[Greenbuilding] Wood heat (often over-looked planning)

RT ArchiLogic at yahoo.ca
Tue Dec 28 13:42:53 CST 2010


On 2010-12-27, at 9:48 AM, Clarke Olsen wrote:

>> but planing for wood storage is often overlooked


I wood say that
this wood be true
if the person doing the plan(n)ing
hasn't had much to do with heating with wood.

Another thing that is often overlooked by the same plan(n)ers is how messy
wood burning is.

One will often see impractical things like carpet (and to a lesser degree
of impracticality, wood flooring) installed in the area where loading of
and ash removal from the firebox is done.

Stone or tile wood be a better choice IMO simply because it's easier to
clean up (ash, cinders, debris from the firewood (especially if the logs
haven't been seasoned for long enough that the bark has been shed)  etc.)
and doesn't burn when inadvertant sparks fly out the firebox door or a
white-hot coal (or even a burning round log which SOMEONE didn't bother to
split) falls out of the firebox) etc.

And another nicety to have is to elevate the firebox access so that one
doesn't have to stoop over to load the firebox or see into the firebox to  
tend the
fire. ie  a hearth at sitting height is a good height)

A side benefit of elevating the firebox is that one creates an opportunity
to provide a storage spot underneath the hearth (preferably
separated from the wood burning device by masonry or a concrete slab).

And another nicety is to have a built-in spot where the fire-tender can
sit while (s)he is tending the fire, with a spot where all the tools
necessary for tending the fire and cleaning up the hearth are readily at
hand.

Also the "niceties" category:

- little built-in fire-proof nooks for keeping things like matches,
kindling, a pair of elbow-length welder's gloves etc., so that they are
always in the same place, easy to find and easily within reach.

- spots where one can place a honking-big 5 gallon pot if necessary, to
melt snow to make boiling-hot water during those times when there's no
electricity to power the well pump etc.  or just to provide extra
cooking/warming surfaces when the usual cooktop might be overloaded.

- a place to provide a wire rack for drying gloves etc.

- easy and safe access to the chimney top at the roof for regular cleaning
out of the flue and provision of a spot where the chimney brush and
extension rod sections can be placed so that one has always has two hands
free for working.


-- 
=== * ===
Rob Tom
Kanata, Ontario, Canada
< A r c h i L o g i c  at  Y a h o o  dot  c a >
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