I’m currently building a house in Alaska and am considering a combined wood and oil heating system. I’m also deciding between forced air and baseboard heating, leaning towards baseboard. I’ve found three manufacturers that look promising (Yukon/Eagle – http://www.yukon-eagle.com/, Charmaster http://www.charmaster.com/wood_oil.html, and Tarm http://www.woodboilers.com/wood-gasification.asp ). I’ve heard that these systems can have corrosion problems. I’m also somewhat concerned about venting two different fuels through the same piping. A third concern is related to efficiency of wood-burning if I go with the wood boiler. Evidently,water cools the fire below the temperature at which wood burns most efficiently resulting in smoking and waste fuel – which is one reason I’m considering a forced air system instead. The wood gasification boiler supposedly overcomes this issue.
My alternative is to purchase a conventional oil boiler and then install a wood stove, using two chimneys. Nonetheless, I really like the idea of having a single unit that burns wood until the solid fuel is gone then automatically switches to oil. I also like the fact that these units are self-starting, meaning I don’t have to deal with paper and kindling. A single unit would also be installed in my basement, meaning I could restrict the mess to the downstairs, feeding wood into a utility room door.
Have you had any experience with these combined wood/oil systems? Do they deliver as promised, or would I be better off simply buying a good oil boiler and woodstove. Any other issues I need to be aware of? Thanks in advance.
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I live in Northern WI, gets cold here as well. Don't if it is global warmning but historicaly we have seen -40F most years with occasional departures in the -50F range. Last couple of years only got to -30 for a few days. That said we went through the combination wood/oil to forced air phase in the late 70's Most lasted about 7-10 years and burned through. Lots of corrosion, caused by incomplete combustion, units were too big, Wood was too wet, etc. The local wood chucks are now in the outside wood burner phase circulating hot water to house, garage, hot tub etc. Same problems as before, corrosion caused by incomplete combustion. Units last between 5 and 7 years. For my money I would purchase the most efficent oil furnace with the best warranty that I could lay my hands on. If your house is does not require a duct system to distribute the air one or two of the freestanding oil space heaters might make sense. I would also purchase a good wood burner like a Vermont Castings Defiant, which I do own. I currently heat with gas hot water and supplement with the wood stove. Roger