[Cob] Rocket vs. Rumford for Patio Heating

[Ocean Liff-Anderson]

Regarding heat from an outdoor thermal bench, we built one at the  
restaurant heated hydronically with water pipes (PEX) running through  
it.  It would get warm if the ambient temp wasn't too cold, but the  
whole bench just seemed to lose most of its heat into the air, and  
wasn't very warm at all in the cooler months.  I thought maybe adding  
a foam cushion would insulate and help prevent the heat loss.  But  
really, you don't get much heat from an outdoor Rocket bench unless  
you're sitting right on it...Conductive heat, not radiant.

The Rumford burns very efficiently as well as the Rocket.  Rumfords  
create a hot fire with little smoke and ash.  I don't think the flue  
has to be too high - the one at the Heart House at Cob Cottage is  
only 6-7 feet high.  Do you have the Hand Sculpted House?

Good luck,
Ocean


On Oct 7, 2007, at 2:31 PM, michael montagne wrote:

> Excellent post.  Very informative.  I've always wanted a rumford  
> fireplace but site constraints seem to discourage it in this case.   
> My plan was to encase the flue ducting in a cob bench. The bench  
> would then radiate heat into the air.  Correct?  Surely a breeze  
> would diminish the available heat but hopefully not too much.  It  
> is a relatively enclosed space,  especially protected from  
> northerlies that prevail in heating months.  If it's too cold, I  
> don't think anyone would go out there anyway.  So this heat source  
> is for already mild nights in the Spring and Fall.
>
> My interest also is to create an efficient burn.  I'm in the heart  
> of SE portland and I don't feel right pumping too much smoke and  
> heat into the air.  Rumfords burn efficiently but not like rocket  
> stoves.  I  feel too that I'd need a flue taller than I'm willing  
> to design due to plants, shrubs and buildings nearby.
>
> -mjm
>