Outdoor Wood Burner. Is it WORTH IT? (4 Years later)

Is an Outdoor Wood Burner Worth It?

Overview of the Outdoor Wood Burner

• The speaker discusses their experience with an outdoor wood burner over four years, highlighting its role in heating their home, Airbnb rental unit, water, and garage workshop.

• They mention a solar-powered trailer built for their homestead that can power the wood burner during grid outages.

Cons of Using an Outdoor Wood Burner

• Expense: A central boiler unit can start at $6,000 plus installation costs.

• Wood Consumption: The system requires approximately ten cords of wood per heating season.

• Equipment Needs: Additional equipment like chainsaws, trailers, log splitters, and storage sheds are necessary for processing firewood.

• Learning Curve: New users may struggle with cutting trees safely; mentorship is recommended to avoid common mistakes.

• Labor Intensive: Significant effort is required to cut, stack, and feed the wood into the burner.

Workload Management

• Users do not need to split all firewood; a mix of split and round logs can be effective.

• Seasoning wood takes time; ideally 20 cords should be prepared but achieving this stockpile has proven challenging.

Pros of Having an Outdoor Wood Burner

• Consistent Heating: Unlike propane systems that require constant monitoring and refilling, the wood burner provides stable heat without frequent checks on fuel levels.

• Water Heating Efficiency: The system heats water efficiently during burning season by turning off electric heaters when in use.

• The setup supports a large household's hot water needs effectively.

Heating a Large Home: The Pros and Cons of Wood Stoves

Overview of Heating Challenges

• The speaker discusses the difficulty of heating a large, flat ranch-style home with a single wood stove, noting that it struggles to reach back bedrooms effectively.

• In contrast, if living in a two-story house, the speaker would prefer an indoor wood burner centrally located for better heat distribution.

Benefits of Using a Wood Stove

• While maintaining a wood stove requires significant effort and exercise, the speaker humorously reflects on how this time could be spent on more productive activities but acknowledges that it keeps them active during winter.

• The family enjoys working together to manage the wood stove, which provides both physical activity and family bonding time despite its low financial return on investment.

Renewable Energy Source

• The satisfaction derived from using renewable resources is highlighted; cutting down trees for firewood gives a sense of accomplishment as they contribute to heating their home sustainably.

• Unlike propane heating systems that rely on external suppliers, the wood stove allows for self-sufficiency in heating regardless of external circumstances or price fluctuations.

Versatility and Expansion Potential

• The ability to heat multiple units (house furnace, water heater, rental unit, garage workshop) with one outdoor wood burner is emphasized as an advantage.

• There’s potential for further expansion by adding additional pumps for other uses like hot tubs or pools.

Conclusion on Wood Stove Investment

• After four years of experience with an outdoor wood burner, the speaker concludes that it has been worth the investment. They express no regrets about choosing this method of heating given their specific living situation.