Position of evaporator in sugar house.

[Flatlander]

I'm going to be building my new sugar house this summer. Have been drawing out designs to fit the new building to my existing barn.

A friend of mine that has been in a family sugar business for years told me that I should position my evaporator so that the doors face into the prevailing winds. This would help with draw and not affect the heat at the front of the syrup pan.

Has anyone else heard this, dealt with this? If I design my sugar house based on this factor, then it really limits my ability to position the evaporator.

Any advise would be great. Thanks

[jrgagne99]

I wouldn't worry about it if it's going to cause you so much grief. After all, with the evaporator inside, how much will the wind actually affect it? (rhetorical question)

[Jeff E]

Agree with last post. Even with doors open, it is your properly sized stack that will create you draft.
I think laying out the floor plan for how you process is the way to go. Where do you bring wood in from, where will you draw off and then filter syrup. Will you stack be far enough above other nearby structures to reduce risk of sparks on rooftops....

[wiam]

Don't you have a tight arch with forced draft? If so I would not let wind concern me. I can see a problem with old drafty buildings and natural draft

[Bucket Head]

Placing the doors towards the prevailing wind was common practice many years ago, before forced draft came into being. If a sugarhouse door or window also faced the prevailing wind, opening it would increase the natural draft. They would also put the arch up on blocks to get more draft air in and under the grate. Not enough air could get in through the ash clean out door when the arch was on the floor. Niether practice is used very much anymore if the sugarhouse has electricity.

Steve

[Flatlander]

Thanks all. I don't have forced air draft but I think I'm going to design the sugar house based on easy of flow and hope for the best as far as the draft goes. I still have an extra section of chimney!

[Burnt sap]

Build it and the Syrup will flow!

[PerryW]

the prevailing wind pretty much blows right through my sugarhouse.:lol: