Magical Masonry Heaters for Green Home Heating

 

Sometimes old things are better than new, like old houses, historic buildings, and castles. The latest trend in home heating fits into that category. Masonry heaters have been around for hundreds of years in Europe, but are just recently catching on in the U.S. And the great thing about heaters is that they are GREEN. People needed to heat their homes in an efficient manner in olden times just as today in order to save their forests. Inefficient open fireplaces took too much of their valuable resources, so another method had to be developed. No one knows who the first mason was who came up with the idea of devising something that would retain heat for long periods of time, then radiate it into the home while using less wood, but whoever he was, he (or she) was a genius.

Masonry heaters have been redesigned and altered over the years, but heaters all have the same characteristics with complex channels to slow down and trap heat from flue gasses, and a mass of masonry to retain that heat, then radiate it to the living space over a period of up to 20 hours. By the time the products of combustion get to the exit of the flue, the smoke is white, and the particulate emissions are very low. One load of wood can usually provide heating for the average size home for 8-12 hours. Compared to even the best high-efficiency wood–burning stoves on the market today, gas and oil-fired furnaces, and certainly inefficient open fireplaces, masonry heaters can’t be beat. Service should be completed annually by a professional chimney sweep familiar with masonry heaters, which are unlike any other wood-burning appliance.

To see technical specifications and testing results, photos of heaters, manufacturers, and a list of heater masons, contact the Masonry Heater Association of North America through www.mha-net.org. There is a chat list set up for anyone interested in masonry heaters at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MasonryHeaters.

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Marge Padgitt is the author of The Chimney & Hearth Pro’s Resource Book and Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking. She is the president of HearthMasters, Inc.  www.hearthmasters.net.

Everyone Needs a Wood Stove for Emergency Heating!

Hearthstone wood-burning insert in a masonry fireplace

With the economy in shambles and the cost of everything going up, the one piece of advice I can give to people is this:

Everyone needs a wood-burning stove or fireplace insert in their home for emergency heating!

•  Wood-burning stoves work without the use of electricity or fans (unlike gas furnaces or pellet stoves).

•  Wood stoves and inserts produce TWICE the amount of heat (BTU's) than gas stoves or inserts!

•  Fuel is readily available either by using your own trees on site or purchasing through a firewood dealer. Tip: Buy NOW.

•  No electricity is needed for a wood stove or insert to work! In case of emergency when the power is out you'll be able to stay in your home instead of going to stay with friends or family or going to a hotel.

•  With a freestanding stove you can cook on the top if needed.

Freestanding wood-burning stove by Hearthstone

Use a wood-burning stove during fall and winter as a supplemental heating source to save money and provide a more comfortable, even heat. Radiant heat from a wood stove or masonry heater has more health benefits than a gas furnace or electric baseboard heaters.

Good quality wood stoves aren't inexpensive - but they are worth the investment. A good stove will last many years. Note: beware of box store wood stoves that have no or limited warranty and may burn out after a few seasons. 

New EPA approved wood-burning stoves and inserts are 75%+ efficient which means that most of the heat is staying in your house rather than going up the flue as with a standard open fireplace. 

 

Bonus: Get a TAX CREDIT for an efficient wood stove or insert up to 26% in 2022 and that includes labor and all materials!

Call us if you are in the greater Kansas City area or another professional chimney sweep our hearth dealer to discuss upgrading your inefficient open fireplace to a high-efficiency wood-burning insert, or if no fireplace is available you can have a freestanding wood stove along with a Class A chimney or stainless steel chimney liner installed. Note: These appliances can ONLY be installed in MASONRY chimneys or with a CLASS A chimney.

A word about GAS: If you have a gas-burning insert or stove, it will likely work with no power available. They just produce HALF the amount of heat as a wood-burning appliance.

Note: Blowers on gas or wood-burning appliances will NOT work unless you have a generator. But they will still provide heat. 

 

Find a professional installer at www.nficertified.org or www.csia.org. 

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Marge Padgitt is a chimney industry veteran and author of Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking and the Chimney Pro's Resource Book. She is a speaker, talk show guest, and instructor. Visit www.chimkc.com or www.hearthmasters.net for more information.

HearthMasters Publishing announces the release of Wood-fired Heating and Cooking

HearthMasters Publishing announces the release of Wood-fired Heating and Cooking: How to choose, maintain, and operate a wood-fired appliance

Kansas City, Missouri, November 4, 2021

Wood-Fired Heating & Cooking is a guide for homeowners, preppers, and homesteaders who are planning to install a wood-fired heating appliance, improve their existing masonry fireplace, or install a wood-fired cooking appliance. Industry veterans Gene and Marge Padgitt explain how each type of appliance works and how to properly locate, operate, and maintain them.

Heating appliances covered in this book are masonry fireplaces, Rumford fireplaces, circulating fireplaces, furnaces, wood-burning fireplace inserts, freestanding stoves, masonry heaters, and rocket mass heaters. Wood selection and preparation is included. Cooking appliances discussed are wood-burning indoor cook stoves, indoor and outdoor brick ovens and oven kits, Tandoori ovens, grills, and campfires along with cooking tools and utensils.

The authors provide references and suggested reading, online groups, and educational resources. A bonus section contains delicious recipes for cooking with a wood-fired appliance by the authors.

The release of Wood-Fired Heating and Cooking comes at a time when people are thinking about being self-sufficient and prepared for any disaster or power outage. The book is an excellent resource for persons who need help trying to navigate through all of the choices available to heat their home or cook with a wood-fired appliance.

Marge and Gene are available for radio interviews. 

Contact:

Marge Padgitt
hearthmasters.office@gmail.com
816-461-3665

Plan Now for Emergency Heating and Cooking Preparedness

As we all contend with the Coronavirus worldwide, emergency preparedness is on everyone's mind. I'm sure by now that most people have become painfully aware of how unprepared they have been, and are considering how to get ready for the next emergency. And there will be one, no doubt.

Emergency heating and cooking should be something that everyone plans for. We've all experienced temporary electrical outages, and there may be a time when gas is not available, either. As someone familiar with wood-fired appliances, I recommend that everyone has a backup plan using the appliances of your choice.

There are several options available. The first thing most people think about is getting a wood stove or wood-burning fireplace insert. These are good options for supplemental or primary heating if the appliance is located in the center of the home. Keep in mind that the bedrooms will be much cooler than the common spaces. An open floor plan is best so that heat can reach further.

Cookstove by Hearthstone

For cooking, using the top of a wood-burning freestanding stove is an option, but it can be frustrating to use the small space over a long period of time. A better option would be a wood-burning cookstove with a stovetop and oven. As a bonus, the stove produces heat as well.

Outdoor brick oven by
Gene Padgitt

In Italy and France, it is very common for each household to have an outdoor brick oven and the idea is becoming very popular in the U.S. With an outdoor wood-fired oven it gives a person the option of using a different fuel which may be more available than gas or propane, and it keeps heat out of the kitchen in the summer months. Food tastes better when cooked in a brick oven, too. Wood-fired ovens can be heated to over 700 degrees, which is excellent for cooking pizza.

Masonry heater with bake oven
by Gene Padgitt

The best option, in my opinion, is a masonry heater. Masonry heaters are large site-built or pre-cast kits that are assembled on site. They have a large mass of masonry and interior channels that trap heat. By far, they are the most efficient and clean-burning appliances and use 1/3 the amount of wood that a high-efficiency wood-burning stove or insert uses to produce the same amount of heat. Masonry heaters work differently as they retain and release heat over a longer period of time. A great option to add is a bake oven over the masonry heater firebox on either side. Most people prefer to have the oven on the kitchen side of the heater, and the firebox on the living room side. This option is the most expensive.

Plan now for installation of an appliance this summer, before the busy fall season.
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Marge Padgitt is a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and NFI Certified Woodburning Specialist. She is the author of The Chimney and Hearth Pro's Resource Book, and The Homeowner's Guide to Heating and Cooking with Wood. Reach her at hearthmastersboss@gmail.com

Get a Wood Stove Now

Everyone needs a wood-burning stove in their home for emergency heating and here's why:

•  Wood-burning stoves work without the use of electricity or fans (unlike gas furnaces or pellet stoves).
•  Wood stoves and inserts produce TWICE the amount of heat (BTU's) than gas stoves or inserts!
•  Fuel is readily available either by using your own trees on site or purchasing through a firewood dealer.
•  No electricity is needed for a wood stove or insert to work! In case of emergency when the power is out you'll be able to stay in your home instead of going to stay with friends or family or going to a hotel.
•  With a freestanding stove you can cook on the top if needed.

Use a wood-burning stove during fall and winter as a supplemental heating source to save money and provide a more comfortable, even heat. Radiant heat from a wood stove or masonry heater has more health benefits than a gas furnace or electric baseboard heaters.

Good quality wood stoves aren't inexpensive - but they are worth the investment. A good stove will last many years. Note: beware of box store wood stoves that have no warranty and may burn out after a few seasons. 

New wood-burning stoves and inserts are 75%+ efficient which means that most of the heat is staying in your house rather than going up the flue as with a standard open fireplace. 

Call us to discuss upgrading your inefficient open fireplace to a high-efficiency wood-burning insert or if no fireplace is available we can install a freestanding wood stove for you along with a Class A chimney or chimney liner. 

Note: Regency is offering a great deal on their products with $100 - $600 off wood stoves until February 20, 2017. An on-site inspection is required first so call now for an appointment.