I am very familiar with wood burning stoves and fireplaces, but who would have a wood burning water heater in their home?
That must be a Yankee thing. Is it still legal to use a fireplace in your home?
That must be a Yankee thing. Is it still legal to use a fireplace in your home?
These are not the traditional wood burning stoves that are inside houses. They are specially designed outdoor located boilers that make hot water which is piped through the house in order to heat the house.
They are appealing because the wood fuel has a very low monetary cost in many rural areas. Unfortunately, they produce huge amounts of smoke because the combustion is at low temperatures. The owner locates the burner/boiler away from his house, near the property line. He gets the hot water, the neighbors get the smoke.
It is a wood burner outside that boils water for circulating hot water heat in the house.
An illustration, but a good one depicting the style common around here in SW Pa.
The dairy farmer I get my milk from says that it is, indeed economical
Burns 4 foot logs (or not) and has year 'round heat (water radiators) and hot water.
As an asides ... this is just another whiskey rebellion in the making.