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Outdoor Corn Furnaces Basics
Outdoor corn furnaces are increasing in popularity as people search for ways to reduce heating costs and become less reliant on foreign oil. As prices are calculated, and decisions made, many are finding out what farmers have known for decades: corn is cheap. Corn is abundant, completely renewable, and costs less than wood or wood pellets, making it an ideal fuel for furnaces. It burns clean, can be stored easily, and the purchase of corn supports agriculture and domestic growth. Not all outdoor corn boilers, however, are made equal. Certain manufacturers tout their own products as the very best. Here is what you really must know. Outdoor corn furnaces, usually placed thirty to fifty feet from a home, heat water in a coil around the firebox, and send the hot water through insulated pipes into the home. This hot water can be sent through tubing within the floor, piped through baseboard heaters, stand up radiators, or sent through a hot water heating coil added to forced air ductwork. Most are thermostat controlled and use approximately two bushels a day to heat an average home in the winter. One major indicator of the quality of an outdoor corn furnace is the material used for construction. Because the furnace will sit outside in rain and snow, it must be made of a durable material that will not rust. Stainless steel, specifically 304 grade, is desirable as the frame. The corn furnace should be completely insulated within the stainless steel shell, as this reduces heat loss and prevents the furnace surface from becoming too hot and causing accidental burns. Look for the location of the furnace door. It should be at a reasonable height off of the ground; if it is too low, snow may interfere in the winter. Make sure that the door has a lock and safety latch, especially if there are children on the property. The quality of the furnace door construction can greatly affect the efficiency of the corn furnace. A great amount of heat can be lost if the furnace door is improperly sealed or insulated. The best furnace doors are made from cast or mild steel, and have a gasket that sits in a recessed lip around the outer edge of the door. The gasket should be covered by silicon, and form an airtight seal when the door is closed. A minimum of four inches of insulation should be present on the furnace door. One safety precaution to ask about is whether or not the furnace has an anti-blowback safety catch to avoid flash burns. In addition to construction, look at the capacity of the outdoor corn furnace. To have a furnace that will heat your entire home, you must calculate your square footage, and purchase the appropriate size based on your measurements. Good corn furnaces will have a hopper that holds the corn, and feeds it into the burner as regulated by the thermostat. Some hoppers require daily filling, while some only need filling weekly or even bi-weekly. A larger hopper capacity will mean fewer trips outside in the snow and cold. Once you purchase your outdoor corn furnace, be sure to contact your homeowner’s insurance agent. Because an outdoor furnace eliminates major fire hazard from the home, you may qualify for lower insurance rates.
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