# Installing indoor furnace outside under a shelter



## wvwoodchuck (Oct 15, 2010)

First let me say what a great site!  I've been looking around for a while, but this is my first post.

I know this sounds ridiculous, but here it goes.  Has anyone installed an indoor wood/coal furnace outside in a shelter/building?  I would really like to have an outdoor boiler, but I don't have $6K-$10K laying around.
Heating the domestic hot water is not a concern for me.  I don't have the space inside to put the furnace, so its outside or nothing.  Give me your thoughts and/or suggestions. 

Thanks.


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## shoeboxlen (Oct 15, 2010)

many people have personally i dont see the logic in it myself. the best part of the indoor boiler is not having to put on shoes and a coat to feed the fire.


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## freeburn (Oct 15, 2010)

It works, but you can lose quite a few btu's just being outside and also in the transfer ductwork. If it's your only option, then it's your only option. Better than nothing.


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## wvwoodchuck (Oct 15, 2010)

Thanks.  Yeah, it's about the only option I do have.  Unless I wait for a couple of years and buy the outdoor boiler.


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## ikessky (Oct 15, 2010)

I know a guy that did it and ended up abandoning the plan because he lost too much heat running through to ducts into his house.  He would also have needed larger fans or duct boosters for the supply and return lines and decided that he would be eating up his savings in electrical costs.


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## wvwoodchuck (Oct 15, 2010)

That's what I'm afraid of too.  It seems like it would loose a lot of btu's.  The idea sounds good, but so far the reality isn't very good.


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## Singed Eyebrows (Oct 15, 2010)

Put the cleanest burning boiler outside that you can afford & be thankfull you don't have the money for a factory built OWB. Most do not burn very clean & I think will eventually be regulated to death. The OWB gassers are here & very expensive. I'm with the rest in putting the boiler inside if at all possible, Randy


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## wvwoodchuck (Oct 15, 2010)

Thanks.  I'm really considering putting the boiler or forced air under the house.  It's a crawl space, but it's about 4 foot high.  With a little digging, I can have pretty good spot to put an add-on furnace.  I already have a chimney from a previous wood stove that was in the house, so I can use the existing flu that's there.


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## ISeeDeadBTUs (Oct 15, 2010)

Welcome aboard!

I need a bit of clarification . . .

You talking boiler? or furnace?

Because lots of people -including myself- have put a boiler designed for indoor use outside in an outbuilding.

But putting a furnace outside?? That sound incredibly inefficient, but maybe someone here has done that too. :smirk: 

Jimbo


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## Sting (Oct 15, 2010)

it has been done successfully


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## ikessky (Oct 15, 2010)

Best install EVAR!!


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## wvwoodchuck (Oct 15, 2010)

ISeeDeadBTUs said:
			
		

> Welcome aboard!
> 
> I need a bit of clarification . . .
> 
> ...



The original post was for a forced air furnace.  However, the more I hear back the more it seems to be a really bad idea.
I would like to have a boiler or add-on forced air that burns wood and coal.  Now I'll start with that dilemma.  boiler vs. forced air?


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## wvwoodchuck (Oct 15, 2010)

Sting said:
			
		

> it has been done successfully



That looks like my neighbors place.  I told him he was gonna be famous one day!!


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## Hunderliggur (Oct 15, 2010)

It is a LOT easier to move BTUs in water than in air.  A boiler in an outside shed (like mine) with a water to air heat exchanger in the inside duct with the existing forced air system should work.


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## Singed Eyebrows (Oct 15, 2010)

Sting said:
			
		

> it has been done successfully


 Now thats what I'm talkin about! Is this UL listed? Good goin, Randy


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## Willman (Oct 16, 2010)

Looks like a covered conveyor to bring wood up out of cellar


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## goosegunner (Oct 16, 2010)

wvwoodchuck said:
			
		

> Thanks.  I'm really considering putting the boiler or forced air under the house.  It's a crawl space, but it's about 4 foot high.  With a little digging, I can have pretty good spot to put an add-on furnace.  I already have a chimney from a previous wood stove that was in the house, so I can use the existing flu that's there.



The guy that I sold my OWB to said he had a Forced air wood furnace that he tried to do that with. He had it outside and he said that he was burning lots of wood without getting the heat to the house. Air will not hold the heat over any distance.


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## rookie432 (Oct 18, 2010)

Interestingly I am also looking for information on the same subject. 

I have brand new indoor wood furnace that came with the house. (previous owner never hooked up?) we have propane heat currently.
A few years ago I built on a 30x50 garage attached to the house and insulated walls and ceiling. Been heating that in the winter with Kerosene. 
I have wanted to hook up this wood furnace to use as a main source of heat for the shop as well as a supplimental heat for the house.
I dont want to give up that much floor space in the shop so my idea was to attach a small building to the shop for the furnace room and feed forced air ductwork into the shop and run a duct over to the attached wall (kitchen) pop in a vent and feed the house with aux heat. 
The idea was if the wood furnace heated the house the thermostat wouldn"t need to kick on for the propane furnace.
Contractor says afraid to put wood furnace in an attached room because worried heat will have nowhere to escape???

Is there something wrong with my thinking here?

I suppose I could put a thermostat controlled exhaust vent in the furnace room to evacuate "too much heat"

I guess I'm just looking for validation or invalidation. Hate to see this furnace go to waste.

PS: expected distace of ductwork not to exceed 15-20'. All inside. Not much heat loss expected.


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## Hunderliggur (Oct 18, 2010)

Sounds like it would work.  Your wood furnance is no different than any other furnace except for the fuel (wood versus oil versus propane etc).  I would not worry about a "hot" room.


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## wvwoodchuck (Oct 19, 2010)

goosegunner said:
			
		

> wvwoodchuck said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That's kind of what I thought might happen, but wasn't 100% sure.  I would like to have the outdoor boiler or indoor boiler outside in a shed.  But, WOW, they are expensive.


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