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Reflector Heat Shield, Basement wood stove


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Gidday all,

I could use some of the vast knowledge base that is TIJ.

I have an approx 1800btu wood stove hooked up and certified in my basement. I did this two years ago. Works great. Gets up to 400f quickly and not much problems with back draft (friggin furnace), I think I have my aux heating solved, to this point. What I want to do is stop using my drywall as a heat sink.

The stove sits in the corner of the basement atop a 2" thick pad of slate thats cemented down to the basement pad and grouted. It is away from both walls as per MII, plus 2" (safety). All piping I used is double wall and not an issue. My issue is the drywall gets hotter than I feel comfortable with. The paint is feeling it as well.

I am thinking if I could add a nice looking reflecting heat shield, out of masonry (?), air gap between it and the drywall. I say masonry to steer away from sheet metal. Could I make a wall starting in the corner and maybe step down as it moves away from said corner.

Something that fits into the 'fit, form and function'. Obviously it needs to stand up to the heat, but I would like it to look nice as well. Any ideas.

thanks

steve

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If I was worried about the wall getting too hot (to it's flash point), then I'd be doing a clearance reduction installation with either brick or metal. The brick is going to just absorb a great amount of heat and not reflect it into the room that well, at least in my opinion. Once the fire goes out, the mass of warm/ hot brick will still heat that room for at least a while.

If I just wanted to circulate heat better, and had a set up like yours, I would buy one of these:http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=5NC-MH-6R , http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdes ... c=5VZ-HR-6 or something similar.

My buddy has one in his shop, and I'm impressed.

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If I just wanted to circulate heat better, and had a set up like yours, I would buy one of these: http://www.northlineexpress.com/itemdes ... c=5VZ-HR-6 or something similar.

Brandon, thanx. No worries, about getting to flash point..but I want efficiency everywhere. When the stove gets going I have large 36' stand up fan, it moves nice cool air into and around that box. Its that the walls get warm and I would rather see that heat heat somewhere else.

As for your buddy, his plan may work, but inside my basement those pipe are double walled and give of almost zero heat. I installed telescoping pipes, I knew I was going to put a reflector of some sort. I keep going back to some stone work. Gotta read the stuff you sent me.

thanx

mongo

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As for your buddy, his plan may work, but inside my basement those pipe are double walled and give of almost zero heat.

Yeah, you'd have to use some single walled material at the vertical section above the stove. If clearance requirements are still met, the fan still may be a good idea as it is re- claiming a lot of heat that is otherwise sent outside. The reviews on both units I linked were all good.

I'm sure someone on here who is much smarter will come up with a better solution before long.

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One really nice feature of using brick or some other dense material is thermal mass - (the ole' Spock phasering some rocks to keep Jim from freezing on some desolate planet when a chick lured Jim and the enterprise there...) I always wondered why Spock didn't eliminate Jim for the needs of the many.. [:-alien]

But, a nice thick masonry wall with a cavity behind it will radiate even heat for quite a while after the stove settles down. You can even put a few openings similar to large weep holes at the bottom to promote convection through the cavity behind the reflecting/radiating wall.

I used to make this installation all the time out in the hills of Loudoun County VA. Works well!

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One really nice feature of using brick or some other dense material is thermal mass - (the ole' Spock phasering some rocks to keep Jim from freezing on some desolate planet when a chick lured Jim and the enterprise there...) I always wondered why Spock didn't eliminate Jim for the needs of the many.. [:-alien]

But, a nice thick masonry wall with a cavity behind it will radiate even heat for quite a while after the stove settles down.

thats what I was thinking,,,I have used brick for more purposes other than its original design,,,I do know that some brick take heat better than other etc. I live 2 hours from anything that might work. So, I have an idea, I just need the meduim,,,stone, some sort of manuf stuff??

I just watched Star Trek the other day,,,five stars great movie,,only problem was spock sucking face with uhura,,,set phasers to gag, although kirk bonking a green chick,,,priceless

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I would install two brick walls at a right angle to each and joined together behind the stove. Leave several inches between the brick and the walls and place the first course of brick on angle iron that is securely supported an inch or so above the floor.

It doesn't have to be glowing red to radiate heat. Even when just warm, it will radiate heat clear across the room to the opposite wall unless there is an obstruction in the way.

Remember the three ways that heat energy moves: convection, conduction and radiation.

Marc

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Marc, exactly, I even have a sketch like that with a few pidgeon holes drawn, anchors etc, but are all bricks equal? red brick, fire brick, aged. so many types. is there ones to avoid...this is the last house I may own (lottery may change that) I built it three years ago. If I put something behind that stove I am going to do it once.

My aggravation is aggragate. as it were

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No worries, about getting to flash point..but I want efficiency everywhere.

If it's efficiency you want, upgrade the stove. I'm serious. I did and it made a huge difference in every aspect of heating with a wood fire. This is what I put in about 6 years ago, with all the options:

http://www.quadrafire.com/Products/Wood_Burning/Wood_Model.asp?f=IsleRoyale

I load it once and it heats about a 2000 sq. ft. area of my home for 6 hours. All the heat is directed to the front and front portion of the top. There's never any smoke coming out of the chimney. The stove pipe and chimney have never needed cleaning in 6 years.

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If it's efficiency you want, upgrade the stove. I'm serious. I did and it made a huge difference in every aspect of heating with a wood fire. This is what I put in about 6 years ago, with all the options:

http://www.quadrafire.com/Products/Wood_Burning/Wood_Model.asp?f=IsleRoyale

Thanx Bill, the stove works great. It will be upgraded in few years. When that happens I hope I have the brick behind it

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Boy, I miss those days. I lived in two houses each over 100 years old and no heating systems other than wood stoves. I layed brick during the warm months and cut, split by hand and sold wood all winter. 7 cords a year to heat those old draft houses. One was an old solid stone Quaker Farm house with two front doors - the other a two floor 100 year old log cabin.

We burned an Ashley, was state of the art back then. Our next stove was actually designed and built by a local farmer who loved to weld together wood stoves as a hobby.

Nice stove, Bill.

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No worries, about getting to flash point..but I want efficiency everywhere.

If it's efficiency you want, upgrade the stove. I'm serious. I did and it made a huge difference in every aspect of heating with a wood fire. This is what I put in about 6 years ago, with all the options:

http://www.quadrafire.com/Products/Wood_Burning/Wood_Model.asp?f=IsleRoyale

I load it once and it heats about a 2000 sq. ft. area of my home for 6 hours. All the heat is directed to the front and front portion of the top. There's never any smoke coming out of the chimney. The stove pipe and chimney have never needed cleaning in 6 years.

Bill: What 'options' did you use?

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mgbinspect, I think we have a handful of 1899 era homes around here. Not many, I think that Pembroke (town down the road) was the first city to get hydro in Canada. This event had a huge effect on the turn of the century home and what it looks like.

I have built two homes in my short time on the ground. The first was heated with a HE Oil Furnace, Oil fired water heater as well. It worked perfectly, once a year I changed the fuel filters, and took the injector nozzle out wiped clean. No problems, other than the house getting hit by lightning in 96', that event replaced everything electrical in the house, everything but the wires.

If you look at the weather today, it is -24c. I have an Air Source heat pump that works pretty well until -10 or so. Thats why I have the wood stove. I designed the basement to my needs. My mech rm holds all the house mechanicals plus about a cord of wood (a little less). I burn primarily red oak and a little maple. I use poplar and pine as starter fuel. I have also made a few mods to HVAC return system to pick up the the heat.

I helped tear down a few walls on aold home and walked away with an antique floor grate. Which is now mounted almost over the stove, heat rises and warms up the dining room. Once I figure out the type of brick to use I hope to reduce my heating costs, both electricty and wood. Gotta go start a truck for work, she has a busy day,,,oh retirement....

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I'm no expert; hell, I'm not even a greenie when it comes to brickwork, but isn't a specific type of refractory brick used in fireplaces that is better at reflecting heat than the typical red brick?

I like the idea of the wall with the gap behind it, but I'm not so sure I'd want to circulate air beneath it. If you leave the sides open, won't just as much air still flow back there? It seems like building a wall that would reflect most of that heat, versus one that would absorb a bunch of it would be the best choice for a refractory wall.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

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I'm no expert; hell, I'm not even a greenie when it comes to brickwork, but isn't a specific type of refractory brick used in fireplaces that is better at reflecting heat than the typical red brick?

I like the idea of the wall with the gap behind it, but I'm not so sure I'd want to circulate air beneath it. If you leave the sides open, won't just as much air still flow back there? It seems like building a wall that would reflect most of that heat, versus one that would absorb a bunch of it would be the best choice for a refractory wall.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

thats my snag, type of brick. The reflector wall doesnt have to be raised, just open behind it. It would not matter too much if it was off the floor due to the fact that there is sort of thermal starting about 2' up from the floor so.........red brick is nice, its red.

I see this is going to take more indepth research to get the 'brick'. I am going to make the rounds today and see what is avail. stay warm

thanx again folks

Stephen G

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