Outdoor wood burning stove info

[twochains]

Hello, I am going to purchase an outdoor furnace this year and I have no idea really what brands are available. I don't know if the water heating feature is in all furnaces or not, but I am not as concerned with that feature. I am mainly look for durability and a well insulated box...all and all, just a well made unit.

So what would you fellas purchase if you were in the market for an outdoor wood burning stove? I would appreciate your input and hopefully it will give me a starting point in my search. Thank you in advance.

 

[Blazin]

Central Boiler. I'm on year 8 with mine and no issues at all, I'm heating roughly 6000sq, 2 houses, a garage, and DHW. I'd stay away from the stainless units, those have had some issues as far as I understand.

 

[greendohn]

I installed a Wood Master in '07, he's a greedy, hungry beast. I've had NO problems and when it's 3 degrees outside, every room in house is comfy.
The Central Boilers I've seen seem to very well built. Perhaps better built than my W.M.
The two Hardy stoves I'm familiar with have had some issues. Serious issues.
Not stirring the pot, calling 'em how I see 'em from real world use.

 

[NSMaple1]

How much wood would you expect to burn (& process & feed) in a year?

 

[avason]

I'm with Blazin...Central Boiler with no issues at all...year 8 for me too.

 

[avason]

Blaze...THAT is a lot of square feet. How many cord do you estimate you heat?

 

[twochains]

Central Boiler. I'm on year 8 with mine and no issues at all, I'm heating roughly 6000sq, 2 houses, a garage, and DHW. I'd stay away from the stainless units, those have had some issues as far as I understand.

That's what I'm needing to know! Thanks!

I installed a Wood Master in '07, he's a greedy, hungry beast. I've had NO problems and when it's 3 degrees outside, every room in house is comfy.
The Central Boilers I've seen seem to very well built. Perhaps better built than my W.M.

That's (2) for "Central Boiler" :msp_thumbup:

How much wood would you expect to burn (& process & feed) in a year?

I don't want to run myself ragged, but I have endless supply of firewood on my property due to Red Oak bores and tops and such at the landings where I am logging. I honestly have never fed a stove for even a straight week, so I guess I have no expectations really...IDK 1/2 rick to a rick a week??? I could be way out of the ballpark there...high or low.

 

[Cheesecutter]

A few outdoor stoves use forced air instead of water. They are cheaper but far less popular. They use above ground ductwork to move the heated air into the house. The water filled stoves pump heated water through underground pipe.
I have a Portage and Main myself, very happy going into year 5 with it. Central Boiler makes a good stove also. They will eat roughly 2 or 3 times as much wood as a regular wood stove. Which dealers are in your area is very important should problems arise. Talk with as many owners as possible to feel them out for info also.

 

[Cheesecutter]

[/B] I honestly have never fed a stove for even a straight week, so I guess I have no expectations really...IDK 1/2 rick to a rick a week??? I could be way out of the ballpark there...high or low.

I feed mine aa average of a cord every 10 days. 7 days below 0 maybe 14 days if its above freezing. 10-13 cords per year heating @4500 square feet.

 

[twochains]

Thank you much Cheesecutter! I will look into them also.

 

[WVwoodsman]

This will be my 6th winter heating with a Mahoning owb. I'm heating my domestic hot water and a 2900 sq. ft. house. On average I'm using about 8- 10 cords of wood a season. My owb also has the capability to burn coal which I have done in the coldest months of winter. My owb is a forced draft unit that has no electronic circuit boards to go bad either, something the other manufacturers use.

 

[avason]

For the record I never even picked up a chainsaw until I bought my land and installed my central.

 

[Blazin]

Blaze...THAT is a lot of square feet. How many cord do you estimate you heat?

The first year it was just 8 cord heating my well insulated house and a poorly insulated 30'x70' garage (thermostat left at 40° unless I was working in there). After hooking my Mom's house up the second year it went to 14-18 cord depending on the winter :msp_scared: Bout zero insulation in that house and older single pane windows, I'm in the process of fixing that situation now though.

 

[hammerhead 5410]

Installed my Central Boiler in 2001 and has been an absolutely flawless unit.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

I've been thinking about this lately as well, but the amount of wood you guys go through in your OWB's is nuts. My woodstove goes through maybe 2 cord in a season for my 1700 sqft house (cape cod). I also want to add that if we can't be home to feed the stove, that our furnace kicks on at 55 degrees.

 

[Blazin]

I've been thinking about this lately as well, but the amount of wood you guys go through in your OWB's is nuts. My woodstove goes through maybe 2 cord in a season for my 1700 sqft house (cape cod). I also want to add that if we can't be home to feed the stove, that our furnace kicks on at 55 degrees.

2 cord a year eh, what kind of insulation and windows you got in that greenhouse? Nut's, and nut's is buying $6-8k worth of fuel oil for what I heat....I don't care who you are, that's nuts.

 

[Blazin]

Oh and I forgot too add, the WHOLE house is warm and it heats my DHW :msp_thumbup:

 

[FLRA_Dave]

2 cord a year eh, what kind of insulation and windows you got in that greenhouse? Nut's, and nut's is buying $6-8k worth of fuel oil for what I heat....I don't care who you are, that's nuts.

I agree on spending that much for fuel oil. Our last propane bill had it at $2.98/gallon. When we hardly used the woodstove our first year in the house we paid nearly $3000 (includes hot water and kitchen stove) that year and that was just too much. When we use the woodstove we only spend about $750 for the year.

I'm not sure on the insulation (house was built in 1992), but there a bunch of trees to break the wind, and all of the Windows are triple pane.

 

[FLRA_Dave]

Oh and I forgot too add, the WHOLE house is warm and it heats my DHW :msp_thumbup:

I'm not trying to knock guys that have them, just saying that for my situation, I'm not sure if the expense would be worth it is all.

 

[2rod511]

I've been thinking about this lately as well, but the amount of wood you guys go through in your OWB's is nuts. My woodstove goes through maybe 2 cord in a season for my 1700 sqft house (cape cod). I also want to add that if we can't be home to feed the stove, that our furnace kicks on at 55 degrees.

My OWB does use by far more wood than the old insert in my living room used to. However, the insert could never keep my house warm. If you are going to truly heat your house with wood and keep it warm it is going to take some serious wood.

BTW, my OWB is an Earth wood furnace. It's going on the third year. The Earth furnace is very heavy built with a 1/2" firebox and a 1/4" water tank, and they are very competitively priced. That 1/2" firebox is probably overkill, and definitely causes it to use more wood, but all in all a very good stove. In the serious cold I fill that 3' round by 3' deep fire box twice a day. That makes a big ole dent in the wood pile.