What is the best HVAC system to use with outdoor boiler

buckeye_11

9 years ago

I am going to be getting an outdoor boiler and need to redo my entire heating cooling system at the same time.

Whats the best way to cool and backup heat my 2,600 sq ft house?

Main options I have are AC, HP or Propane.

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Comments (11)

tigerdunes
9 years ago
Outdoor boiler-what purpose, what fuel?

What is electric rate and propane cost/gal?

What is your location?

Post back...

IMO
buckeye_11
Original Author
9 years ago
Im thinking a central boiler vs woodmaster 4400 wood boilers

Electric cost $.12/ kwh
propane $2.41/ gal

I'm in south central ohio with access to some firewood
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The national average for replacing AC systems is around 15 years or so. They don't break this down into builder grade or non-builder grade. I can tell you from a repair perspective builder grade units aren't any more prone to breakage or replacement than non-builder grade unit. If I was going to classify something as builder grade I would merely say 'entry level' system.... with no bells and whistles. That means 13 / 14 SEER in the North and 14 SEER in the South. The name on the side of the unit matters little. I've repaired all brands in this realm just as much as I've replaced them. What's different about my area is 'use'. I live in a hot climate, so if anything is going to fail prematurely it was going to do it regardless of the name on the side of the unit. Running something 10 months out of the year in comparison to a climate that might use it 3 or 4 months (not that this is the case of the OP) --- just so you know there is much more to think about other than the name on the side of the unit. If you jump up out of the builder grade closet, your install cost is going to go up. A builder 'may' not be that well suited installing something other than 'a builder grade unit'. Why? Because a builder typically doesn't have the experience of doing this sort of thing correctly. It's like the added bells and whistles of zone systems. --- Most of these I come across in new builds are generally garbage, don't work right and due to 'design' of them there's no way they could work right. You have to realize a builder has a small skill set, because they are always working with something that is 'new' out of the box from the store. They rarely see a broken system... whether it's builder grade or not. Most builders in the HVAC realm 99% do not run HVAC service. They simply are not built for it. Definition of HVAC service is: 7am - 7pm Sunday Thru Saturday. Not 8-5 Mon-Fri. Not leave a message at the beep, not we'll get back to you within 72 hours, etc. With that said some claim to offer service in this regard, but fall considerably short. Maybe you need it, maybe you don't. In a hot climate like mine? Don't kid yourself. Remember a builder builds. So if they tell you they don't have problems with xyz brand it's probably that it doesn't have problems with in the year or two that they are on the hook to fix it. There are plenty of builder horror stories on this board to prove what I say is accurate. So to say the answer is to install better than builder grade system, you better hope they have the skill set to install it properly or it's sure to give you even more trouble. There is no warranty coverage for improper installation, builder's go out of business all the time, so keep that in mind as well. 25% of the knowledge needed to install an AC system. The other 75% is knowing what not to do.
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buckeye_11
Original Author
9 years ago
Electric may be .13 or .14 cents now.
tigerdunes
9 years ago
Not clear about the purpose of the outdoor boiler...what does it heat?

I will assume lots of work to feed that boiler with wood...free labor, free wood?

IMO
buckeye_11
Original Author
9 years ago
I was thinking of it as a low cost heat.

I'm 26 yrs old and live on a farm with lots of trees. I thought maybe the best thing to do is use my own resources to heat rather than paying for propane or electric.

Would I be better off with a wood stove for supplementing heat?
tigerdunes
9 years ago
So still not clear...what is the purpose of the wood fueled boiler?...radiant heat, baseboard heat?

I will assume the wood is free for the taking, disregarding your time for collecting, chopping, and feeding wood to boiler. Correct?

I am just brainstorming with you, not really my bailiwick and beyond my pay grade. Very interesting though as long as you have time, energy, and health as far as outdoor boiler.

One thought though before proceeding with outdoor boiler. You need to discuss very thoughtfully with another homeowner who has similar outdoor boiler.

IMO
buckeye_11
Original Author
9 years ago
Yeah thanks I appreciate it, it will be able to be installed with a forced air unit to install with existing duct work. I will need to think it over since most people that have them burn lots of wood and I really don't like the thought of cutting down lots of trees.

Almost every homeowner that has one loves them and tell me that they wish they had one sooner. I figured since I can get a cord of seasoned hardwood for $120 it would still be cheaper than propane if I would need it.

Big question is should I just get a heat pump so I have the option of running it as a secondary heat or go with a propane furnace as backup since the boiler would need electric if I would lose electricity.
mike_home
9 years ago
If you are going to install a new AC condenser and air handler, then the best option is to spend a little more money and upgrade the condenser to a heat pump. The heat pump would be the primary heat source.

The back up heat could be either electric heat strips or a propane furnace. If you plan to use the propane for appliances (stove, clothes dryer, etc.) then propane furnace makes sense. If not then consider getting the heat strips.

I don't understand how a boiler could be installed outside if the temperature is going to go below freezing. If you installed it indoors, then you have to look at the costs of a boiler versus that of a the other back up heat resources. Even if you did get a wood fired boiler, is someone going to be able to stoke and clean the firebox everyday the back up heat is needed?
ionized_gw
9 years ago
Lots of decisions are going to be based on how much the system will be burning wood vs. alternative fuel. It makes no sense to spend a lot of bucks on an efficient non-wood fuel source if it will not be used much. Outdoor boilers must have a way to keep them from freezing up if the fires goes out. That often means that they use energy to keep the water in an open loop from freezing.

My feeling is that an outdoor wood boiler and all the controls needed to meld it with another system is going to cost a lot more than you will get back unless you do most of your heating with the wood. If wood heating is to be more casual, it will be far easier to do it with a sealed wood stove or sealed fireplace. There must places that discuss this sort of combination.
buckeye_11
Original Author
9 years ago
I would mainly use the outdoor wood furnace for the coldest months of the year so when its below 35 I would burn firewood. So for 3-4 months I will be burning firewood but when it gets warmer I would like a backup. I just need something to warm the house when its about 40 out or in case I'm running low on firewood or tired of filling it up everyday
ionized_gw
9 years ago
If you aim to make this all seamless, automatic and efficient, it will probably cost you. I could be wrong and if you do some research and find a way to save enough money with a wood boiler, let us know. If you find an installer in your area with experience, count your blessings. It seems like the wood boiler manufacturer should have some help for designing for different applications and should be able to suggest experienced installers.

You might want to try over at the following web sites. See also the clip at HTP for some idea of what can be done.

http://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?forums/boiler-forum.18/

http://forum.heatinghelp.com

Here is a link that might be useful: Versa-hydro with wood boiler.

What is the best HVAC system to use with outdoor boiler

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tigerdunes

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What is the best HVAC system to use with outdoor boiler

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tigerdunes

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