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[UrbanManatee]

This is my first post here and I am a newbie with outdoor furnaces in general, so be kind. We just moved into a new place with an existing wood furnace installed, but rather sloppily it seems the more I research the topic. Used it for half the year and ran out wood way faster than I would have thought then switched back to propane. After those propane bills I want to make sure I have things set up right for next winter and a lot more wood.

So my set up is a WoodMaster 4400 with about 30ft run underground (questionable insulation there I am considering digging up and replacing then about 150 of uninsulated pex pipe running through garage and then the length of house in basement. Connecting to our propane furnace that heats the house. In addition to that I have a 3 car garage (Poorly insulated) with in floor radiant heat that is currently hooked up to a propane water heater.

I work from that garage and need to keep it heated. I want to get off of the propane and use the OWF to heat the floors in there as well. Could I do something as simple as putting a side arm or plate heat exchanger on there? Or would that be insufficient for heating that area? Looking for any suggestions words of wisdom.

And a big thanks to the whole community. The posts here helped me get this chain smoking beast I was unfamiliar with up and running when we first moved in.

[slimjim]

It would help if you give us some realistic numbers on how much propane the garage loops use to heat it as well as how well the floor is insulated especially the perimeter!

[Jwood]

First I would insulate the pex in the garage then I would ditch the water heater that's trying to heat your garage its the absolute most inefficient way to heat your floor and I was told its not even to code anymore but I'm not sure if that is true. Put your garage on its own loop from the boiler, and have at least 10 cord on hand come winter. That's a pretty rough guess but seems to be in the ballpark average. Now if you tell us what your heat load is or at least sq footage and location we can get you a lot closer as Slim stated.

[kommandokenny]

Theres some wood consumption help below.
One thing I can say on that topic, is that for me, anyway, the outside temperature, is directly proportional to my wood consumption.
So where do ya live bud???
and welcome!!
 

http://outdoorwoodfurnaceinfo.com/forum/index.php?topic=7180.0

[atvalaska]

we need a location, insulation #s ,   imo