OWB smoke questions

[ptjeep]

I am hoping you guys could give me some insight or personal experiences with OWB's and how much they smoke. Seems all i read about is people complaining about them, but i don't guess people would go out of there way to brag about a neighbors OWB and how little it smokes.

Heres my dilema: I plan to build a house within the next two years and would love to install an OWB while building the house. The winters here in East Tennessee aren't to extreme compared to up north but i love the idea of heating the house, water, and 40x40 garage for nearly nothing(personal time cutting wood excluded). My only concerns are with the smoke aggravating my neighbors. The OWB will be within 150'-200' of the closest neighbor. From what i've read, most OWB's don't smoke any more than a normal chimney as long as dry seasoned wood is burned, is this the case? If so, then i would definitely go to the trouble to make sure its always seasoned before burned. I know there will be some smoke during start up and heat cycles but as long as theres not constant smoke,i dont think there will be a problem.

Another problem i have read about is people buying OWB's that are too large for the supply needed to heat whatever is needed meaning that the burner seldom kicks on and the wood spends more time smoldering than burning. Any one experienced this? I really would love to purchase and install one of these but would hate to spend the money just to have pissed off neighbors from now on.

I recently read that the Central Boiler "E" series is supposed to burn the smoke by passing it threw the coals making it cleaner burning. Does this system work well?

Thanks

 

[Encore]

A lot will have to do with the prevailing winds and where you position the OWB

They do smoke more than your chimney when the blower first kicks on, but with mine at least, once the fire gets going there really isn't any smoke at all.

When smoldering (or when the blower is off) there really is only a small amount of smoke coming out of the stack. I have neighbors across the street as well as to the side close to the distance you mentioned and I've never had a complaint at all.

I placed my burner so that most of the smoke blows into a thick standing of trees and then whats left blows out towards a highway. No big deal.

 

[MechanicMatt]

Two of my neighbors have them, It really depends on the wood they stick in them. One guy burns year round for Hot water, The other guy only burns in the winter. The smoke doesn't bother me, but the Hippy on the street, ehhhh She doesn't like any of our woodstoves. BTW my good friend lives two towns over and put his in while building his home, LOVES it. Had the cost of the unit added in to the build.

 

[hamish]

Two of my neighbors have them, It really depends on the wood they stick in them. One guy burns year round for Hot water, The other guy only burns in the winter. The smoke doesn't bother me, but the Hippy on the street, ehhhh She doesn't like any of our woodstoves. BTW my good friend lives two towns over and put his in while building his home, LOVES it. Had the cost of the unit added in to the build.

You have it pegged, it all boils down to what is being burnt in them. Seems most like tot burn the free-est, cheapest wood thay can, the burn more higher fire cycles.............its no different than a woodstove jsut outside, feed it nice stuff, ensure your burn cycles.

 

[ptjeep]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

[Jim Timber]

My neighbors who run them have never even gotten my attention from the smoke. They run good seasoned wood, and it shows (or doesn't, as the case may be).

Wet pitchy stuff will smoke, and you'll know it. I can tell you who's at the lake based on the odors, because I know who burns in their fireplaces and that they're too damn cheap to get real burning wood so they throw whatever they find in the hearth.

 

[Marc]

You have it pegged, it all boils down to what is being burnt in them. Seems most like tot burn the free-est, cheapest wood thay can, the burn more higher fire cycles.............its no different than a woodstove jsut outside, feed it nice stuff, ensure your burn cycles.

Well, it's a little different, being that most woodstoves aren't water jacketed, and are free draft intakes and not forced.

I agree with most of the wisdom posted here, though. For the most part, seasoned wood will produce little smoke and you'll use less wood. If it were me, though, I'd seriously consider an E-classic or one of the other forced downdraft models, outside or inside, just because of how much less wood they seem to use.

Also, on damp, still days, even burning totally dry wood, the smoke you get on startups and idles just seems to hang around. I've seen some comically tall chimneys on OWBs around here, but there's only so much to do. I like the odd whiff of wood smoke here or there, but I wouldn't want it hanging around all day like that. Especially if you're down ina in a hollow or bottomland. But so much depends on your own situation.

 

[greendohn]

You might look into how high you have to build your stack.
Around here the stack for an OWB must be 3ft (might be 5ft) higher than the the roof line of any occupied dwelling with in 150ft of the OWB. That can get to be a very tall stack.

 

[Coldfront]

I'm sure the newer owb are a lot better now days but about 20 years ago I had a neighbor who smoldered his owb a lot and when the wind was blowing toward our house at night I could not open my bedroom window it was like tear gas, and yes it used to piss me off. His owb was about 75 yrds from my bedroom window. Anyway now my nearest neighbor is about 1/4 mile away and I could care less what they burn. But if you have close neighbors it could be a problem.

 

[jrider]

There are now gassification OWB's that are what the industry calls "virtually smokeless and its true. I bought one last year and my neighbors -directly across the street - didn't even know it was running the first 2 weeks till he came over and asked when I was going to fire it up. Mine is Portage and Main, not from Central but both companies have a good name in the industry.

 

[ptjeep]

Thanks again for the info guys, your making me feel better about purchasing one in the future. I definitely would only burn seasoned wood and am currently researching some of the E-series from CB and also P&M. As far as stack height goes, i cant find any restrictions period about OWB's in Tennessee.

 

[emmeg]

There is another topic on OWB's a couple of pages back. Companies from your neck of the woods WHO to stay away from. Check it out.

 

[tooold]

There is a group against wood burning smoke and here is there site.

RAWSEP ResidentsAgainstWood SmokeEmissionParticulates | RAWSEP Residents Against Wood Smoke Emission Particulates

OWB's have been banned in the next city over from me. Smoke was the problem.

 

[superwd6]

Everyone complains about the EPA but when I consisdered installing one and found out local bylaws didn't allow it:msp_scared:, I looked at the EPA installation rules. If you download a set of these rules you won't have any issues. They go into great detail about distance from neighbors, chimney hieghts, problem conditions and such. After reading , my only choice was a Phase 2 boiler. Got an Eclassic 2300 3 years ago and never had an issue. Nieghbors thought we were crazy swimming so early but they didn't even know the boiler was heating it.ONE acre lots here to!. Think about it, Is saving a few thousand dollars really worth a regular boiler when the nieghbors hate you and force you to stop using it?

 

[ptjeep]

I've been asking around and have had two people locally recommend the CB 5036 over the E 2400. They both said there was little to no difference in smoke between the two models and the 5036 is a couple thousand cheaper. Anybody else feel the same about the amount of smoke produced between the two? I will be burning dry seasoned wood only.

 

[Butch(OH)]

I've been asking around and have had two people locally recommend the CB 5036 over the E 2400. They both said there was little to no difference in smoke between the two models and the 5036 is a couple thousand cheaper. Anybody else feel the same about the amount of smoke produced between the two? I will be burning dry seasoned wood only.

Cant comment on the E 2400 But dry seasoned wood does indeed make a world of differance in smoke emmissions from a old school type OWB. My 4400 burns with a clear stack aside of a puff when the draft burner starts and a haze for a few minutes when I first load it. No more than any other standard type stove. I live in very close proximity to 4 neighbors, there are 5 houses on guessing 10 acres and I purchased and installed a Woodmaster 4400 before I read about or gave a thought about OWB smoke problems. Having read about the problems and before I fired it up I went around and talked to all of them and now going on my 6th year now with it and still have happy neighbors. Obviously I do not have any #####aholics next door but neither am I smoking (or smellng) up the neghborhood. Everything I burn is 2 year old and split just like is was intened for an inside wood stove. I also feed it twice to three times a day in small quantities instead of piling it full once a day, that helps a lot with smoke also. Smell and smoke is often treated as one and the same and it is not. People who burn year around will have more troubles with smell even when the fire is so small there is no visable smoke. This is for three reasons, The small smoldering fire does stink worse plus it doesnt rise in the summer as it does when cold out and probably most importantly people are outside and/or have windows open.

If you have neighbors that hate you or have a history of look for reasons to complain then expect it, if not and you will be OK as long as you repect the fact they dont want to smell your furnace burning all summer long.

All in all I'd say if complaints is the #1 worry then you are as much at the mercy of your neighbors mentalities are as you are the design of the wood burner you purchase? Just my opinion.

 

[AIM]

All I can say is I'm glad I live in the middle of nowhere! I could burn tires in mine and nobody would care. And before you jump on me. No I don't burn tires.

 

[ptjeep]

Cant comment on the E 2400 But dry seasoned wood does indeed make a world of differance in smoke emmissions from a old school type OWB. My 4400 burns with a clear stack aside of a puff when the draft burner starts and a haze for a few minutes when I first load it. No more than any other standard type stove. I live in very close proximity to 4 neighbors, there are 5 houses on guessing 10 acres and I purchased and installed a Woodmaster 4400 before I read about or gave a thought about OWB smoke problems. Having read about the problems and before I fired it up I went around and talked to all of them and now going on my 6th year now with it and still have happy neighbors. Obviously I do not have any #####aholics next door but neither am I smoking (or smellng) up the neghborhood. Everything I burn is 2 year old and split just like is was intened for an inside wood stove. I also feed it twice to three times a day in small quantities instead of piling it full once a day, that helps a lot with smoke also. Smell and smoke is often treated as one and the same and it is not. People who burn year around will have more troubles with smell even when the fire is so small there is no visable smoke. This is for three reasons, The small smoldering fire does stink worse plus it doesnt rise in the summer as it does when cold out and probably most importantly people are outside and/or have windows open.

If you have neighbors that hate you or have a history of look for reasons to complain then expect it, if not and you will be OK as long as you repect the fact they dont want to smell your furnace burning all summer long.

All in all I'd say if complaints is the #1 worry then you are as much at the mercy of your neighbors mentalities are as you are the design of the wood burner you purchase? Just my opinion.

Great post, thanks for taking the time to explain. I plan to only burn in the winter. I'm feeling a lot better about purchasing one of these things. I plan to burn wood whether it be in a fire place or a OWB so theres going to be some smoke either way. My neighbors will just have to deal with some.

 

[STLfirewood]

I've often wondered if you could build a small version of one of these on an OWB. How much air would you have to blow across the stack for it to work. I don't think it could work on a CB with natural draft.

Air_Burners_Inc._-_Air_Curtain_Burner_Destructor_for_Wood_Waste_Disposal.mp4 - YouTube


Scott

 

[superwd6]

E-classic boiler can smoke sometimes but most of the time I look out and see clear heat waves as I look down on it from my second floor. On the cold days you can see white steam form as the gsses cool just like a gas or oil furnace does:cool2:.There is no doubt that the 5036 will burn cleaner than some poorly made boilers with fans blowing smoke out the chimney.One of the local farmers who is allowed an outdoor boiler bought some pos on legs that leaves a trail of smoke 6 feet off the ground 3 fields across to the next farm about 4 times a month.Whatever you buy, get that chimney up a little:msp_smile: