Prof, here is an update. I'm working on another heating system - 2 hot rooms. They are just masonry walls/rooms on the south side of the house to catch the sun through a bunch of large windows. I'm getting close to the end of laying cinder blocks vertically- few more layers and entire door areas. Next, ceilings and glass blocks laid. Oh yeah, there is a calculated overhang to block the summer sun but let the winter sun enter full force.
I've decided to put 6 barrels in the large hot room and 2 in the small hot room (I stuck one barrel in to see how it fit - see picture). I'm going to stack them 2 high. Water is a great way to store heat - much better then rock. Everything needs to be black on the inside of these rooms -barrels and tile. Vents low and high so heat/air moves as things heat up. I'm going to clad the non sun side of the rooms in flagstone. And I've left 5 openings in the cinder blocks for glass block to let in filtered light.
The last step will be to install thermal shutters on the inside for those 6 big windows - composed of rigid board covered with wood. I wonder how effective these rooms will be? It will be fun to see these things in action. So these hot rooms rooms will be the first heating method and the masonry heater will be used for additional heat.
I've decided to put 6 barrels in the large hot room and 2 in the small hot room (I stuck one barrel in to see how it fit - see picture). I'm going to stack them 2 high. Water is a great way to store heat - much better then rock. Everything needs to be black on the inside of these rooms -barrels and tile. Vents low and high so heat/air moves as things heat up. I'm going to clad the non sun side of the rooms in flagstone. And I've left 5 openings in the cinder blocks for glass block to let in filtered light.
The last step will be to install thermal shutters on the inside for those 6 big windows - composed of rigid board covered with wood. I wonder how effective these rooms will be? It will be fun to see these things in action. So these hot rooms rooms will be the first heating method and the masonry heater will be used for additional heat.
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