Heating my straw bale home with a masonry heater

[the sculpture Arthur]

I live in a straw bale house that I built a few years ago and I use a hand built masonry heater as my primary heat source. A talented Russian mason built it for me and his work with the brick and stone is truly impressive. I have found that the secret to getting the most out of it is using very dry wood that has been split into small pieces. The heater performs best when the fire burns fast and hot. It manages to warm almost my entire twenty six hundred square foot home plus the basement. I only need to use the radiant floor heating in the sunroom zone. It is a very effective system once you learn how to manage the fire correctly.

 

[El VMX]

How long do you let your wood season before you use it in your heater?

 

[purriitttooo]

@the sculpture Arthur Try using a moisture meter to ensure your wood is below fifteen percent for the hottest burn.

 

[chareeseeee]

I live in a straw bale house that I built a few years ago and I use a hand built masonry heater as my primary heat source. A talented Russian mason built it for me and his work with the brick and stone is truly impressive. I have found that the secret to getting the most out of it is using very dry wood that has been split into small pieces. The heater performs best when the fire burns fast and hot. It manages to warm almost my entire twenty six hundred square foot home plus the basement. I only need to use the radiant floor heating in the sunroom zone. It is a very effective system once you learn how to manage the fire correctly.

Make sure you clean out the ash regularly to keep the airflow strong during those fast burns.

 

[your bully]

do you find that you only need to light one large fire a day to keep the stones warm?

 

[the sculpture Arthur]

How long do you let your wood season before you use it in your heater?

At least a year ahead. I have seen some posts that others are doing it for at least 6 months to 1 year.