Info on wood consumptions for you that have outdoor burners?

[chipmaker29]

i am considering changing from my indoor woodstove to an outdoor burner. i usually go thru 4-5 cords of good wood a year in my stove. i was wondering how much on average that you guys are going thru utilizing your outdoor burners? also are you burning strictly really good seasoned wood, mixing green wood or i guess i am asking how picky you gotta be about what would you burn in this setup?

thanks in advance for any input!

 

[oneoldbanjo]

I live in KY just across the river from Cincinnati, the winters are not very cold here compared to the folks up north. Last year I burned a stack of limbs that was 10'x12'x7' and loosely stacked....I believe it was probably about 6 cords. I heat my 2,000 square foot house and 1,800 square foot garage and they are both very well insulated.

The OWB will burn just about anything you can lift and get inside - but it burns much cleaner with dry seasoned wood. My wood is cut to 24" lengths and it is only split into pieces that are reasonable to lift and throw into the OWB -there is no need to split the wood into small chunks as my door is 24"x24" and the firebox is 40" deep. If I have a lot of branches I cut them into 3' lengths.

The first year I had it I was burning wood that had been cut for about 3 years but was tightly stacked and never covered and it was beginning to rot - the OWB smoked a lot. The last 2 years I have been burning wood that is stored inside and has been cut for about 3 year and it burns very clean.

 

[gwiley]

I go through about 10 cords of mixed wood a year for a 7 year old 3700sf house with high ceilings and lots of windows here in central virginia. We keep the house at about 74 degF.

Most of the OWBs can burn anything, some of the newer EPA models are more picky. The Central Boiler 5036 that I use will consume anything you put in there. I mix well seasoned and less well seasoned wood when I am running low on my wood supply. I also use pine freely on milder days because it is easy to get (I have an 8 acres pine woodlot) and easy to handle, most pine rounds don't get split at all as they are light enough to lift into the furnace.

If you are in a rural setting then burn what you like, but bear in mind that green wood is a less efficient - you use a lot of BTUs to vaporize the water in the wood (pushing water through the transition from liquid to vapor takes a lot of work) and end up with more smoke/steam. If you have neighbors that will be affected then you really need to stick to seasoned wood.

 

[applefarmer]

Unless March is brutal I will end up using about 7 cord. I am heating 2800 ft of living space plus dhw. House is well insulated with all good windows and doors. We keep it at 74 when we are here 68 at night and when we are gone. I burn only seasoned wood. As the previous posted stated, I too use less desirable species in milder days. You can burn just about anything but it will smoke alot and you sacrifice btu's. Furnace is a hawkin. If if do get a boiler now matter which brand you choose, use the logstor underground pipe.

 

[hardy steve]

1300sqft. heat and hot water 4.5cords so far

 

[projectsho89]

I'll probably go through 10-12 cords for a 5-year old 2700 sq ft home with high ceilings and lots of windows....

Mixed seasoned wood and junk wood.

 

[chipmaker29]

I'll probably go through 10-12 cords for a 5-year old 2700 sq ft home with high ceilings and lots of windows....

Mixed seasoned wood and junk wood.

that isnt bad...ur house/mine very similiar in size although mine much older. sure it isnt as insulated as urs.

how difficult & costly to install and dosent it connect directly to ur existing ductwork?

thanks for all the responses guys

 

[gwiley]

that isnt bad...ur house/mine very similiar in size although mine much older. sure it isnt as insulated as urs.

how difficult & costly to install and dosent it connect directly to ur existing ductwork?

thanks for all the responses guys

My son and I installed the CB 5036 without any help - and I only pretend to be an electrician/plumber/hvac/concrete worker kinda guy. Just get a good book on DIY and keep the internet handy and use those things to plan the installation first and all will be well. The manufacturer (Central Boiler) provides good installation instructions and diagrams and the dealers are usually willing to help with advice.

I added a heat exchanger in the plenum of my air handler so that my existing forced air system heats the house through existing duct work - added a second thermostat next to the existing one and coupled the two so that we could control the air handler without calling for heat from the existing LP furnace.

 

[Lagrue]

I live in Arkansas, we have mild winters, as compared to alot of u guys. I will go thru about 25-30 face cords. I heat an old 4000 sq. foot house.

 

[Laird]

10-12 cords 2500 sq ft house, 800 sq ft garage and DHW. Burned semi-seasoned wood last winter, seasoned wood this year and there was a definite improvement in burn times.

 

[Bcat22]

3,300 SQF house, 3 years old, DHW woodmaster 4400

i burn all year for DHW and average 9-10 cords/ year in central Ohio

 

[milkie62]

I use about 9 cord of mostly pine and poplar in CB CL40.I am heating about 3400 sq ft of living space,domestic hot water and I have a loop in my basement.I like it warm so my thermostats are set at 72 degrees and I have 20 ft ceilings in half of my house.I could probably knock my usage down by at least 2 cord if I burned some hardwood.

 

[Uncle John]

Make sure you use insulated ground pipe. Or you will lose heat heating the ground.

 

[Scootermsp]

Here in Mass. Since Labor day I have used about 7.5 cords. I am heating 4500 Sq/ft and DHW.

 

[Iska3]

Burning in a OWB is a learning process but one that will pay off in the end. I read everything I could on this forum about installing a system and by the time I finished reading my head was spinning but everyone here was very helpful.

I searched around and found my Insulated Pex for $8.10 per foot w/shipping The pipe I used is comparable to CB’s ThermoPex. I have a 150 ft run with no heat loss but I’m 24 inches underground or 130 ft underground, 15 feet through a crawl space and 5 feet inside my basement. I also run another 20 ft or more of 1 inch copper through a series of valves and unions before I get to my air to water heat exchanger and plate exchanger for my HW.

We live in an older un-insulated farm house about 2800sz ft. so I was told that I might go through 10 full cords per year. When I First started burning, I went through wood like water was going through a screen. MSGuns taught me to keep my wood toward the front of my stove and that cut my wood consumption by one-third. I learned to rake my coals and again I cut my wood consumption. I burned half seasoned wood and found that I had less BTU’s so now I only burn seasoned wood.

I also went one extra step and when I installed my pumps I put a bi-pass between the two so if the pump for the hose would go out, I can turn one valve and use the pump for the garage in the house until the weather got warmer.

My CB 5036 will burn anything that I put in to it. I can burn green wood but my BTU’s will be down and I’ll what white smoke going up my stack. I can burn my garbage but that ash will cover my hot coals so I’ll have a loss of BTU’s and burn more wood.

I also use a wireless BBQ thermometer connected to my water lines so I know when what my boiler is doing at all times. An OWB will burn everything you put in to it if you need the BTU’s or not. I also play when my aqua stat. When I don’t need the extra heat, I turn down my state by as much as 20 degrees.

I should burn about 6 or 7 cords this year at the most. Next year I’ll be around 5 cords.

Use well seasoned wood and you’ll have less work and more heat. Do not skimp on fittings when you do your install.

This OWB is the best thing I ever did...

 

[tinman460]

Im not sure about "Cords" but I had a log truck deliver about 70 12" or so logs of red oak mostly some maple and cherry. Plus I use about 10 tons of mine run coal which gives me the 12 hr burn times I need. I have a 4000 sq ft house and 2100 garage. My unit is a freedom 60" 300 gal outdoor boiler. I have played with mine over the past few years trying to nmake it more efficent with little success.

 

[AIM]

I burn about 1 pick up load a week. Just tossed in, not stacked, and not a huge heaping load. Probably 1/3 to 1/2 cord. I'm heating 2000 sq. ft. of house and about 750 garage half the time.
This is mostly what I consider to be just "average" wood. Elm, ash, cherry, etc.
Had a small amount of locust earlier this winter and would guess that I could do way better if that was all I was burning.

 

[TADD]

Second year with my CB5036, I did not really gauge last year's usage. This year I have made it a point to keep track so I will know how much to plan on cutting. He are my house specs. 1600 sq. ft., finished and heated basement. New home with Anderson windows, 2x6 walls, R-41 in attic. It is a 120ft. run from OWB to house with Central's underground pipe, and I also heat my domestic hot water as well, forced air for all else. Currently have used 6 cords of seasoned wood mostly Soft Maple, and Black Cherry. Keep house on average at 70 degrees sometimes evenings 71. I belive 8 cords are going to do it but time will tell.