Looking at Switching to Coal Need Help

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » Sun. Mar. 01, 2015 11:20 pm

Hello I live in Northwest PA and I have heated with an outside wood boiler for the past 14 years since my house was built. I heat my home and garage and hot water all totaling 3500 sq feet. The wood is becoming taxing and as my kids are getting more involved in activities I don't have time to baby sit this thing. My question is where do I start I am looking for a outside boiler that will last and I don't have to fill everyday. I have a 20'x36' shed that my wood boiler is in now so I have room to put what ever I need to inside. Any help will be well appreciated

lzaharis · Post by **lzaharis** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 12:31 am

MikeC wrote:Hello I live in Northwest PA and I have heated with an outside wood boiler for the past 14 years since my house was built. I heat my home and garage and hot water all totaling 3500 sq feet. The wood is becoming taxing and as my kids are getting more involved in activities I don't have time to baby sit this thing. My question is where do I start I am looking for a outside boiler that will last and I don't have to fill everyday. I have a 20'x36' shed that my wood boiler is in now so I have room to put what ever I need to inside. Any help will be well appreciated

==================================================================================================

Welcome to coalpail.com,

You need to have an energy audit done first
if you have not done one already.

Your forest eater is probably ready to be scrapped
if it is the original unit. Or you could sell it

Do you have oxygen barrier pex in the ground?

If you have a usable barn you should plan on putting a
stoker in there with your coal supply to keep the stoker
and coal out of the weather.

You will have to take your time, talk to manufacturers,
visit the search box here on the forum with questions.

A stoker will require you to fill the hopper and empty
the ash basket every day or so. A stoker with a large
hopper will last several days depending on the weather.

Everything is dependent on your "total" heat load and whether you want
to heat your domestic water the year round or have a pool to heat or a
hot tub etc.

Its best to have the pump or pumps indoors out of the weather
in a basement or interior area that is above freezing to prevent
freeze damage.

You need to do lots of research, ask for information and information
packages from manufacturers and talk to installers and owners of
different stoker brands before you make a decision.

Some stoker retailers only sell them as a sideline from there stoker stove
brand of their same name and and do not install them.

Some installers sell, install and service them.

Have an energy audit done first then crawl and walk from there to make a decision
as YOU are the one that has to deal with the decision.

Just be aware that some plumbers are death on coal boilers and stokers
and will not work or install them.

You have a lot to do before you get into debt to pay for an installation as YOU are the one
who has to deal with it.
======================================================================

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 6:19 am

I do have pex in the ground yes and all my circulation pumps are inside I have radiant heat in the basement and garage and hot water baseboard in the house. I will do an energy audit. Thanks

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 6:45 am

MikeC wrote:Hello I live in Northwest PA and I have heated with an outside wood boiler for the past 14 years since my house was built. I heat my home and garage and hot water all totaling 3500 sq feet. The wood is becoming taxing and as my kids are getting more involved in activities I don't have time to baby sit this thing. My question is where do I start I am looking for a outside boiler that will last and I don't have to fill everyday. I have a 20'x36' shed that my wood boiler is in now so I have room to put what ever I need to inside. Any help will be well appreciated

WELCOME ,I heated with an OWB for 8 yrs after 7 yrs of heating with an indoor wood stove.We also found the work involved with the OWB to be overwhelming & never ending.Check out the thread "Pictures of your boilers" & you might gain a few ideas from my thread "From OWB to EFM520 installed in a truck box". You have now put your name on here as wanting a boiler,there are members who deal with used units all the time & are likely to contact you.There are also members who regularly post boilers/stoves/furnaces for sale on CL. As far as the size required,we will need more info,unless you already know for sure. The pex size will help to determine the max that can be transferred to each building as well as heat exchangers/baseboard footage/radiant-in-floor.A masonry chimney is preferred ,stainless can work. The 20 x 36 shed should have enough room to install a coal stoker boiler & have plenty of storage for coal.

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 7:44 pm

I found A guy in my town actually 2 that have E.F.M model df 520 units they say they work great they both have the oil guns on them. I looked at the one looks pretty simple. does anyone have any comments on these.

Post by **StokerDon** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 8:01 pm

The EFM 520 is one of the best coal stoker boilers made. In production for many decades. You can buy a new one for $9,000 to $10,000. Or you can buy a refubished older one in the $4,500 range. The REAL question is, is it big enough for your heating needs. If not, you could go bigger with an EFM 700 or 900.

-Don

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 8:16 pm

My wood is a 250,00 BTU I heat roughly 3500 sq feet in a newer home built in 2002 and garage my house is 2050 and the garage is 900 my basement is heated in the same zone as the house I feed it with the return line of the house so I really don't count that. My basement and garage are radiant in the concrete and the house is hot water baseboard.

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 8:25 pm

I have no problem buying used at all I really like the Idea of the oil gun on them. Thats why this unit appealed to me the gentleman I spoke to in town heats as much as I do with his and he goes through 5-6 ton of coal a year. I didn't think that was bad at all

Dave 1234 · Post by **Dave 1234** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 9:05 pm

Welcome Mike,
A bunch here have felt your pain and switched from wood heat to coal. I burned for over 30 years. Wish I learned the true story about coal stoker boilers years ago.

Just for an easy reference I burned 12- 15 cords of oak in the house, now I use 12- 15 ton of coal also in the house. That's year around and unlimited DHW. For me a boiler in the basement was best.

Good luck
Dave

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » Mon. Mar. 02, 2015 9:14 pm

Thanks all your guys info is helpful please keep it coming this is all new to me

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » Tue. Mar. 03, 2015 5:23 pm

ok I just did a BTU calculator and If I hook up as is with 2 zones 156,000 is what it calls for if I were to switch to 3 separate zones 176,000 is what It said so do you guys think the 520 would be ok or is that to close for comfort. I don't ever see me going to 3 separate zones when 2 does a great job now.

windyhill4.2 · Post by **windyhill4.2** » Tue. Mar. 03, 2015 7:42 pm

The amount of sq. footage is what matters,not how many zones the sq. footage is split into, If all zoned areas are heated to the same temp with the 2 vs 3 zones.What size pex & how many pair is more the deciding factor of how many BTU's will be available for each zone. Knowing what we are requiring from our EFM520 ,i sure can't see any issue with a 520 being less than adequate for your application.