What Is an Outdoor Boiler?

There's nothing like stepping into a warm, cozy home on a cold day, and many homeowners are making the switch from traditional furnace systems to outdoor boilers. Outdoor boiler systems consist of an exterior firebox that burns wood and transfers heat into your interior space. These versatile systems can heat homes, businesses and exterior structures like backyard pools and hot tubs, and they're environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

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What Is an Outdoor Boiler System?

An outdoor boiler system, sometimes called an outdoor furnace or wood boiler, is a type of heating system that utilizes a wood-burning firebox to heat water that transfers into a home or building via underground pipes. The water then passes through heat exchangers connected to water heaters and home heating systems and provides hot water and interior heat.

How Does an Outdoor Wood Boiler Work?

The main components of an outdoor boiler include a firebox, water jacket, heat exchanger and insulated underground pipes. It uses wood to heat water that eventually enters your home and heating system. When the wood burns inside the firebox, it heats water in the water jacket that's affixed around the firewood.

After the water heats up, it moves from the water jacket through a set of insulated underground pipes and into your home. Once inside, the heated water passes through heat exchangers installed in your water heater, HVAC system or hydronic heating system.

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Can It Be Incorporated Into My Existing HVAC System?

It's possible to incorporate your outdoor wood boiler into your existing HVAC system. However, it's important to check with your city to learn about local codes or regulations related to boiler installation before proceeding. You may also want to enlist the services of a professional HVAC technician and possibly a plumber to ensure a safe installation.

Depending on factors like the location of your HVAC system and the make and model of your boiler, the exact steps to incorporate both systems can vary. In general, the process involves connecting the insulated underground pipes that travel from your outdoor boiler to the inside of your home to a water-to-air heat exchanger. The exchanger basically serves as the "middleman" between the boiler and your HVAC system.

Once properly installed, here's how your boiler/HVAC system should work:

• When the water in the boiler heats up, it moves through the pipe system to the exchanger, which is attached to your forced-air furnace.

• The exchanger circulates the heated water through a series of coils.

• A built-in fan pushes air over the coils that are heated by the water.

• The heated air is then pushed into your forced-air furnace and into your home.

Benefits of Outdoor Boilers

From cost-effectiveness to long lifespans, outdoor boilers offer many benefits. Because the boilers use natural wood as a heat source, you won't have to worry about high electricity or gas costs when heating your home during the colder months. Outdoor wood burners are also highly durable. When properly maintained, the systems can last for many years.

Wood generally burns cleaner than fossil fuels when burned efficiently, which can help reduce your carbon footprint. If you're considering installing an outdoor boiler, many modern versions offer features such as insulation and advanced combustion technology to help improve energy efficiency.