Super Efficient Fireplace cont....

Graphics are located in the attached link

Flue and Chimney:
The flue tile should be 1 inch thick unglazed 8 x 8 inch square outside dimension
or 8 inch unglazed round tile. Caution: Do not use glazed tile, it may crack from
heat. Use high temperature mortar between flue tile joints. Because of the low
temperature of the exit gas we suggest perlite or zonolite insulation in the air space between the flue tile and the brick chimney structure to retain heat in the chimney.

Caution: do not overly compress the insulation. When capping off do not seal the
cap to the tile (allowing for vertical expansion). Do not use concrete blocks for
the chimney as they often soak up rain and may cause future chimney problems.
Chimney top covers are not necessary except for extreme downdraft problems and
to discourage birds and animals from nesting in the opening.

The heat baffles, in reality, are part of the flue (chimney) system. The horizontal baffles are separated from each other by bricks set on edge. The free flow passage of these flue (baffle) runs must be equal to, and preferably greater then the free flow passage of the flue tile. As an example, a seven inch (inside measure) flue
has 49 square inches of free flow. This requires that a baffle run should have not less than 49 square inches of area after allowing for the space occupied by the supporting separator bricks. Also, as a rule of thumb, horizontal flue runs (baffles) should not be less than 27 inches long.

Avoid Downdrafts:
Downdraft problems are best corrected by increasing chimney height or by pruning the tops of interfering tall trees. If all else fails, use a directional rotating type flue top cover to correct the downdraft. The flue top should be two feet taller than any roof surface that is closer than ten feet horizontal distance. It is best if the top of the flue is two feet taller than the gable peak. This avoids downdraft in most situations.

Damper:
The unit described here is designed for complete air control, therefore a damper is not necessary. A chimney damper should be installed if air control is not complete. However, we know of some units that operate satisfactorily without dampers or air control valves but this will greatly reduce the efficiency of the fireplace.

Construction Time:
Based on a workshop situation with no bricklaying experience, it will require about 7 to 8 working days to construct a masonry stove with hand mixing of mortar and using textured (striated) face brick for safety walls.

Others have indicated five working days for construction is adequate. Experienced bricklayers may construct a unit in a shorter period. The walls must be plumb and cross-leveled at each brick course. Pre-mixed mortars and a perfectly leveled pad will reduce the construction time. The stove constructed in a Missouri workshop
did not have an oven. The oven, as shown in this publication, and the extra arch will add to the time required (perhaps a few hours). The oven may be eliminated from this suggested design. Extra horizontal flue runs could be substituted for the oven if the oven is eliminated, or three vertical flue runs could be used. The oven is designed to aid in heat transfer to the room, reducing the normal 4 to 6 hour delay for the stove to begin adding heat to the room.

Doors and Cleanouts:
Doors should be preselected to fit your taste and the size of stove you wish to construct. The firebox door should be cast iron or insulated '/4 inch thick mild steel to avoid warping. Glass doors have been used successfully where the stove is not over-fired. There is one report of overfiring melting the glass door. Doors
can be obtained through stove dealers, iron casting foundries, from used stoves or from a few specialty companies that manufacture custom designed doors or stove parts. Some welding shops should be able to make suitable doors.

Caution: do not start brick work until the door and clean-outs are in your possession.

Cleanout doors can be standard fireplace cleanouts except at the primary flue exit from the firebox. A cleanout is not necessary in the primary flue. Cleanouts, round or square, can be purchased from local sources or made up by sheet metal shops as desired. Select cleanouts as small as practical. The use of smaller cleanouts will
often permit avoiding the use of a reinforcing angle iron lintel. Four and one-half inch brick spans can be tolerated in most situations without reinforcing lintels. Consider the weight of the chimney placement in relation to the flue cleanouts when deciding if a steel lintel is required.

Caution: In the design shown in this publication, with a front cleanout and the chimney resting on the front wall(s) a lintel is required, especially on the top run
of a three run horizontal flue design.

The vertical leg of the angle iron lintel should be on the outside of the firebrick wall and on the inside of the safety wall. If a steel frame is considered to be desirable, as a personal choice, as decor in the ornamental brick, an angle iron picture style frame can be fabricated. The drawing included is a suggested size. Fabricate the frame to fit the chosen size of the cleanout. Do not use a welded
frame in the firebrick wall because of potential cracking that may result from the heat expansion of the metal frame. Use only a lintel on the firebrick wall and allow one-fourth inch of expansion space on both ends.

The lintel should rest on at least one-half of a brick length on either side of the opening (extend 4% inches past the opening). Remove all metal burrs and rough edges, allow the metal lintel to slide with heat expansion and do not use glue or mortar on the lintel. Use some non-sticking surface separators, such as a sandwich wrap or wax paper (both melt out), to avoid binding the brick to the metal.

Sealing the Cleanouts:
To avoid smoke leaks, the cleanout must fit tight. One method of accomplishing a tight fit is to apply a thin layer of high temperature mortar cement to a dust free surface on the firebricks. Allow the mortar to become slightly firm, then slide the prefitted cleanout box into the opening and into the mortar as far as it will travel.

Immediately remove the cleanout box, wipe it clean and allow the mortar to set for 24 hours Gefore reinserting the metal cleanout box. This mortar sealing technique should be used in addition to a soft gasket in the expansion space between the walls.

Size of Unit:
The masonry stove, as described in this publication, with a firebox exterior of 27 x 36 inches, is large enough to adequately heat a 1200 to 1500 square foot residence, when insulated to R30 ceilings, R20 walls and R13 floors. This also assumes good weatherstripping, joint caulking and double glazed windows. Heat distribution by directional fans or duct work will be required to adequately disperse the heat that this stove is capable of producing. Twenty pounds of air dry wood burned in a masonry stove will deliver approximately a net value of 112,000 BTU.

With the use of special sized firebrick or castable clay a vertical flue run masonry stove could be constructed with an outside ornamental wall dimension of 25" x 25" x 6 feet high. Allowing for safety spacing with a heat shield the masonry stove would occupy a space of approximately 39 x 39 inches. This is very similar to the space required for a large radiant heat style stove. The weight of the unit would also be greatly reduced. The cost factor is uncertain as fewer but more costly materials are required, also molds are required to form the castable clay.

Placement of Unit:
To achieve its full effectiveness, the masonry stove should be placed entirely within the building envelope, only the air tubes and chimney should extend through the walls or ceilings. A masonry stove produces mostly radiant heat (similar to the sun on a clear day). Therefore, line of sight heating is the most obvious use of these units. The more open the structure and the more centrally located, the better the results.

Maintaining the Air Space:
Do not allow excessive mortar to drop into and accumulate in the air space during construction. Temporarily use boards or rags loosely fitted into the air space to avoid mortar spilling into the space. If mortar does drop into the space, use a long rod or other tool for clean-up. This air space must be maintained for free expansion or the outside wall may crack.

Gaskets:
Doors and clean-outs should be sealed with fiberglass or other soft, non-asbestos, non-combustible materials to reduce leakage of combustion gases. Stove dealers often sell gasket kits. Do not overly compress the gaskets as heat expansion may occur. Rock wool insulation will work as a gasket material around doors and cleanouts, in the air space between the two walls. WARNING: do not use fiber glass from residential fiber glass batts or blankets for gaskets, binding material will break down from the firebox heat.

5 Best and 5 Worst States for Survival

When you think of The End Of The World As We Know It, TEOTWAWKI, how survival-friendly is your location? Have you thought of relocating or are you determined to stay put? Do you live in a state where survival in hard times will be easy or impossible? Joel Skousen’s book Strategic Relocation has some of the answers to those questions and may be able to help you assess the security of your current location.

I’ll have a review of his book coming up this week but wanted to highlight ten states he ranks as the best and worst for survive-ability. He bases his assessments on a number of factors:

Climate
Population density
Cost of living index
Food Production
Health environment
Traffic
Politics
Taxes
Corruption and Crime
Gun Liberty
Homeschooling Liberty
Military Targets & Nuclear Power Plants

One thing I always keep in mind is that no location is perfect, and no matter where you live, there’s such a thing as dumb luck, or the hand of God. Just ask the people in Joplin, Missouri, whose homes remained completely intact while those of their neighbors were devastated. Just because a family lives in one of the Top 5 states, doesn’t mean they can kick back, relax, and ignore signs of coming turmoil. Likewise, residents of one of the Bottom 5 states, may be well prepared enough to mitigate some of the disadvantages.
Utah Could you survive TEOTWAWKI in your state? Here are the Best 5 States and the Worst 5 States for Survival

image by jimmywayne

Take a look at the five states Skousen regards as the best for survival.

TOP 5 STATES:

#1 Utah – Low population density, except in Salt Lake City area. Utah has a below average cost of living and good food production potential, although irrigation is usually required. It has good water quality, average tax rates and low property taxes. It’s crime rate and government corruption levels are moderate, and it’s rated as a very friendly-gun state. Homeschooling in Utah is easy as it has no homeschooling regulations. There are only a few military targets. Overall, there are a lot of areas that are very suitable for survival retreats and numerous small towns that are also good locations. The 50% of Mormon (LDS) population means that more people here are preparedness minded than anywhere else in the country. Survival type products are easy to find, and a lot of LDS resources are open to non-members.

#2 Idaho – Idaho o:ffers a low cost of living and low population density. The food production potential is average with irrigation being required in most parts of the state. There is good water quality, low levels of pollution, but higher than average taxes. You’ll find a low crime rate here with very friendly gun laws. Homeschoolers won’t have to deal with any regulations, and overall the state as a very high Personal Liberty rating. Many people here are preparedness minded, the state is more conservative than most, and there are numerous locations for good survival retreats or residential areas suitable for survival-minded families.

#3 Montana – A classic survivalist state with very low population density. It has a moderate cost of living, excellent water quality, low taxes, and a moderate crime rate. It ranks high in gun liberty and has very low homeschooling regulations. However near Great Falls there is a the largest Minuteman missile base in the country, which makes it a primary target for hundreds of warheads. Stay away from that area and you have a state that rates high in personal freedom and has plenty of room to spread out and explore.

#4 Washington — As long as you avoid the Seattle area and give it a very wide berth, there’s a lot about the state to make it very survive-able. As a state, it has an average population density and cost of living index. Most of the state has a nice growing season of 150-210 days per year and the water quality is good. It has moderately good gun laws but more homeschooling regulation than many other states. One nice feature is that it has no income tax.
Colorado flag Could you survive TEOTWAWKI in your state? Here are the Best 5 States and the Worst 5 States for Survival

image by Beverly & Pack

#5 Colorado – Joel Skousen gives Colorado 4 stars in spite of some significant, primary military targets near Denver and Colorado Springs, and, he claims, “secret” military bases. Outside Denver, there’s a below average population density, average cost of lving in the state, and depending on where you live, you have either a below average growing season or a very nice one with 180 days or so. Colorado offers below average taxes and a low crime rate. Denver has restrictive gun laws but other parts of the state are gun-friendly.



And now, for the states that have the worst rankings.

BOTTOM 5 STATES:

#50 Hawaii – Great vacation destination but a horrible place to be if the s ever hits the fan. As an island, most necessities have to be shipped in, including fuel and most food. Cost of living is very high, the soil is fairly poor for general farming, and depending on which side of an island you live on, you could get too much or too little rainfall. Hawaii is the 5th highest in state taxes and property taxes and has a very high level of corruption in government and in the police department. There are strict gun laws and it’s home to several primary military targets. Additionally, there are plenty of racial tensions here. If tourism should ever die, the entire state would collapse in just about every sense of the word.

#49 Florida – High population density overall. Florida averages 45 tornadoes a year, plus its fair share of hurricanes. Food production potential is good, but only for a few specific crops, not for general farming. It has higher than average water pollution, and some areas have high air pollution. Additionally, it has a very high crime rate. Skousen describes it as one big trap zone. There are multiple military targets, and some areas will be impossible to evacuate without a fast boat. Without electricity the climate is very difficult to live in.
florida sign Could you survive TEOTWAWKI in your state? Here are the Best 5 States and the Worst 5 States for Survival

image by ferret111

#48 Rhode Island – Rhode Island has a very high population density, high cost of living, and restrictive laws when it comes to personal liberty. For example, strict building permits are required, there’s highly centralized planning, restrictive gun laws with a 7 day waiting period for making a purchase, and homeschooling is highly regulated. Because the state is so small, there really is nowhere safe to hunker down or use as a survival location. There are numerous lakes and creeks to cross, making evacuations potentially dangerous or impossible. Rhode Island also has heavy traffic and high taxes.

#47 Massachusetts – Very high population density and the 14th worst traffic in the country. Massachusetts has a high cost of living, very high violent crime rate, and restrictive gun laws. Homeschooling is highly regulated and there are high levels of corruption at the state and local levels.

#46 New Jersey – New Jersey has a high population density, very high cost of living, and heavy handed state and local governments. Building permits are required for everything. Skousen reports, “Some localities even require a permit to replace kitchen appliances.” There are red light cameras, high levels of surface water pollution, heavy traffic problems, and the highest tax burden of any state. Additionally, there is very high corruption in government and stringent gun laws.



Are you ready to pack up and move from your state? Before putting up that For Sale sign, assess your own circumstances and, very importantly, the connections you have. Moving to a so-called “survival friendly” state will mean getting to know neighbors all over again and, likely, being far away from your closest friends and family members. When I think of moving to the ideal survival retreat, I know my kids would grow up not knowing their cousins, and I would watch my parents grow old without having me nearby to lend support. No matter where you live, there are trade-offs.

The Top 5 or Bottom 5 may not tell the whole story. Do your own research and consultt multiple sources if you’re thinking of either moving or establishing a location as a survival retreat.

"Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out." quote close Could you survive TEOTWAWKI in your state? Here are the Best 5 States and the Worst 5 States for Survival Havel, Vaclav

© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.

Super Efficient Fireplace cont....

Graphics are located in the attached link

Combustion Air Valve or Distribution Box

The valves inside the house for the combustion air tubes can be regular full flow gate valves when using standard size galvanized pipe.

Caution: Do not use globe valves because they greatly restrict the air flow.

Intake pipes
or tubes should be insulated from the outside house wall up to the valve inside the house to reduce heat exchange between inside and the outside. Where 3 x 3 inch downspouting or other type tubes are used the builderlcrafter will have to design an insulated guillotine or insert valve substitute. Provisions should be made for partial valve closure, as opposed to only fully opened or fully closed positions. Use of a valve distribution box will enable one valve to control the air flow as opposed to a valve for each tube.

VALVE f DISTRIBUTION BOX VALVE DISTRIBUTION r OUTSIDE WALL II
AIR FLOW TO MASONRY STOVE

;ID€ WALL
COMBUSTION
AIR INTAKE 7 COMBUSTION
AIR INTAKE
FOUNDATION HAL
TOP VIEW SIDE VIEW

Insect screen (118 x 118 inch hardware cloth) should be installed over the outside openings to avoid entry by rodents, insects, animals or trash. Btiy enough wire for the insect screen and screening of the sand for the ornamental brick mortar mix. The screen on the air duct should be removable to aid in duct clean-out if something accidentally falls into the air tube. The surface area of the wire screen should be twice the area of the tube. Avoid water entry into the air tubes by down turns or by reverse angle cuts.

r OUTSIDE WALL
OUTSIDE WALL
AIR INTAKE
1 INSECT SCREEN FOUNDATION WALL COVER
AIR INTAKE
- INSECT SCREEN
FOUNDATION WALL

Brick and Mortar Suggestions Brick and mortar should be selected both for ornamental value and resistance to high temperature. Use fireplace quality (or better) 4% x 9 x 2% inch firebrick and high temperature firebrick mortar for the firebox. This quality brick must be carried throughout the firebox structure, including the oven and first flue run. After the first flue run, standard face brick or common brick and sand mortar has been used with no apparent problems. Standard brick and sand mortar is lower in cost than firebrick and firebrick mortar but will add some difficulty to construction details. For this reason our drawings are based on firebrick throughout the firebox, the oven, the flue runs and into the first few inner (filler) bricks of the chimney. Caution: consult your supplier on details for handling the mortar and avoiding air bubbles between bricks or possible freezing when using air setting high temperature mortar. Firebrick mortar is normally applied as a very thin coat with a paintbrush and each brick slides (scrubs) into place to eliminate air bubbles.

36,00 ,/8" FLUE TiLE I

For the exterior (safety) ornamental wall, any type brick or stone will be satisfactory. Only a very limited area of this exterior wall will rise above 140 degrees Fahrenheit (the area near the primary flue exit at the rear of the firebox may be hotter). Select masonry materials which can withstand the temperature without cracking. Since the outside wall will be viewed by the home owner, your own imagination and preference will be a primary factor in choosing materials. These exterior walls have been constructed of ornamental stone, common brick, adobe, face brick, concrete with ceramic tile, or any combination of materials.

Regardless of the base materials selected, the mortar should be mixed from clean sand screened through an 8 x 8 inch mesh screen. Do not use sand screened through 1/16 of an inch or smaller mesh. Do not use more than ten (10) percent lime
in the mortar and avoid Missouri river sand because it usually contains carbon impurities from coal. Ten (10) percent by volume, of fly ash in addition to ten (10) percent lime added to the cement sand mortar will help to make a smoother easier to handle mortar.

A bag of cement weighs 94 pounds, ten (10) percent by volume of fly ash is about 10 pounds per bag. Anti-mortar setting materials are available at some concrete ready-mix plants to retard mortar set up, this slows the setting of the mortar (check with the supplier). Anti-setting material is not necessary with lime added to mortar. For the small quantity of mortar required, it may be best to use a
pre-dried, pre-mixed mortar from a hardware store or lumber yard. Permanent colors can be added to the mortar at the time of mixing. Uniformity in mixing of materials is very important even for non-colored mortar.

Avoid over-wetting the mortar because it will cause excessive cracking and shrinking. If the sand in the mortar is too fine or the mortar is too rich from cement the mortar will compress from brick weight. This will limit the height
of the wall that can be laid in a given time period.

OPPOSING WEDGES

Specialized Bricks:

Arch bricks are manufactured in several specific sizes. Consult your supplier on the exact number of each size and ask about the proper skew brick to be used to start the arch that spans the horizontal distance across the arch. It is best to lay out the bricks on the floor, draw a pattern and form a fiber board or plywood arch form, to support the arch during construction. The arch form should be precisely cross-leveled when it is set in the fireplace, by the use of opposing wooden wedges. The wedges aid in removal of the form after the mortar has dried.

Always allow adequate drying time (24 to 48 hours) before removing the arch form and avoid cracking the arch. In addition to arch brick, certain other specific size firebricks are available by special order. These often are handy in some places for filling spaces and spanning openings. They are more expense than standard bricks
but are usually worth the price when you consider broken bricks from attempts at cutting without ceramic saw blades. Cutting of bricks, even with proper equipment, is time consuming. Any saw blade used to cut brick should state its exact use in the label. Note that brick dust is destructive to the armature of portable circular saws.

Super Efficient Fireplace...continued

Graphics are located in the attached link

Hearth Pad
The hearth pad is the lowest part of the fireplace on which the firebox is constructed. The pad should be reinforced with 318 inch reinforcement rods (rebar or rerods) on 18 inch centers in both directions. The rods should be centered under the firebox (firebrick) and the ornamental brick safety wall to avoid cracking the
structure due to slight shifts in the substructure. Hairline cracking of the pad can be reduced by the use of 2" x 4" welded wire fence mesh, wired to the reinforcement rod with soft steel wire or baling wire.

The pad should always rest on well tamped ballast for new construction. The base must be of sufficient size to carry the load of the masonry stove as determined by soil type at the construction site. The load is approximately 7 to 8 pounds per square inch or 1008 to 1152 pounds per square foot. The size of masonry stove featured in this publication, including the pad, will weigh about 11,000 pounds and contains approximately 400 firebrick and 550 ornamental bricks plus the mortar. Tile or additional ornamentation will increase this weight. This amount of material is adequate to build a masonry stove for a small single story residence with eight foot ceilings and a five foot attic to gable. Note: a pad is not necessary if the stove is set on a reinforced slab on grade. Firebrick must protect the pad or the slab floor. A pad does add to the decor, making the unit easier to load and or clean the masonry stove, and also simplifies the intake air ducting, unless a new floor slab, including air ducting, is being poured.

In the concrete hearth pad, use 112 inch diameter clean silicon gravel and clean silicon sand, drinking clarity water and enough type A1 portland cement (available at lumber yards) to handle the weight of the structure.

Do not use limestone aggregate in the hearth pad, because it expands from heat and pops out of the slab. Five or six bags of cement per cubic yard of concrete mixture is more than ample for strength. Use the concrete mix as dry as it possibly can be worked; excess water reduces concrete strength. Tamp or work the mixture well to
remove voids and air pockets. Tap against the side of the pad forms to remove voids in the side wall.

CHIMNEY SUPPORT MASONRY STOVE WITH OVEN
RIGHT SIDE ELEV. SEC. E-24

Combustion Air:
Whenever possible, outside combustion air should be delivered directly into the firebox by insulated air ducts that have full flow valves which will totally block air flow when the masonry stove is not in use. Any combustion heat device will consume oxygen, which normally comes from outside air. If the outside air is not
supplied by ducting, the air must be drawn through the house by way of air infiltration around doors, windows, reverse flow in other vents and any other cracks that exist in a house. Air infiltration is especially high where
the walls meet the floors. In the winter, any air moving through the house will be colder and dryer than normal house air and since it is moving air, it will cool body temperatures faster than calm air and one feels uncomfortably cooler, even at a warmer inside temperature. A primary reason that the English style fireplace is so
inefficient, is because it consumes 7 to 10 times more air than is necessary for maximum combustion.

Combustion Air Intake

Combustion air can be supplied using three 1% to 1% inch galvanized water pipes. Water pipes have been used in a fireplace for two heating seasons without visible problems. Lighter duty pipe could probably be used. While this small water pipe has worked, the air volume supplied is not adequate for the size masonry stove that is dictated by the use of standard 4% x 9 x 2% inch firebrick which results in a firebox of 18 x 27 x 12% inches. Ro 3 x 3 inch square metal downspouts total 18 square inches and should provide adequate intake air.

The downspout metal projecting into the firebox will eventually corrode out. The extension of the metal spout into the firebox serves to help keep ashes from entering the air tube. Short insert nipples could be adapted later for replacement if proven desirable. Electric conduit tube could be used for air ducting and also costs less than water pipe.

Cross-Sectional Area of Selected Size Pipe and Ducts:
3 x 3 inch square pipe -- 9.00 square inches
3 inch round pipe -- 7.00 square inches
2 inch round pipe -- 3.14 square inches
2% inch round pipe -- 4.90 square inches
1% inch round pipe -- 1.76 square inches

Maximum suggested air intake area is 18 square inches via outside ducting. Each duct should be ten feet or less in length, longer lengths produce friction of the air flow reducing air volume in the firebox. If a longer run is required, increase the duct size from outside up to the air distribution box referred to in the next section.

During the fire start-up period, the air damper on the fire door can be left open so that some inside (house) air can supplement the combustion until the fire dies down to a level that can be supplied by the outside air tubes. This time span is an experience factor and depends on fuel moisture, outside air temperature and volume of fuel in the firebox but usually takes less than one hour.

Super Efficient Masonary Stove

Graphics are located in the attached link

The Missouri Designed Masonry Stove
At last there is an energy efficient replacement for the popular, but energy inefficient English style fireplace.
This style fireplace or masonry stove is based on the very simple concept of storing heat in a series of brick
baffles for longer, slower release as opposed to sending heat up the chimney of the standard fireplace.
With imagination, these masonry stoves, sometimes referred to as "Russian" fireplaces, can be vefy attractive
and functional. Progressive home buyers and builders may want to consider one of these efficient units as a
substitute for the older inefficient open-style fireplaces. Innovative crafters can devise many ways to make these
units just as decorative as other heating units. Considering the long-term world energy situation, it makes sense
to utilize the best possible heating devices in your home.
The masonry stove is a highly efficient heating unit which has been used in Eastern Europe for hundreds of
years. Once widely used in the western and northern parts of the mid-west, lower cost heating units and more
convenient fuels ultimately resulted in the decline, and finally abandonment of these masonry stoves. High cost
fuels and the impending scarcity of oil and natural gas, have stimulated a renewed interest because of the lower
cost of operation compared to other types of fireplaces or fireplace inserts. This ninety (90) percent efficient
stove design was reintroduced by a Russian immigrant which accounts for the commonly used name of "Russian"
fireplace.
This masonry stove is based on the use of flue baffles made of brick, stone or adobe, that direct the hot flue
gases in an "S" shaped pattern. The serpentine pattern slows down the air speed and also increases the length
of the flow. Each additional square foot of masonry surface absorbs some of the heat from the flue gas until
maximum available temperature is reached. As the fire itself is allowed to bum out, the hot bricks slowly pass
their stored heat through the wall and into the living space as radiant heat. Each pound of brick will store 2/10
BTU of energy for each degree (Fahrenheit) rise in temperature. This is the reason a masonry stove is so efficient
and retains heat for long periods.
This slow, steady, low-level heat is very comfortable, much more so than a fan-driven, central heated, hot air
furnace. The appearance of this type fireplace is controlled mostly by the designer's imagination, time and skill
in constructing the unit. It is possible to design one of these units to resemble an English style fireplace, but
it adds greatly to the time, cost and complexity, and serves to perpetuate an appearance of an outdated fireplace
that was never well designed for home heating.
On a cold day, the standard widemouth deep firebox, English style, masonry fireplace will lose more furnace
heated air up the chimney than it generates from the fuel it bums. Under the best of conditions, the English
fireplace will waste ninety (90) percent of the fuel that it bums on a season long basis. By contrast the masonry
stove has been tested and found to deliver to the room, about ninety (90) percent of the heat generated from
the fuel that is consumed. Even the least efficient masonry stove designs have resulted in eighty (80) percent
of the heat delivered to the living space, compared to sixty (60) to sixty-five (65) percent for many of the
airtight modem wood stove designs.
The Missouri designed masonry stove, as shown in the drawings, will cost about the same amount as the
standard English fireplace, but will have a lower life cycle cost because it uses fuel so efficiently. One full
loading of the firebox of a masonry stove will keep the stove at comfortable temperatures for 23 to 36 hours.
These massive brick or masonry units work very well as part of the heat storage mass for passive solar heated
homes. The units can also be used as room dividers.
Masonry stoves are very well adapted to new homes where floor plans allow for the required extra space. They
can be adapted to many existing homes by locating the unit in an insulated basement or in the living room by
the use of reinforced masonry piers. In some cases, a slab on grade floor may carry the weight if properly
reinforced. These adaptations will increase the cost of the unit, but generally will be cost effective over time,
because of the fuel cost savings that result.
Some Reasons for Building a Masonry Stove
Advantages
The cost is similar to the English style fireplace.
Masonry stoves use much less fuel; sometimes up to thirty (30) percent less than the best steel stoves.
The units may be used as part of the mass heat storage for passive solar systems.
Masonry stoves provide more comfortable heat than hot air or baseboard heat.
Masonry stove owners report greater personal comfort at lower room temperatures.
When properly operated, these units have reduced creosote buildup.
Masonry stoves generate less pollution, by sending less fly ash and unburned gases up the chimney and
into the atmosphere.
The unit can be adapted for the heating of domestic hot water.
The unit can contain a built-in oven.
Masonry stoves can be designed to load fuel from either side or either end.
Residential floor plans may be designed to permit loading the unit from an isolated hall or mud room.
Masonry stoves costs only slightly more than a high quality stove and chimney.
Masonry stoves can be designed and situated to occupy less space than some of the larger radiant style
steel stoves because they can be set closer to walls, etc. (do not neglect safety clearances).
Disadvantages
01. Masonry stoves take up more room than most stoves or wall mounted fireplaces. However, by using
specialized firebrick or castable fire clay it may be possible to have a masonry stove with a 25" x 25"
exterior ornamental wall dimension.
02. The units may be difficult to retrofit to an existing residence.
03. Masonry stoves warm up slowly, unless a hot water radiator or oven has been designed into the unit.
04. Specialized masonry materials are difficult to find in some locales.
Construction of a Masonry Stove
The following pages will include years of accumulated construction and design ideas. The construction procedure
will be illustrated, starting with the reinforcement of the hearth pad.

To be continued...

Cold Weather Survival

It's winter where I live.....time to button up!

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/cold-3.php

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF COLD
WEATHER SURVIVAL

It is more difficult for you to satisfy your basic water, food, and shelter needs in a cold environment than in a warm environment. Even if you have the basic requirements, you must also have adequate protective clothing and the will to survive. The will to survive is as important as the basic needs. There have been incidents when trained and well-equipped individuals have not survived cold weather situations because they lacked the will to live. Conversely, this will has sustained individuals less well-trained and equipped.
There are many different items of cold weather equipment and clothing issued by the U.S. Army today. Specialized units may have access to newer, lightweight gear such as polypropylene underwear, GORE-TEX outerwear and boots, and other special equipment. Remember, however, the older gear will keep you warm as long as you apply a few cold weather principles. If the newer types of clothing are available, use them. If not, then your clothing should be entirely wool, with the possible exception of a windbreaker.
You must not only have enough clothing to protect you from the cold, you must also know how to maximize the warmth you get from it. For example, always keep your head covered. You can lose 40 to 45 percent of body heat from an unprotected head and even more from the unprotected neck, wrist, and ankles. These areas of the body are good radiators of heat and have very little insulating fat. The brain is very susceptible to cold and can stand the least amount of cooling. Because there is much blood circulation in the head, most of which is on the surface, you can lose heat quickly if you do not cover your head.
There are four basic principles to follow to keep warm. An easy way to remember these basic principles is to use the word COLD--
C -  Keep clothing clean.
O -  Avoid overheating.
L -  Wear clothes loose and in layers.
D -  Keep clothing dry.

C -	Keep clothing clean. This principle is always important for sanitation and comfort. In winter, it is also important from the standpoint of warmth. Clothes matted with dirt and grease lose much of their insulation value. Heat can escape more easily from the body through the clothing's crushed or filled up air pockets.
O -	Avoid overheating. When you get too hot, you sweat and your clothing absorbs the moisture. This affects your warmth in two ways: dampness decreases the insulation quality of clothing, and as sweat evaporates, your body cools. Adjust your clothing so that you do not sweat. Do this by partially opening your parka or jacket, by removing an inner layer of clothing, by removing heavy outer mittens, or by throwing back your parka hood or changing to lighter headgear. The head and hands act as efficient heat dissipaters when overheated.
L -	Wear your clothing loose and in layers. Wearing tight clothing and footgear restricts blood circulation and invites cold injury. It also decreases the volume of air trapped between the layers, reducing its insulating value. Several layers of lightweight clothing are better than one equally thick layer of clothing, because the layers have dead-air space between them. The dead-air space provides extra insulation. Also, layers of clothing allow you to take off or add clothing layers to prevent excessive sweating or to increase warmth.
D -	Keep clothing dry. In cold temperatures, your inner layers of clothing can become wet from sweat and your outer layer, if not water repellent, can become wet from snow and frost melted by body heat. Wear water repellent outer clothing, if available. It will shed most of the water collected from melting snow and frost. Before entering a heated shelter, brush off the snow and frost. Despite the precautions you take, there will be times when you cannot keep from getting wet. At such times, drying your clothing may become a major problem. On the march, hang your damp mittens and socks on your rucksack. Sometimes in freezing temperatures, the wind and sun will dry this clothing. You can also place damp socks or mittens, unfolded, near your body so that your body heat can dry them. In a campsite, hang damp clothing inside the shelter near the top, using drying lines or improvised racks. You may even be able to dry each item by holding it before an open fire. Dry leather items slowly. If no other means are available for drying your boots, put them between your sleeping bag shell and liner. Your body heat will help to dry the leather.

A heavy, down-lined sleeping bag is a valuable piece of survival gear in cold weather. Ensure the down remains dry. If wet, it loses a lot of its insulation value. If you do not have a sleeping bag, you can make one out of parachute cloth or similar material and natural dry material, such as leaves, pine needles, or moss. Place the dry material between two layers of the material.
Other important survival items are a knife; waterproof matches in a waterproof container, preferably one with a flint attached; a durable compass; map; watch; waterproof ground cloth and cover; flashlight; binoculars; dark glasses; fatty emergency foods; food gathering gear; and signaling items.
Remember, a cold weather environment can be very harsh. Give a good deal of thought to selecting the right equipment for survival in the cold. If unsure of an item you have never used, test it in an "overnight backyard" environment before venturing further. Once you have selected items that are essential for your survival, do not lose them after you enter a cold weather environment.