Heat Loss

[Hig69]

My question is how much heat would be lost (not used, I know it's a boiler system) by installing an EKO boiler outside in a building? I think I'd prefer it outside for safety and the mess of hauling the wood inside but I want to get as much heat from the wood as I can.

Thanks

 

[sdrobertson]

Welcome to the forum. You will lose some heat as the boiler and the piping will lose heat as there is only so much insulating to them both that you can do. The question you have to ask yourself is - for a small amount of heat loose while burning the boiler, is it worth it to have the mess and any fire danger away from the house? My answer is yes - no worries about in house chimney fires and with a daughter with asthma, no smoke in the house and still 75 degrees with no natural gas usage.

 

[Duetech]

I have an EKO 40 in an outside building. I used to have a wood furnace in the basement. The difference is like night and day. No smoke or mess in the house and a lot less work moving wood around. Wrap your pipes, and whatever heat transfer components well, don't be afraid to generously insulate your pex lines and your heat loss will be minimal. Maybe not less than what you would lose bringing more firewood into the home in the middle of winter several times, but you will be comfortable enough not to care. Cave2k

 

[Nofossil]

At full throttle, the EKO 80 was tested at 2% heat loss through the sides of the boiler. Probably you could live with that ;-)