Coal Boiler, Basement or Outside Enclosure??

I've just put my order in for an AHS S130. I am now starting to thing through logistics. One issue is getting 875lbs into the house, down the basement stairs... I've read about many who seem to have put their furnaces/boilers outdoors, whether in garages or sheds or other enclosures. Is this something I should consider? I'd be grateful to hear from those who have some experience with the AHS S130 and where they have theirs situated. Thanks.

Ask Freddy!

His was going in his basement until he got it home and saw how heavy it is.

I think his boiler fell off the truck somewhere near the end of his driveway. Instead of moving it, he's just gonna build a new house around it

Beatle: No disrespect to Freddy but your last post had me on the floor.

I have similar questions about my Keystoker boiler. I could do garage or basement. Garage is attractive as it would be easy to store coal, dump ash, and a little heat out there wouldn't hurt. However, I will probably go with basement for a few reasons. First, the basement has an unused available chimney running up the middle of the house. Though I cannot locate any confirmend science on it, there appears to be widespread perception that nothing beats a good natural draft. Also, the direct-vent or chimney in the garage would, absolutely, involve additional cost.

Finally, there is the issue of radiant loss (ie: the warm garage). Let's face it, quotations of efficiency of coal boilers/furnaces are pretty suspect. To my knowledge, none of them have been subjected to standardized efficiency evaluations by an independent lab. Thus, a quoted 80-85% efficiency might be accurate depending on how it is measured. But, you can be certain, that it does not reflect the efficiency as delivered to your conditioned space. There will absolutely be radiant and convective loss at the appliance. Those who have the unit in the basement will enjoy/capture that heat as it rises to heat the first floor. [I can attest that I have ruled out subfloor radiant in my house based on the warmth of my floors (wood and tile) from the constant warmth in the basement.] In a garage, not so much; shed, not at all.

I cannot offer a head to head comparison in actual dollars; both can and do work. There are some pretty experienced folks on the forum.

Happy wife if boiler went in the garage. Use less coal and better efficiency if it went in the basement. Boiler is almost ready to run - in the garage.

grin...sounds like this Freddie guy might have some helpful advice. How do I get in touch with him?

I'm going with my boiler in the garage. I did it mainly because of ease in loading it with a compact tractor. Fill it once a month with an oversize hopper. I have a pellet stove in my living room, my wife was tired of the rest of the house always cold, (I found out she was "cheating" with the oil burner when I was a work ) and I got tired of hauling in bags of pellets. Basement not bad but you must haul the ashes up the stairs. You will lose heat in the garage though I'm guessing.

Be aware that any solid fuel appliance in a garage is prohibited by the fire code. Likely not the hazard it once was, with the gasoline vapor recovery systems on modern autos. To put a solid fuel appliance in a garage you would need it in a room that prevents vapors from the autos being drawn into the burning fire.

Beatle, that was the best laugh I have had in a while. Can't wait to see what Freddy has to say. Every time I picture this in my mind I start laughing again.

Jeff

Beetle,
Now that is funny

Yanche is correct. When I was younger we used to keep our motorcross bikes in the basement until one of our friends blew up his house while refueling his bike and the oil burner kicked on igniting the fumes.

Hi Kenbod, actually the Axeman Anderson boilers were tested over a two year period in a well documented study.. By the Bureau of MInes..

The study had a boiler installed in a house,and everything was measured and documented,, the coal in, the ash out, the BTU's used, the degree-days etc etc..

the Axeman Anderson boiler tested at 84% to 86% efficient.. pretty good for a 1940's design.

Greg L.

By having the boiler in the basement you don't lose the radiant heat from the boiler to the outside, it helps heat the basement instead which improves your overall heating efficiency and helps eliminate dampness in the basement. You also won't have any heat loss from running underground tubing to the outbuilding. Obviously if you can't get the boiler in the basement an outbuilding will work perfectly fine, I'm just suggesting that with both locations available I would prefer the basement for the reasons above.

TimW wrote:grin...sounds like this Freddie guy might have some helpful advice. How do I get in touch with him?

You can send Freddy a private message memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=1789. He's been a away more lately because he is working hard to get his stove set up.

Beatle

Great stuff! I'm sure Freddy is going to get a big kick out of it too.

He must be really busy building his new house. Usually he would have posted something 20 seconds after I made the joke

I haven't seen much of him lately and when he does post something it's at 3 or 4 in the morning!

My boiler is in an outside building. Even if I had a basement, I'd still prefer an outside building. Any loss of heat is a good trade for not having to lug ash through the house, not having the local coal delivery guy wandering through, and not dealing with potential coal smoke.

Freddy has to be done with that house by now??? LMAO!