If you are reading this article, then you have already decided to buy a wood-burning stove, so we will not talk about the advantages of such a purchase. Another question is how to choose the right wood-burning stove for your home if you are not an expert, and each seller describes the advantages exclusively of his offer? That's what we'll talk about. In this article we will not incline you to any particular model, but will just share our knowledge. Our goal is to help you understand how to choose a stove that will meet all your expectations and desires.
Content
Despite all the popularity of natural gas in the modern world, there are still places where its use is still unavailable. In this situation, a person will be helped by a stove in a wooden house, which is heated with wood fuel or coal. You can purchase this fuel at any time of the year.
Classic stove design
In appearance, the potbelly stove resembles an ordinary rectangle on legs. It is equipped with a door and a compartment for fuel, and an ash drawer for combustion waste. In addition, any potbelly stove is equipped with a branch pipe where an exhaust pipe with a length of 5 meters or more is installed. The length of the pipe directly affects the thrust and power of the device. The furnace body is made of steel or cast iron. We also recommend reading about the chimney for a potbelly stove in the garage on our portal.
Potbelly stoves are classified into two types:
- Metal devices.
- Brick buildings.
Brick models fit perfectly into a small country house and can heat several rooms at once. The stove heats the rooms evenly and allows you to retain heat for a long time. The only drawback of a brick potbelly stove is the long heating process. But the brick adds more functionality to the device; for example, during masonry, you can build a place for cooking. Craftsmen can arrange a recess for the oven.
Models of cast iron stoves are compact and easy to install, because they can be placed in any suitable place. The main thing is to fold the chimney correctly so that it can be easily moved thanks to the corrugated pipes.
Difficult climatic conditions are a factor that everyone living in the vast Russian territory has to take into account. With the onset of cold weather, houses, apartments, and industrial buildings are connected to centralized heating systems that supply heat and create comfortable conditions for us throughout the heating season.
Basic masonry techniques
Having decided to build a brick oven with your own hands, the first thing you need to do is choose a design that meets your needs, find an ordering diagram and a description of the masonry, after which you can start purchasing material and purchased elements. Laying a brick stove requires knowledge of basic work techniques.
- A brick oven requires a foundation, the dimensions of which exceed the dimensions of the oven floor by 100-150 mm on each side. It can be made of reinforced concrete, or made of concrete blocks or rubble stone. The main requirement that must be observed is that the foundation for the stove should not have a rigid connection with the foundation of the house, otherwise seasonal shifts in the soil may cause damage to the stove or pipe.
- To lay a stove with your own hands, two types of bricks are used: red solid brick made of ceramics and fire-resistant fireclay, yellow in color. The most heated surfaces are laid from fireclay bricks - the firebox, smoke ducts, and a fire-resistant masonry mortar based on fireclay clay is used. The price of these materials is higher than that of ordinary bricks, so fireclay is used only where necessary. All other elements of the stove and the chimney are made of ceramic bricks, and a solution based on stove red clay or a purchased composition that includes heat-resistant cement is required.
It is imperative to maintain a gap of about 5 mm between fireclay and ceramic masonry to compensate for the different temperature deformations of these materials.
- Purchased elements - grates, doors, views and hobs - are installed in accordance with the diagram. The doors are secured using annealed steel wire at least 30-40 cm long. One end of it is inserted into the holes intended for this in the door frame, and the other end is secured between the bricks on the masonry mortar. The slab and grate are placed on the previous row of masonry in the grooves selected in the brick. To compensate for the different temperature expansion of brick and cast iron, asbestos fabric or cord is used.
- The chimney of a brick stove is usually also made of brick, but an industrial ceramic block chimney can also be used. It is characterized by a long service life, increased resistance to condensate containing carbonic acid, creates stable draft, and does not clog.
- To give the stove an aesthetic appearance, it can be lined with finishing stone, clinker, or tiles. The finishing gives the stove not only a beautiful appearance, but also protects it from the harmful effects of water and dust, and although the price of such a stove is slightly higher, its service life is significantly increased.
Video: do-it-yourself stove laying
Choosing the right stove design and high-quality masonry is the key to its long and safe operation. A wood-burning brick stove, built with your own hands, will decorate any home; moreover, this heating method is reliable and allows you to create comfort and a favorable temperature regime.
The need for a foundation for a metal furnace
If the stove weighs more than 750 kg, it is necessary to build a foundation for it. Often a cast iron heater with a three-dimensional mesh weighs 900 kg. With a weight of 600 kg, it is also recommended to make a foundation, since over time, under the weight of the unit, the floor will deform and the stove may warp.
Types of foundations for a furnace
The most reliable foundation for a metal furnace is a monolithic one.
A weight of 750 kg or more as a load for the foundation is not that great. However, the specifics of the design itself limits the choice. There are 3 options.
- Monolithic is the most popular. The depth should be below the freezing point, in most cases 50 cm is sufficient. The dimensions of the base exceed the dimensions of the furnace body by 30 cm around the perimeter. Such a foundation ensures absolute stability of the apparatus. In northern latitudes, the depth can reach 2 m. In this case, most of the pit is filled with sand and crushed stone and compacted, and the slab itself is made ordinary.
- Tape - involves digging a trench around the perimeter of the base and constructing formwork. In this case, less materials are consumed, but the need to construct complex formwork and reinforcement eliminates the advantages of a lightweight foundation.
- Block - a hole for the foundation is dug as for a monolithic foundation, but filled with bricks or, more often, large ready-made blocks. The cheapest option.
It is possible to install a stove on a foundation in a finished building, but to do this you will have to first disassemble the floors.
Principles of foundation installation
Sand and crushed stone are compacted at the bottom of the pit.
The construction technology is the most common.
- A pit is dug under the stove with a depth of about 50 cm or more and dimensions exceeding the dimensions of the body by 20–30 cm.
- A layer of sand and crushed stone at least 20 cm thick is compacted onto the bottom.
- Formwork is made from boards or plywood and secured inside the pit.
- Lay out the bottom layer of large pieces of rubble 30 cm thick and fill the voids with small crushed stone.
- Fill the formwork with liquid cement-sand mortar.
- Lay out the next layer and fill it with cement again. The operation is repeated with your own hands until 6–7 cm remains to the floor surface.
- Fill the last layer with concrete screed. Until the concrete sets - 3 weeks, it is periodically moistened and covered with polyethylene.
Foundation waterproofing is often done with roofing felt.
The main advantages of stove heating
Installing a stove is not only a simple process, but also quite inexpensive in terms of the cost of materials. Using firewood is the most environmentally friendly way to heat a space and will not harm your family. The installation of a stove can be combined with the installation of a fireplace, then there will be not only a standard type of heating, but also a stylish design element in the room.
Furnace maintenance is a simple and fairly cheap process. The main advantage is the ability to regulate the degree of combustion and the ability to retain heat using special dampers installed in the stove.
Solid fuel heating stove Professor Butakov Student
Modern solid fuel equipment is constantly evolving, improving its appearance, design and technological processes. Despite this, simple metal stoves remain quite popular among ordinary consumers. The Professor Butakov series of stoves, named after its designer, is one of the few examples of domestically produced equipment that has created full competition with foreign analogues, and in some respects, surpassed them.
For heating small areas up to 150 m#179, an excellent option would be to install a wood-burning stove, Professor Butakov Student, with a power of 9 kW. Despite the modest thermal power, the room is heated in the shortest possible time, no more than 2-3 hours from the moment of startup. The speed of heating is ensured by the special design of the air heat exchanger, which ensures uniform convection heating.
Furnace structure and operating principle
The heating stove Professor Butakov Student is equipped with a combustion chamber capable of burning wood and afterburning pyrolysis gas generated as a result of combustion of the main fuel. The use of this technology made it possible to obtain a significant increase in efficiency and increase it to 90%, which is an excellent indicator for stoves operating on conventional wood.
To obtain the maximum effect and the largest volume of pyrolysis gas, it is necessary to use natural, as dry wood as possible.
The heat exchanger of the heater is made of steel pipes surrounding the firebox. In essence, the fire tube heat exchanger is the body of the combustion chamber, absorbing the maximum heat generated as a result of wood combustion. The lower air intake ends of the pipes are located almost parallel to the floor, this allows cold air to be drawn in. Air entering the heat exchanger pipes quickly heats up, leaving through the upper free ends of the pipes, creating constant draft and convection flow.
To ensure long service life, the bottom of the firebox is equipped with a cast iron grate that is resistant to long-term thermal influences. Through the grate, residual combustion products in the form of ash, ash, and unburned fuel fractions enter the ash box, which allows the stove to be cleaned of debris directly during its operation.
The upper plane of the oven is a cooking surface that allows you to heat or cook food on it.
Some model differences
Currently, this heater model is available in three configurations:
- Heating stove Professor Butakov Student with a cast iron door and glass. Glass makes it possible to observe the living flame in the firebox.
Heating equipment with a blind damper. Butakov Student stoves with the possibility of a rear chimney connection. Compared to the classic design, where the chimney pipe is located on the upper plane, the rear connection increases the area of the cooking surface and ensures the connection of the stove to the chimney built into the wall.
Advantages and disadvantages
Despite a number of disadvantages inherent in such equipment, solid fuel heating stoves by Professor Butakov Student have a wide list of advantages.
Wood is a natural fuel that does not pollute the environment during processing.
The use of a fairly simple design and reliable materials, steel, cast iron, ensures long service life. Wood is the most economically advantageous fuel for many regions. Increased efficiency rates of at least 90%. Easy to use. Possibility of cyclic use only when necessary, unlike most heating devices that require constant operation at minimum power. Low cost.
Among the disadvantages of the equipment, Professor Butakov Student’s heating stove is not equipped with automation, therefore it is necessary to constantly monitor the presence of fuel in the firebox and, for safety reasons, it cannot be left unattended for a long time.
Installation
The entire line of heating equipment by Professor Butakov does not require lengthy preparatory work during the installation process. The stoves are installed and attached directly to the floor. One of the mandatory conditions is maintaining an air gap between the stove body and the nearest surface, especially important for wooden houses. The heaters can be equipped with any suitable chimney system with a height of at least 5 meters to ensure normal draft and, accordingly, a constant fuel combustion process.
Fire safety standards for installation and operation of the stove
In order to protect your home if you have a stove, you should follow some fire safety rules:
- Use only dry firewood or logs as fuel.
- To ignite the device, open the firebox damper slightly and put the required amount of fuel there, and then set it on fire.
- When the fuel is sufficiently hot, the power of the stove can be adjusted by opening and closing the ash drawer.
- To clean the potbelly stove from ash, you need to completely cool the body, remove the ash drawer and throw away its contents.
To clean the potbelly stove from ash, you need to cool the body, remove the ash drawer and throw away the garbage from it.
When you first ignite, you may smell burning paint, but this effect will not happen again later. Any flammable items must be kept at least 80 cm away from the stove. It is prohibited to place more than 3 kg of fuel into the firebox at one time.
It is important to always close the firebox door. It is prohibited to use the stove if a malfunction is detected in the functioning of the exhaust pipe. It is forbidden to leave the potbelly stove unattended for a long time and in the presence of small children. When the oven is operating, you should not touch its body, as it heats up to a very high temperature. It is prohibited to place flammable materials near the stove. The stove can only be installed on a non-combustible base.
You can install a potbelly stove in a wooden house only on a non-combustible base
Universal stoves for the home: wood and electricity
These heating devices work in this way: when the stove, heated with wood, begins to cool down and the temperature of the coolant drops below the set point, the electric heating element turns on, which maintains heat. This is very convenient if you spend the night at the dacha. As you know, by morning the stove cools down in any case, and, as a result, you wake up in an invigorating atmosphere. And with such a mechanism, you calmly get up, have breakfast, turn off the heating element and can add wood to the firebox again. Convenient and economical.
The efficiency of such combined units is very high; the devices support a smoldering system to extend the warm-up period using solid fuel
When installing a water circuit with such a boiler, you need to remember that it is important to provide a gravity flow system, since the hydraulic pump often fails.
Cooper PRO, Teplodar
It has a built-in 9 kW heating element and can operate not only on electricity and wood, but also on gas. The gas burner is sold separately. The only drawback of the unit is the narrow opening for storing firewood.
This boiler can warm up a small house in minutes
Topol M, Zota
To increase efficiency, the device is equipped with a three-way gas duct.
This model has its own nuances. The main one is the need to get used to strong traction.
This boiler belongs to the budget category and can operate on electricity, wood and coal
Karakan
This device is intended for unpretentious users.
The basic model includes only a solid fuel system, but additional components can be purchased by installing a heating element and a gas burner
This inexpensive device has earned numerous accolades. Warm-up time on one stack of firewood is 4 hours.
Firebox of the new furnace
In the morning after installing the stove, it was decided to check its capacity. The entire firebox was not filled with firewood, only small ¼ was added. The logs were made of birch and aspen. After the wood was in the firebox and set on fire, smoke began to emerge—probably the paint was burning through. During the entire burning period, work was carried out at maximum capacity; later I wanted to ventilate the room. The entire incomplete stack burned out in 30 minutes.
What we have:
After there were a few red coals left in the stove, it was decided to add another portion of firewood. The floor under the stove became very hot, you can touch it, but you cannot hold it with your hand. The wall behind the stove, opposite the stove, is hot, but you can hold your hand for a couple of seconds.
Sandwich too - you can hold it for a few seconds. Then, for an hour and a half, the firebox continued in the long-burning mode.
After the first fire, the temperature in the room was +22 degrees, after the second - +25.
After the first fire, it was possible to say that the stove worked well and I really liked it, the power adjustments were simple, but at first it was not clear how the glass blowing worked.
The glass remained clean after operation of the firebox. After finishing the fire, two hours later the stove was quite warm. I won’t argue about the heat capacity comparable to brick stoves; one must demand from each heating device what it can give, and receive from it what it is designed for. We can conclude that Chinese-made cast iron stoves are very functional in operation and give impressive results.
Self-installation of a potbelly stove
When choosing a stove option for a country house, it is important to carefully calculate the required power for heating the selected area. A potbelly stove with an area of 1 sq.m can heat a room of 35 sq.m.
When choosing a stove for a country house, it is important to carefully calculate the required power for heating the selected area
An important factor in the operation of the device is the blowing of heat out of the room and the influx of cold air into it. For example, cracks in windows or floors that create a draft will noticeably disrupt the operation of the potbelly stove. An excellent solution for a two-story country house is a two-tier potbelly stove with a common chimney. Read more about installing a homemade potbelly stove in a country house on our website.
Video: installation of a potbelly stove and chimney
If you want to reduce the cost of installing and purchasing a stove, you can try to make it yourself according to the instructions.
Self-assembly of a potbelly stove
Mini liquid fuel stoves
This type of stove involves burning diesel fuel and kerosene. The wick bowl is replenished by gravity or gravity from the fuel tank. The heated fuel turns into a gaseous state, the vapors fill the combustion chamber, where they burn evenly, heating up a special spiral. The heat output is adjusted using a rotary valve.
Diesel stoves can be quite compact (up to 10 kg), and in a summer cottage they can be used, for example, for fishing.
You should also know that when burning diesel fuel and kerosene, combustion products that are harmful to the body are produced, so liquid fuel stoves for heating homes are a temporary option, but an excellent solution for use in utility rooms.
How to install a potbelly stove in the country
When installing a potbelly stove, remember that the metal body heats up quite quickly. Stainless steel ovens heat up less and cool down faster. Potbelly stoves, which are made of cast iron, will retain heat much longer, so they must be installed in such a way that they are visible during operation and for some time after the flame has died out.
If you install potbelly stoves on metal legs, you must remember that these auxiliary structures will also heat up. The heating temperature will be lower than that of the case, but still not too low. To install potbelly stoves in your dacha, you will need to install them on a fireproof base. In this case you can use:
Scheme of a potbelly stove stove.
- tin products;
- concrete structures;
- ceramic tile products;
- brickwork.
Fire hazardous grounds are:
- those made of plastic of any kind;
- plank or parquet floors;
- laminate bases;
- linoleum bases;
- It is not allowed to use carpet or other soft coverings.
If the house has wooden walls or panels, the stove must be installed at a distance of 1 m from them. Chimney pipes in the room are installed from 1 section, without the use of connections. If for some reason this cannot be done, you need to make a tight connection, and one section must necessarily fit into the other. If the pipe passes through the wall, you will need to make a thermal barrier from ceramics or brick. In this case, concrete can also be used, but it will crumble when temperature changes.
The fuel storage container will need to be placed next to the door to prevent sparks from entering it.
Diagram of a potbelly stove with dimensions.
Quite often, potbelly stoves in the country are used not only to provide heating. There are a large number of designs that combine several functions. Such designs include a heating stove with a cast iron stove. They can be used for cooking and at the same time for heating a country house. A household cast iron stove with 1 burner can easily replace a gas or electric stove in the country. If there is a need to feed several people at one time, you should make or purchase a stove with a continuous cooking surface or with 2-4 burners.
Ovens that have a water tank are also popular. Their design is similar to a samovar. A water container is mounted around a wood-burning cast iron stove.
Mini oven for a summer residence
Not every country house can boast of a spacious area. In such conditions, a mini oven would be a rational solution. Selection will be determined by several criteria:
- economic considerations
- ergonomics
- Type of fuel
- specifications.
The compactness of the device is only one of the main conditions for a country house. And yet, safety should come first. Since most country outbuildings are wooden, and when heated the wood dries well, hot coals can easily cause undesirable incidents. An alternative to solid fuel stoves, in this case, would be gas or electric models. The stove itself, the chimney and all connections must be sealed, and the unit must have excellent internal draft so that carbon monoxide does not penetrate into the room.
If the oven is not used for a long period, it should not become damp during this time. This is another important factor that determines quick kindling and warming up.
An important characteristic of a country stove is the rapid distribution of heat throughout all rooms. A large firebox door can provide this. In addition, this design can serve as a fireplace for evening gatherings.
For a long and comfortable night's rest, the stove must retain heat for as long as possible. And in the afternoon, after gardening work, it will also be nice to go into a warm house.
A hob on a stove is mostly just a necessity, especially if the country house is located in an area remote from civilization. If there is no gas or electricity supplied to the site and, therefore, there is no possibility of using tiles, then a solid fuel stove with a hob would be the best option.
The simplicity and lightness of the design will allow you to quickly fold the heating device and transport it to another place. And if repairs are necessary, it is easy to deliver it to a specialist. Since calling a specialist from a repair service to your home is more expensive, in this regard, a mini stove for a summer house is economical. Gas ovens
A gas stove is preferable for places where there is a main gas supply or if there is no centralized supply, but there is the possibility of convenient delivery of gas cylinders. In this case, it will be possible to heat buildings of no more than two floors.
The design of such products consists of a base, a housing, a combustion chamber, a gas burner device, a heating panel, (possibly automation). The advantage of gas furnaces is not only that gas is considered the most economical fuel, but they also burn it economically. And also in the fact that the system can be started at certain periods and the desired temperature in the room can be adjusted automatically.
General recommendations for installing a potbelly stove with your own hands
Chimney installation diagram for a potbelly stove.
It is necessary to first familiarize yourself with some information about the installation of such a structure in order to know what nuances you will have to face.
You can install a potbelly stove if you have basic construction skills and learning abilities.
The main problem for heating equipment that runs on wood is installing a chimney system. A potbelly stove has simplified requirements when compared with a fireplace. In this case, it is not necessary to make a vertical chimney.
For fire safety purposes, a potbelly stove requires an insulation layer. To do this, you need to make a brick platform or use a stainless steel sheet. You can also use asbestos-cement sheet, which is galvanized. This design can withstand temperatures up to +400°C.
It is allowed to use metal legs to install the stove. This design can save building materials and your own effort, which can be spent on installing the stove.
Scheme of a potbelly stove with a heat exchanger.
It is necessary to retreat 80 cm from the wall or add a thermal insulation layer to the wall. It is also recommended to install a protective coating around the perimeter of the stove, which can prevent fire if sparks hit the floor.
The chimney can be brought out at an angle from the wall. In this case, it is necessary to take care of the tight connection of the sections of the chimney structure. In most cases, a sandwich structure is used, which has a high level of safety due to the fact that the chimney pipe is partially insulated in the structure. It is not allowed to use thin stainless steel for the chimney structure, because it will quickly burn out. The pipe must be led outside through a drilled hole in the wall or roof. At the end, the resulting cracks must be covered with clay.
In order to be able to regulate the draft, it is necessary to purchase a damper, which is installed in the chimney structure and can block it completely or partially, if necessary. The gate will be needed a few mm smaller than the pipe diameter. You need to make 2 holes in the pipe. Next, you should thread a rod into them, to which the gate is attached.
The walls next to the stove must be protected with a steel screen or lined with ceramic tiles. It is preferable to use the latter option.
At the end, cosmetic work is carried out, which consists of filling up the cracks and improving the area on which it is planned to place the potbelly stove.
How is a chimney installed?
To install a chimney, the following materials are needed:
- elbow 1200x100 mm;
- 2 elbows 1200x160 mm;
- 3 butt elbows;
- tee;
- stub;
- fungus.
Thermal insulating material and a passage glass may be useful for installing a chimney. To seal the seams, sealant or asbestos cord is used.
The chimney installation process is as follows:
- It is necessary to fix 1 piece of pipe at the chimney opening.
- Pipe elbows will need to be extended to the ceiling line.
- A hole with a diameter of 170 mm or more must be made in the ceiling. In places where the chimney pipe must pass through the ceilings, you will need to remove the insulating layer. This is necessary in order to exclude the possibility of ignition of this layer.
- It is necessary to insert a passage glass into the hole that was made, and then pass the chimney pipe through it.
- Next, the pipe is connected to the external chimney structure.
- A layer of bitumen is applied to the outer part of the pipe. All this is wrapped in thermal insulation material.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=SMVD6li2QI4
Installing a potbelly stove is quite simple if you know all the nuances and have all the tools.
Safety
Equipment used for heating a wooden structure must be safe to use.
To comply with fire safety standards, fireplace stoves are equipped with heat-resistant glass; open stoves are unacceptable.
Do not ignore safety rules when installing heating structures.
Features of stove heating
Stove heating has a number of advantages, thanks to which wood-burning brick stoves have not lost their popularity for several centuries. The most important advantage is the ability of the ceramic bricks from which the stoves are made to accumulate and release heat for a long time.
At the same time, radiant energy useful for the human body is released into the space, giving a feeling of warmth and comfort. With regular heating during the cold season, the house is always warm and dry, and natural ventilation is formed due to the stove draft. In hot weather, the stove, on the contrary, cools the rooms by removing excess heat into the ground and air through the foundation and chimney.
In addition to creating a comfortable microclimate, a brick oven can provide additional functions, the availability of which depends on the design:
- cooking - boiling, frying, stewing and baking;
- drying clothes, shoes, food;
- heating beds for sleeping;
- opportunity to admire the open flame.
Furnaces that provide several functions are called combined. These types of stoves include heating and cooking stoves, fireplace stoves, as well as several popular basic models, including the Russian stove.
Stove heating also has disadvantages, including the inability to effectively heat remote rooms. Therefore, in large houses, they usually install several stoves with separate or combined chimneys or combine stove heating with other types of heating.
In compact houses consisting of one or several rooms, the stove is usually located in the center, so that its walls are located in all rooms. The hob and oven are placed on the kitchen side, the stove bench is in the bedroom or nursery, and the open fireplace is in the living room or dining room.
Brick stoves-fireplaces for a summer residence
Brick stoves are, without a doubt, a more durable option than any metal ones. But their main difficulty is the need for the services of a professional stove maker, who will assemble the structure so that it does not smoke and effectively warms the house. You can cook food on such a heating device.
If desired, you can order a fireplace stove to admire the open fire
For summer cottages, compact structures are usually built that do not take up much space. Here are some options.
Russian
The traditional Russian stove has excellent efficiency - about 35-50%. The only drawback of this design is that it warms up the room, leaving the floor cold.
A real master will build your smoke circulation channel in such a way that the heating will reach the entire height of the stove. In this case, the efficiency will increase to 80%
Another drawback is the massiveness of the device. But here you can build a sun lounger, which will be so pleasant to warm up after a cool day. To cook or heat up lunch, you need to get the hang of working with a grip and acquire special utensils.
Dutch
Dutch ovens can be called more compact than Russian ones. The smallest possible size is 50x50 cm².
Due to its compactness, the structure does not weigh much. It’s quite possible to put it even on the second floor
The walls of this heating device are relatively thin, but, thanks to their special design, they do not deform when overheated. It’s easy to build a tank for heating water and even an oven into a Dutch oven. One such stove can heat a house with a total area of 60 m².
Swede
The heating unit, using Swedish masonry technology, heats up much faster than its Russian counterpart and is “powered” not only by wood, but also by coal. It only takes about 15 minutes to warm up the room, no more.
Like the Dutch oven, this stove takes up little space and can have an oven, hob and water heater in its design
During construction, it is important to choose the right brick, since low-quality material significantly reduces the efficiency of the furnace.
Equipment characteristics
Recently, thanks to the variety of designs, potbelly stoves can complement the overall style of the interior of the room. Thus, this is not only a heating device, but also a kind of decoration for the room. The stove runs on wood no longer than 25 cm or other solid fuel, it all depends on the preferences of the owners and their financial capabilities.
The main functions of a potbelly stove installed in a country house:
- Heating.
- Possibility of cooking.
- Interior decoration.
Increasingly, a stylish potbelly stove is becoming a serious competitor for fireplaces, because, in addition to other positive qualities, the device is compact. It is easy to connect and, if necessary, move it to a new location or place it outside to fry meat in the fresh air.
A modern potbelly stove not only heats the room, but also decorates the room
If you need to frequently transport the stove from one place to another, then it is better to give preference to collapsible models. As a rule, they have an easily removable top cover, which often serves as a hob. This potbelly stove also features detachable legs and a multi-section chimney. The stove does not take up much free space, is a mobile piece of furniture and is easy to transport. Using a potbelly stove completely eliminates the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, because it leaves the room through a pipe. It turns out that the safety of the device and the power of operation depend on the installation of the pipe.
Collapsible model of a potbelly stove
The main problems with furnaces with a water circuit.
The main problem with furnaces with a water circuit is the other side of the coin of its main advantage. Water, being a good coolant, heats up quickly and transfers heat well. And metal conducts heat well...
This is why furnaces with a water circuit cool down quite quickly. It is a well-known fact that for effective heat transfer and heating of a house, a certain surface temperature is needed. So, a stove with a water circuit gives this temperature during heating and for a short time after. Then the following happens.
The stove, having a water circuit inside, cools down quite quickly, with some exceptions (some models). And the pipes themselves, due to the above characteristics, give off heat quite quickly and also cool down.
A familiar story - a stove with a water circuit is fired twice a day, if not more. But for me, twice a day is already too much to fire up the stove. So it’s better to install two stoves in the house, there will be less hassle, and the effect (efficiency) from firewood will be greater. I'm not kidding…
But quickly cooling down and firing the stove “like at work” twice a day is not so bad...
Such intensive use of the furnace—frequent firing—leads to accelerated destruction of the furnace masonry. Old hydronic furnaces look old not because of their age, but rather because of their essence. They are constantly oiled, because they are constantly drowned, the masonry collapses and cracks. I have a friend who heats her stove in cold weather without stopping... She has a stove with a water circuit.
The third problem arises when the register is installed not in the firebox, but, for example, in the hood. When lighting such a stove, when the coolant has cooled down, a large volume of condensate occurs. According to our calculations, during the first heating of such a furnace, up to 2 liters of condensate leaks into the furnace! If you do not make special devices for collecting condensate, this stove will always get wet...
And this is fraught with constant problems with lighting the stove, huge amounts of soot on the register and rapid clogging of the stove.
How to install a frame potbelly stove
The structure of a frame stove is somewhat different from simple structures. To equip your garage with a heating structure, you must have:
- Metal sheet;
- corner;
- pipe;
- steel reinforcement;
- thick wire.
The tools you will need to find are:
Installation diagram for a potbelly stove.
- roulette;
- fasteners;
- welding machine;
- jigsaw
The order of work will be as follows:
- A frame is made from the corner. To do this, the metal is sawn into separate strips. Next, the legs are made. 2 rectangles of the same size are welded, legs are welded to one of them. The second rectangle is installed half a meter above the ground surface and attached using welding or bolts.
- The body is attached. Rectangular parts are cut from steel. For this purpose you need to use a jigsaw. The structure is connected using bolts or welding.
- Next, a door with a handle is attached to the body.
- A grate is made from existing wire or steel reinforcement, after which the structure is placed on the bottom.
- Next you will need to make a chimney pipe. One end of the structure is inserted into the oven, and the other end must be taken outside.
To obtain a large amount of heat, it is necessary to come up with a long and wavy pipe path through a heated private house. The chimney can be discharged through a window, roof or wall. In this case, care should be taken to ensure that all connections are tight. If this is not taken into account, smoke will enter the room.
Advantages of using a wooden house
A standard wood-fired brick structure has many advantages over other methods of heating a structure. Instead, even a fireplace with a beautiful appearance can be formed. These designs look very good in wooden houses, and also have the following advantages:
- Construction can be done with your own hands, which reduces the financial costs of paying workers.
- A stove or fireplace is suitable for a house made of timber or SIP panels, as well as for a frame structure.
- Heating is highly efficient.
- It is possible to create a cooking and heating structure that can be used for the cooking process.
- A quality stove or fireplace can heat two or more rooms.
- If the heating structure is built according to all the rules using high-quality bricks, and the correct design is created in advance, then it will have a long service life and high reliability.
- Since the stove and fireplace burn wood, operating costs will be low.
The disadvantages of stove heating in a house made of timber, SIP panels or in a frame house include uneven heating and the need to constantly store large amounts of fuel, since the structure runs on wood and needs regular replenishment. Also, if the work will be carried out with your own hands, then you need to make a special project in advance, which will reflect the diagram of the future structure and the step-by-step process of its creation.
Installation
Construction of a brick kiln
Installing a brick heating structure is not an easy task. First of all, you should decide on the location of the stove. The most suitable room for a brick stove is the kitchen: you will have the opportunity to cook food without running to another room.
It is recommended to lay a foundation for a brick stove when designing a structure or during the process of pouring the foundation. An average brick oven weighs about 300 kg, so be sure to design a monolithic concrete support so that the structure does not push through the wooden floor .
If the house has already been built, dismantle the floors in the place where the stove will be installed, dig a recess of about 25 cm, arrange a cushion of sand and gravel and fill the reinforced base.
The video below shows the features of preparing the base for installing a stove in a wooden house:
A reliable foundation is a guarantee of confidence in the safe operation of heating equipment and its durability.
Important! The foundation area should be 10-15 cm wider than the lower part of the structure.
Insulate the wall. The foundation for the stove is laid in accordance with the dimensions of the structure.
How to properly install a chimney in a wooden house? Design it as far as possible from the matrices located between the floors. In most cases, the smoke exhaust system is designed next to the outer wall. A chimney located next to the outer wall will protect the home from drafts.
After finishing the masonry, plaster the stove or tile it.
Which material is better? Choose one that is resistant to fire and do not forget that it will become very hot when heated. Advice. It is worth finishing the stove with fire-resistant plaster or fire-resistant tiles: these materials do not interfere with the transfer of heat.
Installing a brick structure to heat a wooden house is a labor-intensive task. Installing a metal stove will take less time.
The video below discusses in detail the process of laying a budget version of a brick kiln:
Installation of a metal heating structure
Beginners in installation are recommended to give preference to metal heating structures . It is possible to assemble a metal stove in a few hours. Fully equipped models with smoke removal systems are available for sale. You can also make a metal structure for heating a country house with your own hands: it’s not that difficult.
Which stove is easier to install? Metal is easier to do than brick, but it also has its own subtleties: take them into account before you begin installation work.
How to install a stove in a wooden house? The first rule of installation is: the stove should not stand close to the wall .
The optimal distance from the heating structure to the wooden wall is 25 cm. It is recommended that the wall be tiled, especially for surfaces located in the immediate vicinity of the stove. Advice. Place the stove near the wall on the opposite side of the door - this will ensure sufficient air flow from the street to maintain the fire.
Metal structures are placed on a base made of a sheet of steel or a small elevation is used. Having completed the design of the podium on the floor, the racks are fastened under the floor as additional protection from the load. This is an important point when installing cast iron structures.
Manufacturers offer hanging models of metal stoves that do not require supports and will protect your floors.
The stove needs a chimney. It is possible to route the pipe to the street in any way - either through the ceiling or through the wall.
The diameter of the smoke exhaust pipe must correspond to the size of the pipe: this will provide powerful draft. Insulate the chimney to avoid heat loss .
Recommendation: Before installing a new metal stove, perform the first firing in the open air, this will allow the paint covering the internal and external parts to set, and the characteristic odor will also go away.
For large country houses, it is recommended to install several metal stoves to ensure a comfortable temperature in the home.
Water heating in a wooden house
This is the most common type of heating. The coolant (water) is heated by a heating boiler and, circulating through a system of pipes and radiators, heats the house. Natural gas, diesel fuel, solid fuel - coal, firewood, pellets, peat, etc. can be used as fuel for the boiler. Electricity can also be used to heat water in the boiler.
The most economical option for water heating of a wooden house is gas heating. Therefore, if it is possible to connect to a gas main, it makes sense to take advantage of it. Heating with an electric boiler is quite expensive; it can be recommended in well-insulated houses, where energy consumption for heating will be minimal. Diesel fuel boilers are quite economical, but require the construction of a separate building.
The above heating systems are energy-dependent, i.e. If there is a power outage, the heating will not work. The good thing about these types of heating is that they are carried out automatically, with minimal human participation in this process. This cannot be said about solid fuel boilers, which require constant maintenance - fuel needs to be added to them every 3-4 hours. But this fuel has a relatively low cost, and heating with a solid fuel boiler is non-volatile, it will work even if there is a power outage.
When installing water heating for a wooden house, it is necessary to take into account that wooden houses shrink significantly over time, and also tend to dry out from exposure to high temperatures and deteriorate from dampness, which can be caused by condensation falling on cold pipes. Therefore, when laying heating and water pipes in wooden houses, the following conditions must be met:
- Compensators and sliding-type fastenings must be provided on vertical sections of pipes.
- All pipes must be protected with thermal insulation. Heating - to avoid heating the walls, and plumbing - to prevent dampness.
- When laying horizontal pipes hidden, drilling technological holes in the floor and ceiling beams is inevitable. In order not to harm their load-bearing capacity, this issue must be agreed upon with the designers.
Design
A 6x6 building is most likely a country house, in which it is possible to live not all year round, but only in the warm season. Therefore, its layout is simple due to its small footprint. Its drawing is also simple due to the lack of a heating system. And for year-round use, more spacious buildings are built, for example, an 8x8 cottage or larger. But then stove heating is simply necessary.
However, a construction company can offer a project for a budget 6x6 house with a heating system. It will include a general drawing of the house and a detailed construction plan. The customer who wishes to have a house with a stove can make his own amendments, which will be immediately taken into account by the contractor. This option is called custom construction.
The client can order from the company not only a finished project, but also the construction of a standard house with already resolved planning issues.
Option for internal layout and location of the stove in the house
If the customer fully accepts the proposed plan, then construction will cost him much less.
