Rust and heat transfer

[dmaclaren]

So, I have a PF100. I didn't clean it at the end of the year or plug the vent pipe. Yes, I have a lot of rust. I have been working on it but there is a lot of surface and hard to get areas.

The question here is how much heat transfer will I lose to rust? If the surface rust is minor or doesn't cause reduction then I am okay with not going to 100% clean metal and then high temp paint. But if I have a great loss, I will have to work my butt off and not allow the buildup again.



Any ideas here?

 

[dmaclaren]

I know I have read " As little as 1/10th inch of soot can drop the heat-transfer efficiency by 50 percent." bit nothing about rust.

I know I want the reduction of rust as I want to keep it new or not allow big rust buildup. I may or may not even paint it if I have to scrap/sand it. I now need to get 80 grit sandpaper and then finish with 100. The wire brush didn't get it all



My door ont he PF100 rusted on the outside. I think there is nothing I can do here as I am not going to run the dehumidifier 24x7 to get int he teens.

 

[hossthehermit]

Rust is oxidized metal, what happens when metal rusts? It gets thinner. Thinner the metal, the more heat gets through it. Heat goes really, really fast through holes. If you just build a fire in the middle of the floor, you won't have all that metal soaking up the heat.