by B. Leslie Baird

Created on: October 29, 2009   Last Updated: November 03, 2009

Outdoor furnaces are also known as wood stoves or boilers. They can burn wood, corn or coal, or many other combustable materials. Their basic operation is simple, the furnace works by burning the fuel to heat air, or water, that is sent to the homes interior heating system. The piping for the heated water is installed underground and should be insulated to retain the heat being sent to the home. Piping for heated air is usually set above ground.

Outdoor furnaces can be located anywhere from 30 to 200 feet from the home. Some may be installed up to 500 feet away. A installation of a furnace at 500 feet in distance requires 1000 feet of piping for flow and return. Outdoor furnaces are installed in what looks like a storage shed and can be installed in a variety of colors or styles to blend into the scenery.

A central boiler furnace works by burning fuel to heat water that is contained in a water jacket. The water jacket surrounds the firebox and the heat exchanger. The heated water is sent to the home through the underground pipe system and this is the best way to move heat from a longer distance. The central boiler system is designed to work with the homes existing forced air furnace, radiant flooring or radiant baseboard system.

A water-to-air heat exchanger is similar to an air conditioning coil. Air is forced over the coils, full of hot water, to provide the heat. In a radiant flooring system the heated water is circulated in pipes underneath the flooring itself. This application can also be used to heat driveways, sidewalks and even roofs to prevent ice and snow build up. A central boiler system can also be used to replace a standard hot water heater by the addition of a water-to-water heat exchanger. The same type of system can also be used for heating a hot tub or swimming pool.

With a forced air outdoor furnace, the heated air that surrounds the fire box is pumped, or forced, into the home. Smoke is eliminated through separate venting from the fire box itself. The heated air is then sent through the homes existing duct work. Return air to the furnace is drawn back from the home. This type of system is best located closer to the home, or building, being heated. With either a central boiler or forced air outdoor furnace a traditional heating system is often used as a back up.

Outdoor furnaces use the same kind of thermostats used by traditional heating systems. If the thermostat is raised the furnace will add more fuel or oxygen to the fire. Lowering the thermostat will stop the furnace from adding more fuel or oxygen. Outdoor furnaces eliminate the smoke that can come from an indoor fireplace and the overall heat produced is usually greater than traditional types of furnaces.

References:

http://www.crownroyalstoves.com/outdoor_furnaces.htm l

http://www.alternative-heating.com/outdoor-wood-furn ace.html

http://www.centralboiler.com/applications.php

http://www.dailymotion.com/OutdoorFurnace

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