So I'm hoping that a few of you here may have experience with this variety of systems. All input in welcome on what may be the most efficient/cost effective system.
We're pretty much set on the idea of having a heated slab in the house we're building next year as it won't have a basement. Just 2 levels, and a slab(4ft footings/frost wall around)
I like the idea of the heated slab so that I can maintain an even shop temp around 20C for my work and machines.
Now I'm searching for which heating system may be best. So for starters, here's some data.
Aprox 1850sq/ft main floor/shop and about 1600sq/ft on second floor. We would probably use 3 or 4 water baseboards to heat the 2nd floor if not enough warm air made it up from the slab. 6"walls, very well insulated it'll be. But very open design inside for good air flow and such.
There will also be a normal wood stove in the house, its a must.
About 3acres of trees, so there's wood for quite many years and I'll plant more as I go which is why I'd like so sort of wood system, if it is indeed the most cost efficient long term. So far it looks like most of those furnaces are 8-10K $, but needs some "other stuff"...
So I'm searching into indoor wood furnaces and the gasification systems came up, appears to be the most efficient in wood burning and clean. I'm not overly interested in the outdoor systems.
Here are some brands I've found so far.
http://www.greenwoodusa.com/
http://www.woodboilers.com/wood-boilers.aspx
http://www.alternateheatingsystems.com/Multi-Fuel_boilers.htm
http://www.newhorizoncorp.com/
This is where things get fun, the "other stuff". Some of these furnaces can have a water coil for home use. Realistically we may need to heat for what, 4 months? and it doesn't get all that cold where I live the recorded average is of -5C for Jan and Feb being the 2 coldest months.
Which means we'd still need a way to heat the house water the rest of the year. Other problem is what if I leave for a few weeks in winter and nobody is home to put wood in it? They make some dual fuel furnaces, but I don't want to also have to buy an oil tank, plus add-on just for the possibility of someday having a few weeks vacation somewhere. Doesn't sound cost effective at all.
I haven't yet found a wood furnace that also has an electric element in it as back up. Which is making me wonder if I should just use Tankless water heating for home use(only 2 people). And perhaps have a similar system tied between the furnace and the slab, so that if I leave it can keep just enough heat going? I'm just not sure if there's a tankless system compatible with the Glycol used for the in floor heating. Maybe just build my own? Any ideas?
Other option is to just go for the plain electric system that heats the slab and house water. Perhaps try to heat mostly with the stove in the house, and maybe also add one to the shop so we're not using up more electricity than needed to heat a slab? I don't really think that just 2 stove would be quite enough for good heat all over the house but could had maybe an electric baseboard in the bathroom or other areas which may require more heat. The shop will be 24x48 with a loft/studio above it, though I could perhaps locate the stove right in the middle lengthwise?
I had the idea of using a good wood stove and running some pipes to get heat into a slab, but since my contraption wouldn't be ASME and CSA approved, it would have to be done after inspections, etc, and I don't want problems...
Should we skip the heated slab idea altogether? How much cost does it usually add, have most of you found it to be worth the investment?
Heat pumps or similar things don't appear to be that great around here, doubt I'd go for it.
Other things is Stainless Vs Carbon steel water boilers. Some say SS is great, some says its Bad because of heat fractures over time. Of course its just plain 304, not 310/316/321 which would be more capable of high heats I think. So, whats the verdict? ask for 321?
All input is very welcome, thanks.
We're pretty much set on the idea of having a heated slab in the house we're building next year as it won't have a basement. Just 2 levels, and a slab(4ft footings/frost wall around)
I like the idea of the heated slab so that I can maintain an even shop temp around 20C for my work and machines.
Now I'm searching for which heating system may be best. So for starters, here's some data.
Aprox 1850sq/ft main floor/shop and about 1600sq/ft on second floor. We would probably use 3 or 4 water baseboards to heat the 2nd floor if not enough warm air made it up from the slab. 6"walls, very well insulated it'll be. But very open design inside for good air flow and such.
There will also be a normal wood stove in the house, its a must.
About 3acres of trees, so there's wood for quite many years and I'll plant more as I go which is why I'd like so sort of wood system, if it is indeed the most cost efficient long term. So far it looks like most of those furnaces are 8-10K $, but needs some "other stuff"...
So I'm searching into indoor wood furnaces and the gasification systems came up, appears to be the most efficient in wood burning and clean. I'm not overly interested in the outdoor systems.
Here are some brands I've found so far.
http://www.greenwoodusa.com/
http://www.woodboilers.com/wood-boilers.aspx
http://www.alternateheatingsystems.com/Multi-Fuel_boilers.htm
http://www.newhorizoncorp.com/
This is where things get fun, the "other stuff". Some of these furnaces can have a water coil for home use. Realistically we may need to heat for what, 4 months? and it doesn't get all that cold where I live the recorded average is of -5C for Jan and Feb being the 2 coldest months.
Which means we'd still need a way to heat the house water the rest of the year. Other problem is what if I leave for a few weeks in winter and nobody is home to put wood in it? They make some dual fuel furnaces, but I don't want to also have to buy an oil tank, plus add-on just for the possibility of someday having a few weeks vacation somewhere. Doesn't sound cost effective at all.
I haven't yet found a wood furnace that also has an electric element in it as back up. Which is making me wonder if I should just use Tankless water heating for home use(only 2 people). And perhaps have a similar system tied between the furnace and the slab, so that if I leave it can keep just enough heat going? I'm just not sure if there's a tankless system compatible with the Glycol used for the in floor heating. Maybe just build my own? Any ideas?
Other option is to just go for the plain electric system that heats the slab and house water. Perhaps try to heat mostly with the stove in the house, and maybe also add one to the shop so we're not using up more electricity than needed to heat a slab? I don't really think that just 2 stove would be quite enough for good heat all over the house but could had maybe an electric baseboard in the bathroom or other areas which may require more heat. The shop will be 24x48 with a loft/studio above it, though I could perhaps locate the stove right in the middle lengthwise?
I had the idea of using a good wood stove and running some pipes to get heat into a slab, but since my contraption wouldn't be ASME and CSA approved, it would have to be done after inspections, etc, and I don't want problems...
Should we skip the heated slab idea altogether? How much cost does it usually add, have most of you found it to be worth the investment?
Heat pumps or similar things don't appear to be that great around here, doubt I'd go for it.
Other things is Stainless Vs Carbon steel water boilers. Some say SS is great, some says its Bad because of heat fractures over time. Of course its just plain 304, not 310/316/321 which would be more capable of high heats I think. So, whats the verdict? ask for 321?
All input is very welcome, thanks.