that comes out for my stack is heat waves. These things look like a tire fire. I think they would be great in the country but they have no place in an urban area. I believe they will be banned in 2 years.

 

[chainsawaddict]

Well as much as I hate government regulation... I live in a neighborhood. 1/4 acre lots two of my neighbors but in wood boilers this summer. One is about thirty feet from my house the other about 60. I'm very concerend about the air this winter. Already I can smell it in my house. I burn wood from an epa rated stove and all that comes out for my stack is heat waves. These things look like a tire fire. I think they would be great in the country but they have no place in an urban area. I believe they will be banned in 2 years.

I understand your other thread better now!:agree2:

They are too close and I agree OWBs really dont have a place in urban areas.

 

[AOD]

Wouldn't a watertube dry leg boiler make a little more sense instead of a sectional design? The water would get hot a lot faster, would not be quite as efficient but the firebox would not be surrounded by cool water.

 

[Marc]

Wouldn't a watertube dry leg boiler make a little more sense instead of a sectional design? The water would get hot a lot faster, would not be quite as efficient but the firebox would not be surrounded by cool water.

They exist already... they're generally called Seton-type gasifiers...

http://www.mainewoodfurnaces.com/Seton.shtml
http://garn.com/
http://www.greenwoodusa.com/index.php
http://www.greenfirefurnaces.com/

Greenwood apparently is making an outside version. A lot of people put the indoor version in insulated out buildings.

Downdraft gasifiers also exist, and are cleaner and more efficient still (supposedly) but require a bit more work.

http://www.woodboilers.com/
http://www.newhorizoncorp.com/offer.php?id=4
http://www.alternativefuelboilers.com/faq.htm
http://www.alternateheatingsystems.com/woodboilers.htm

Both types require well seasoned good quality wood, which is what everyone should be burning anyway regardless of the appliance.