Masonry heaters from scratch

WOW. Masonry heaters are great but I have NEVER heard of it starting from clay.

This is vimeo so I have no idea how to embed it. I hope the link works.

http://vimeo.com/85745665

Interesting video. They are quite massive and I imagine quite expensive based on all the labor? IDK Doubt it will get many to use rather than a woodstove at this point. Like the idea though.

Not generally great for a remodel but ideal for new construction. Do not know what the pay back time is but at some point they will pay for themselves thru reduced wood and gas/propane costs.

I knew someone that had what he called his "russian stove" in his house down in Texas Creek. Looked very similar. His house was two stories and built around this stove in the middle. It was massive - 6' by 5' footprint two stories high. He loved it. I'm thinking it's pretty much the same as presented in the video.

The house had part of the stove in every room, and warmed them all nicely. He did have baseboard heat on the exterior walls because unless he ran a fan, the rooms were considerably warmer in the center of the house.

Nobody that matters wrote: I knew someone that had what he called his "russian stove" in his house down in Texas Creek. Looked very similar. His house was two stories and built around this stove in the middle. It was massive - 6' by 5' footprint two stories high. He loved it. I'm thinking it's pretty much the same as presented in the video.

The house had part of the stove in every room, and warmed them all nicely. He did have baseboard heat on the exterior walls because unless he ran a fan, the rooms were considerably warmer in the center of the house.

Same principle. There are several flavors but I do not know what differentiates them.

Good resource here for anyone interested: http://masonryheaters.org/

Thanks for the link. It reminds me of friends who live part time in snowy southern Colorado and built a round house, more donut like, with a stone masonry heater in the middle. The heat moves up to the ceiling and rolls down the outer walls so that they don't need any supplemental baseboard heat or some other form of heat which is required in the county where their home is located. The interesting part is that they rarely use it since they put their home facing south with more windows on the south and very few on the north. So it mostly acts as a trombe wall using the sun to heat the home during the day and radiate heat from the wall at night. They spend more time opening windows to keep the house from getting too warm during the winter. He said he could have pretty much done without the stone heater and been ok but good to have if the sun isn't shining. He had considered solar panels but was more concerned about the expenses for batteries or elec and other that he would incur besides the substantial amount to dispose of the panels at the end of their usefulness.

Sometimes during spring and fall when the sun isn't lower in the sky blasting through the windows I may use the woodstove but mostly it works as a base to hold plants. So not at all sure a stone masonry heater would be cost effective but what a wonderful way to heat with a minimum amount of wood.