Modified Outdoor Furnace Burns 33 Percent Less Wood

Modified Outdoor Furnace Burns 33 Percent Less Wood ENERGY Wood Burners 65 Jim Eshleman says he improved his outdoor stove’s efficiency and reduced firewood consumption by about a third He bought a HEATMOR outdoor furnace 20 years ago that heats his 4 000-sq ft home and 40 by 40-ft shop The stove’s stainless steel liner is what sold him on it and he hasn’t been disappointed However when he saw flame coming out of the chimney the first couple of years he knew he was losing heat “I installed a 3-ft triple wall pipe It’s insulated and so it gets a better draw and makes the stove run better ” Eshleman says noting the chimney holds a steady heat which also eliminates creosote He also installed an adjustable air damper on the intake blower fan It slows the flow of air before it hits the fan which was always idling and sending heat up the chimney As a retired diesel mechanic Eshleman compares it to adjusting the carburetor and choking the air intake Eshleman also made a baffle to slow the exhaust in the water chamber and keep the heat in the stove He used 3/8-in steel to create three baffles welded on a rod in a staggered pattern It fills about 2/3 of the space of a rectangular opening on the back of the furnace and he can pull it out to clean the baffles off Finally Eshleman installed a temperature switch that shuts off the blower fan when the water is below 130 degrees Without the fan the wood doesn’t burn as fast Despite reducing wood use by 30 percent there’s still plenty of heat for Eshleman’s home and shop during the coldest months in Garfield Ark “It runs for 3 mos steady I burn 4 to 6 cords a year depending on the season ” he says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jim Eshleman 11581 Walnut Hill Rd Garfield Ark 72732 ph 479 925-3956; keshleman17@gmail com

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