Outdoor boiler vs ground heat pump?

 

I am looking for an alternate heating system. I have 85 acres of
hardwood and am presently heating with and in door wood furnace. I hate
the smoke, splitting fluctuating heat and constant 2hr stoking. An
outdoor boiler has a longer burn time and takes larger wood(hense less
splitting) and all smoke is outdoors: cost about $12 000. The ground
source heat pump looks good at around the same price but no wood! A
good prospect with my looming golden age approaching. But I have heard
that heat pumps don't deliver. Does anyone have some advice?

 



I guess you and I would argue like my Dad and I did when we cleared 60 acres
of hickory for corn.
Never did get a decent crop off that ground.  Cutting trees is just to much
work for me.  I have a gas fireplace with remote control.

A heat pump can and does perform well when sized for the load.  You need to
find a contractor that has done some installs in your area and sit down for
a chat and quote.   During the process questions will come up and be
answered.

 

Sell the wood and buy a gas furnace and nice fireplace
with a remote control.


have 85 acres of

wood furnace. I hate

2hr stoking. An

larger wood(hense less

$12 000. The ground

price but no wood! A

approaching. But I have heard

some advice?

when we cleared 60 acres

trees is just to much

control.

the load.  You need to

area and sit down for

come up and be

 

cat wrote:

ground source heat pumps deliver, air source heat pumps are more climate
dependant. I heat my house with a woodstove, but have used outdoor
boilers in the past. The best boiler (indoor, but you can make an
outdoor shed) is the HSTarm. Little smoke, very efficient.


--
Steve Spence
Dir., Green Trust, http://www.green-trust.org
Contributing Editor, http://www.off-grid.net
http://www.rebelwolf.com/essn.html

 



Too little info.  If you have an older drafty house in the far north,
you won't like the barely warm air coming out of a heat pump.  If your
house is properly insulated and a little further south, you might love
it.  Do a google groups search of back posts here to learn more about
undersized ground source loops, etc..