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Masonry Heaters

Discussion in 'Home Improvement' started by ColoradoTJ, Jul 17, 2022.

  1. Jul 17, 2022 at 8:52 AM
    #1
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    I was at a new mountain home build last night and I seen a masonry heater for the first time. The one they had built was out of soapstone much like this one:

    0033B657-925E-452B-9109-5AC95FFEE809.jpg

    I’m all about efficiency and learning about this design caught my attention for my retirement home depending on that location.

    If you have one, please tell us about it and pictures if available.
     
    RLHULK and Taco-Spike like this.
  2. Jul 18, 2022 at 11:19 PM
    #2
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Guess not many have this style home heaters. bummer.
     
  3. Jul 19, 2022 at 3:52 AM
    #3
    JRS

    JRS New Member

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    What about it specifically? We built a few years ago and I researched this exact topic to death. Even completed 60% of a design until I realized that NFPA testing was going to make the install window impossible and the expense wasn't worth it.

    Basic overview is that external walls do not make for a good location; centrally located maximizes performance. Most heat is from radiation, not convection. The greatest efficiency comes from heating a large amount of mass. This is why masonry designs with internal baffling are ideal. Of course, that's a lot of weight... So if you're not building on slab it takes a lot of bracing. That can all be pretty well disregarded if your goal is more for aesthetics than a whole home heat source. So an install with soap stone and lightweight materials would work while still giving the benefit of a centrally located unit.

    Wood burners also aren't available stateside as 4-sided units like they are in Europe. Those mfgs also won't ship to the US. If you want a wood burner you're limited to a dual-sided like the picture you posted. But any fireplace shop will have access to those fireboxes.

    Our living room has ~26' ceilings, so to make everything easy on timing and not deal with a ridiculous flue, I ditched the wood burner and went ventless. There is one burner out there which isn't meant to be a direct drop-in to a firebox and we put ours in a granite table (found a guy who typically does outdoor hotel installs). Looks cool, great heat, and was easy. Here's a shot from when I first installed it. It has since been relegated to a snack table for my daughters.

    20180718_201541.jpg
     
  4. Jul 19, 2022 at 4:48 AM
    #4
    Bammer

    Bammer I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request.

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    I don't have a picture, I will get one next time I visit them. My wife's best friends husband is of Russian decent and he has a russian styled mason wood fired heater in the living room. He builds a rip roaring fire every evening , never loads more than one firebox full. That thing radiates heat like you wouldn't believe, they do have heated floors, but that is all they use in the winter. I will add they are as cheap as the day is long and I am unsure how warm the house is through the night? I will investigate, info forthcoming in time.
     
    dittothat and ColoradoTJ[OP] like this.
  5. Jul 19, 2022 at 7:23 AM
    #5
    dittothat

    dittothat New Member

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    Is this one of those heaters, similar to what they use in Russia, that heats up the soapstone and it radiates throughout the house once up to temperature?

    https://youtu.be/r_TO30jzyUA

    edit: just read @JRS post. Looks like it is..
     
    Bammer likes this.
  6. Jul 19, 2022 at 7:35 AM
    #6
    Bammer

    Bammer I'm disinclined to acquiesce your request.

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    YES ! Soapstone, the one they have is not that big.
     
    dittothat[QUOTED] likes this.
  7. Jul 19, 2022 at 8:18 AM
    #7
    B.Ross

    B.Ross New Member

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