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So, you’ve
decided you want to heat your home for next to nothing and
have some independence from the big energy companies. That’s not too much
to ask, right?
The choice is clear, you need a WaterStove. |
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(First, a definition: A WaterStove
is a furnace that burns wood (or other fuels) to heat a water
reservoir up to 210 degrees (almost boiling). This hot water is
stored in the water reservoir until a thermostat signals a pump
to send the hot water to heat transfer devices (radiators,
baseboards, forced air, hydronic floor heat, etc.) to heat the
air and domestic hot water in homes or businesses.) |
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(Second, a clarification: WaterStoves are called many different things. Here is a partial
list of terms that mean the same thing: Outdoor (or
Outside) Furnace, Outdoor (or Outside) Wood Furnace, Outdoor (or
Outside) Wood Burning Furnace, Outdoor (or Outside) Wood Boiler
(OWB), Outdoor (or Outside) Wood-Fired Boiler, Outdoor (or
Outside) Wood Stove, Wood-Fired Hydronic Furnace and
Non-Pressurized Boiler. All are designed to burn wood; many can
be adapted to burn other fuels. |
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1) Heating With Inexpensive Fuels Can Save You a
Stack of
Money |
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All WaterStoves are initially
designed to burn wood. Most can be fitted with burners that
will burn liquid and gaseous fuels. Being able to change
fuels whenever you want is comforting in these times of
energy uncertainty.
This chart shows the dramatic
differences in heating costs with the different fuels. Keep
in mind that if you have free fuel (wood on your property or
waste oil from your business) your heating costs will be
next to nothing.
It only makes sense to use the least expensive fuel
available to heat your home or business. Unfortunately, most
conventional furnaces are designed to use only one kind of
fuel putting you at the mercy of that fuel supplier.
These figures are based on the average retail cost of the
different fuels as of 1/1/06. Fuel prices are always
fluctuating and can vary dramatically depending on which
part of the country you live in. |
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Cost of 1,000,000
Useable BTUs |
| $ 3.85.. |
Coal |
| $ 5.60.. |
Wood |
| $ 6.40.. |
Waste Oil |
| $ 13.97.. |
Natural Gas |
| $ 20.77.. |
Fuel Oil |
| $ 25.88.. |
Electricity |
| $ 28.53.. |
Propane |
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(the calculations of
these figures are available in this
.pdf file
complements of Turbo Burn) |
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2) Sources
for FREE or Very Inexpensive Fuels |
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Solid Fuels: Wood
Free solid fuel is everywhere but a little
sweat investment will be needed. A chainsaw, some gas, a pickup
truck and some gloves is all you really need. The first place to
look for free fire wood is the downed, dead or dying trees on
your property. When that is gone ask neighbors, friends and
relatives that have some land for permission to clean it up.
Because you will be improving their property value they will
almost always say ‘yes’.
In most communities you will be able to
find students that are willing to work cheap. And many of these
kids will have their own chainsaws and trucks.
The worst case scenario is to purchase wood
by the cord at the going rate. Fortunately, you don’t need to
purchase the pretty, split ‘fireplace quality’ wood so the price
could be a little less than ‘average retail’.
Mill Ends
In most communities there are woodworking
craftsmen that have to pay the refuse company to haul off their
wood scraps. In many cases they will give this wood away to
those who ask.
Also check with sawmills, lumber
distributors, builders and salvage companies.
Corn-on-the-Cob, Peach Pits, etc.
These waste products can be a great source of
cheap heat. Air dried corn-on-the-cob and peach pits have almost
as many BTUs as wood and can be free for the asking. Check with
area farms and processors to see if their waste can be your heat
source. |
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Not an Incinerator
Keep in mind that WaterStoves are
not incinerators and should not be used to burn
household garbage, plastics, debris, etc. There are
three primary reasons for this 1) it is illegal in most
counties, 2) it is environmentally irresponsible to put
carcinogen laden toxic smoke into the air and 3) it can
shorten the life of a WaterStove (some corrosive
materials can slowly eat away at the lining of some of
the WaterStove’s internal walls). Plus most garbage
doesn’t burn very well requiring the stove to be cleaned
more often. |
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Liquid Fuels: Waste
Oil
Some WaterStoves are set up to be
retrofitted with a waste oil burner. Good places to look for
free waste oil are quick lube shops, auto shops and motor pools
(for crankcase oil), manufacturers and factories (for
lubricating fluids) and restaurants (for fryer grease).
In most cases transporting small quantities
of these waste oils do not require permits where transporting
large quantities will require permits. Be sure to check the
local laws.
Another good source would be a region waste
oil processing company. These companies will usually sell
their processed waste oil for less than a dollar a gallon.
Recycling centers can direct you to the company where they send
the waste oil they collect.
Other Liquid Fuels
Sadly, we have yet to find sources for free
or inexpensive natural gas, fuel oil or propane.
(Note: in
our next newsletter we will discuss the use of free solar energy and
cheap electricity with WaterStoves) |
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3) All WaterStoves are Not Created Equal
Two types of Water Stoves
Standard WaterStoves burn a
continuous wood fire. When there is no heat demand the fire goes
dormant (fresh air is cut off and the fire smolders). When there
is a heat demand the fire is given fresh air and a hot fire
follows. Standard WaterStoves have small water reservoirs,
usually less than 500 gallons. In the winter wood needs to be added to the fire two
or three times a day. Because of the on-and-off smoke generated
24 hours a day this type of WaterStove has become unpopular in
many densely populated areas.
Premium WaterStoves burn only one
short, hot fire per day in the winter. The fire receives forced
ventilation so the temperature can reach 2,500 + degrees which
is hot enough to burn most of the gasses and creosote, thus,
producing very little smoke. All the heat from that one short
hot fire is stored in a large water reservoir (700 to 2,000
gallons). Premium WaterStoves are larger than Standard WaterStoves and are usually more expensive. |
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4) EPA
Because of air quality issues the EPA and
community health officials around the country are currently
ruling on, and sometimes banning, the use of wood burning WaterStoves in populated areas.
Fortunately, in most cases using liquid or
gaseous fuels (waste oil, fuel oil, natural gas, propane, etc.)
to heat the water in a WaterStove the air quality problems are
not an issue. The reason for this is because those burners have
already met the strict EPA standards.
Even with the new regulations both Standard
and Premium WaterStoves remain popular with the cost
conscious, energy conscious and independent thinking homeowners. |
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Coming in the May WaterStove
Newsletter |
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How to build a perfect fire
The importance of the right insulation
Using solar energy and electricity with a WaterStove
Current EPA and local government rulings
and more |
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BACK TO TOP
BACK TO
THE WATERSTOVE DIRECTORY |
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Thank you for reading the WaterStove Newsletter.
Suggestions and
comments to this Newsletter are welcome.
Unfortunately, time constraints will allow me to
personally respond to very few emails.
Mike@OmniM.com |
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This Newsletter is sponsored in part by
the following businesses: |
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NCSS
North Coast Sales & Services, Inc |
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