[Cob] a newbie question

[phil]

Even though a rumford fireplace is about efficient as they get, a fireplace is a poor source for heating. Unless you build in a lot of air venting to feed the fire it would eventually pull all of the heat out of your home while its burning. Even then, a good portion of your heat will go right up the chimney. A better choice would be a masonry stove. It should be possible to build most of it with cob though you may want to include brick or rock as well.

There is always a woodstove too.


Phil Hawn, President
The North Carolina Natural Building Coalition
http://naturalbuilder.org
cob, strawbale, cordwood and other sustainable earthbuilding techniques

 --- On Sat 12/13, Copper Harding < copperharding at yahoo.com > wrote:
From: Copper Harding [mailto: copperharding at yahoo.com]
To: coblist at deatech.com
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 18:12:21 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [Cob] a newbie question

Hi,  I've read the books and the archives.  I am<br>looking to build in cold cold cold area.  It is rated<br>zone 2 or 3 for plant growth and average winter<br>temperature is -20 F.  I am familiar with living in a<br>passive solar design in that enviro.  However, cob<br>seems to be a bit of a different issue.<br><br>Here is the question:  Does the back or surrounding<br>parts of a Rumsford fireplace absorb much heat?  If I<br>placed a cob staircase at the back of the Rumsford and<br>dropped a bunch of field stone in it for mass would<br>that be a good choice for storing heat in a very very<br>small cob?  (and yes I am planning to insulate the<br>walls with a inner mix heavy in straw and yes I am<br>planning mass in my floor.)  I am just very familiar<br>with the multiple precautions that were taken with the<br>previous passive solar home - and a few of it's<br>weaknesses.  Thanks for any help or advice you can<br>give.<br><br>copper <br><br>=====<br>Ms. Copper Harding<br>1696 Randolph Ave. #3<br>St. Paul, MN 55105<br>651.699.5240<br><br>__________________________________<br>Do you Yahoo!?<br>Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now<br>http://companion.yahoo.com/<br><br>_______________________________________________<br>Coblist mailing list<br>Coblist at deatech.com<br>http://www.deatech.com/mailman/listinfo/coblist<br>

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