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Perkiomenville, PA Finnish Contraflow Masonry Heater: Heat Kit Core, Heated Bench, and Chimney Installation
21 February '10 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
The owner of this new home in Montgomery County, PA is realizing a life long dream: designing and building a low energy home. The design includes a geothermal system, passive solar heating, high R value insulation, a trombe wall, and a clean burning masonry heater.
The owner placed the heater in the best location possible, roughly centered in the home’s floor plan. He also took advantage of the heater’s thermal mass in the passive solar design. The home and heater are positioned for maximum solar gain during the winter months. The sun’s path tracks over the living room and heater almost the entire day. The masonry heater’s completed Heat Kit core is catching the late afternoon sun in the photo below.
The space above the heater opens to the second floor bedrooms. A photo of the heater’s core. firebrick chimney liner, and heated benches seen from the upstairs catwalk.
The completed brick heater will have a heated bench in front and a heated wood box to the right side of the loading doors. The firebrick liner for the heated woodbox is pictured below. The Heat Kit core is wrapped in a fiberglass blanket to allow for thermal expansion.
Below is a photo of the heater’s chimney liner, built with firebricks. The chimney liner, and entire heater, will be wrapped with a brick facing.
The firebrick lining the bench and chimney will add to the thermal mass of the system and increase the heat transfer form the hot exhaust gases. The opening for the simple slide chimney damper can be seen near the top of the firebrick chimney liner in the photo below.
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West Chester, PA: Fieldstone Finnish Contraflow Masonry Heater
30 January '10 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
This project is a large stone masonry heater in a West Chester, PA home. The family’s old natural gas boiler was due for an expensive repair and servicing or complete replacement. The family decided to go for clean burning masonry heater instead for the home’s primary heat source.
After several design consultations the location and layout of the heater and chimney are determined. The first design was for a basic stone heater with a short bench.
After some deliberation, the family opted for a large stone heater with long bench runs. This heater would aesthetically and functionally better suit the space available.
The heater layout is finalized in the space. The heater’s rear wall will replace a load bearing beam so special design attention is placed on structural considerations as well as meeting or exceeding building codes.
The job begins with some demolition. A non-load bearing framed wall and flooring are removed to prepare for the heater installation.
A load bearing, steel reinforced concrete pad is tied into the existing concrete floor. This will be the base for the new heater construction. The heater starts with a load bearing block wall behind the heater. This will serve as the rear wall of the heater as well as support the floor above.
The heater’s core begins next. The construction goes quickly with the use of a Heat Kit core.
The core is completed as well as the base of the chimney up to the chimney shut-off damper. The chimney is lined with firebrick splits.
Next the internal masonry for the long heated benches are constructed. The benches are built using 8×12″ clay flue tile liners as well as firebrick channels for the more intricate bench turns. The multiple ash clean-out doors are visible.
With the core and heat exchange channels completed, the stone veneer starts.
The pictures below show the completed side stone panel as well as the bake-oven arch and large bluestone door lintel.
The heated benches are faced and capped in stone.
The heater doors are mounted to the stonework.
The colorful completed stone chimney.
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Valley Forge, PA Finnish Contraflow Masonry Heater: Heat Kit Core, Chimney & Bench Installation
27 January '10 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
The owners of this great room addition designed the new space with energy efficiency in mind. This includes high R value wall insulation and windows, maximizing the solar gain from the southern windows and a clean burning masonry heater fireplace.
The client’s researched wood burning fireplaces online and decided to build a masonry heater. For the core, they were impressed by Masonry Stove Builders’ Heat Kit contraflow core.
From the loft, the high temperature concrete capping slabs are visible as well the masonry chimney to the rear. This is a “corner” unit with 45 degree downdraft channels on either side of the loading doors. The clay flue liners in front will be a warming bench. The rectangular holes in the flue tiles are “clean outs” providing seasonal access to clean fly ash out of the heater channels. the masonry chimney is visible behind the heater core.
The flue tiles provide additional heat transfer from the fire’s hot exhaust gases to the masonry stone veneer. The block chimney is located behind the heater. The masonry chimney will transition to a class “A”, double wall metal pipe above the top of the heater.
The Heat Kit’s white bake-oven is located directly above the firebox loading doors. The oven is warmed as the hot combustion gases pass over and under the pre-fabricated oven floor and arched top.
The heater will be faced with 4-6″ native Pennsylvania ledgerock.
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Pipersville, PA: Natural Fieldstone Retaining Wall
06 January '10 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
This long, decorative natural fieldstone retaining wall surrounds the large greenhouse above. The wall replicates the many fieldstone walls on the property, some dating back to the 1700’s.
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Florham Park, New Jersey: Fieldstone Finnish Contraflow Masonry Heater
19 December '09 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
For the client’s desired aesthetics, the heater was built on a 45′ angle to the living room and kitchen. The corner of the heater dividing the two rooms is pictured below.
The far opposite end of the heater radiates into the bedroom and bathroom at the end of the hall. Below is the view of the heater’s stonework from the rooms.
Below is a photo of the start of the Pennsylvania fieldstone facing. The 5″ thick stone facing will absorb and store the fire’s energy for up to 24 hours.
The heater is in an ideal location for any home: dividing the kitchen and main living space. The firebox and viewing doors will warm the living room while the bake-oven will open to the rear into the kitchen, next to the heated bluestone countertop.
Below is the far end of the heater stone work proceeding to the ceiling.
The heater starts with the high temperature core built on a masonry foundation. The core is hand-built from firebricks. Below we see the firebox side of the heater core. The masonry chimney venting the heater exhaust gases stands to the left of the core.
- The rear side of the core opens into the kitchen. The rectangular opening on the back of the core is the white bake-oven for cooking.
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Florham Park, New Jersey: Exterior Natural Fieldstone Home Veneer
15 December '09 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
View of the client’s home after a major home renovation. The natural fieldstone stone veneer wraps around the porch providing a focal point for the home’s new look. The new stone chimney is also visible. The chimney vents the new masonry heater warming the home.
The porch top is Pennsylvania bluestone in a random pattern.
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Hampton, New Jersey: Swedish Five Channel Masonry Heater
22 July '09 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
The home's existing masonry fireplace.
The new owners of this 1970’s Colonial home were delighted to find a secluded, beautiful wooded lot in the rural North West New Jersey. The family decided to take advantage of the ample woods in the surrounding area as a way to reduce energy bills and their impact on the environment. After researching clean and efficient wood burning appliances they arrived at the best choice for burning cordwood: a masonry heater.
Hampton existing masonry fireplace.
The kitchen view of the rear of the existing fireplace.
The family decided to renovate the original kitchen and open up the floor plan. The heater’s bake-oven and radiant heat will both warm the kitchen.
The existing fireplace is demolished and removed to a local recycling center. The fireplace’s foundation was modified to accommodate the new masonry heater . Once the foundation work is completed, a new concrete hearth pad is poured and capped with a course of firebricks.
The new masonry heater hearth pad with firebrick base course
The side heat exchange channels are started along with the firebox.The all
The all firebrick core continues. After the firebox , the hot combustion gases flow up under the bake-oven floor.
The core throat under the oven floor.
The completed white bake-oven with soapstone floor and castable refractory capping slab.
The heater throat behind the white oven. The triangular wedge divides and directs the hot gases to the two side downdraft heat exchange channels.
The first high temperature capping slabs direct the combustion gases into the side downdraft channels.
The final upper heat exchange chamber directs before the chimney connection.
The narrow firebrick side heat exchange liners are started.
The facing brick begins around the loading doors.
The completed brickwork around the loading doors.
The brick facing continues.
The facing brick on the rear of the heater, including the bake-oven arch.
A view from the side of the completed brick work.
The first coat of surface bonding cement is applied.
The rear of the heater after the first surface bonding cement application.
A small curing fire burns in the firebox shortly after the first coat of American Clay plaster is applied.
The first coat of American Clay plaster is applied.
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Milford, Connecticut Finnish Contraflow Masonry Heater.
18 January '09 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
The fireplace is finished before the rest of the ambitious home improvement project.
This simple stucco Finnish contraflow heater warms the center of a 100 year old home in Milford, Ct. The old home is being completed upgraded by the new owners.
When considering the home’s energy plan, the family started by increasing the home’s efficiency and lowering the home’s heat load. The family gutted the old plaster and lathe walls and filled the uninsulated empty voids with insulation. The old single pane windows were replaced next with modern low emissivity energy efficient windows.
The home also had an existing original fireplace. The fireplace was not energy efficient nor safe by modern code standards. When considering energy efficiency in their plan, this fireplace had no place.
The front and rear of the old, traditional fireplace.
The fireplace and chimney were demolished and removed leaving the space open for a wood burning appliance and vented with a new metal double wall insulated chimney pipe.
When considering a heat source for the old home, the family decided on an old wood burning solution; a clean burning masonry heater. The family contacted Amazin’ Masons and the heater design work began.
The family wanted a simple heater to fit the space and design style of the home. They liked the idea of a clay stucco finish on a heater with clean straight lines. A few possible designs were sketched for review.
Once the design for the new heater is finalized, the work can begin on the core. The heater’s core goes up quickly using Masonry Stove Builders’ Heat-Kit.
The firebox is completed and the core continues.
The block veneer continues above the loading door.
The block veneer rises above the heater core.
Once the block shell and chimney are completed, the first scratch coat is applied.
The second coat of thin-set plaster.
Once the stucco plaster is completed, the doors are installed and the first curing fires begin.
One of the first fires burns down inside the firebox.
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Rock Hill, NY Finnish Contraflow Heater.
12 October '08 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
This very simple heater warms this renovated barn in the New York Catskills. To accommodate for an upcoming bridge improvement, the town had scheduled this small barn for demolition. The new owner of the property decided to move and renovate the old barn as his new home instead.
With acres of woods on the old farm property, an open floor plan and very cold winters, the owner decided to heat this new home with the most efficient wood burning appliance there is: a masonry heater. The homeowner wanted an aesthetically simple look for the Finnish fireplace. A basic heater shell and chimney would be constructed and coated with plain stucco.
The Finnish contraflow Heat-Kit core is finished in a single day working with heater expert Norbert Senf from Masonry Stove Builders. Here is a view of the completed core from the loft space above.
The outer wall, or veneer of the heater covering the core is simple firebrick on edge. The chimney is made of 4″ masonry blocks.
The doors and masonry to metal chimney transition are installed.
The metal chimney is completed. Work on the rest of the home progresses as well. The heater is part of a divider wall between the master bedroom and main floor living space. This wall is also completed in the photo below.
The rear heater wall acts as a vertical radiant panel warming the bedroom on even the coldest winter nights.
The homeowner's bed moves to the rear wall of the masonry heater in the coldest winter months.
The homeowner liked the simple, “honest” look of the firebrick and block. He choose to not go forward with the final stucco layer for the present time.
For more great pictures of this home, check out the homeowner’s blog.
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Kutztown, PA Hand-Built Finnish Contraflow Heater.
10 October '08 by admin, under Fire Works Masonry News.
This hand built Finnish contraflow masonry heater warms the center of a masterful Amish timber frame home surrounded by Pennsylvania farmland. The owners designed an energy responsible home including passive and active solar, high insulation ratings, and a masonry heater in the center of the open floor plan. The heater lays between the kitchen and main living space of the home. The thick concrete floor and the massive heater also compose the thermal storage battery for the ample southern exposure windows providing passive solar heat storage .
The clients excavated the heater’s local limestone veneer stone from the partially buried foundation remains of a building on the farm property. Two inch thick bluestone slabs cap the heater and small benches. There is a soapstone mantle above the loading doors. There is an additional small soapstone shelf before the bakeoven door as well as a spacious soapstone preparation counter at waist level. The client also provided clay tiles from a local artist to accent the heater and chimney.
The clients were excited about the many possibilities for the bake oven on the rear of the heater. Fresh scones were the first product.
The heater began with a discussion to determine the best location for the heater in the floor plan. Once the basic location and elements were finalized, detailed concept sketches were reviewed.
The heater starts with the core. Here we see the firebox floor followed by the completed firebox.
Once the core is completed, including the bake oven chamber, the side down draft channels are constructed. Here we see the beginning of the chimney side channel. When both side channels are completed the chimney base begins, as seen here from the kitchen side.
The masonry chimney is constructed and plastered.
After the completion of the core and chimney, the stone veneer starts.
A temporary wooden crosspiece supports the freshly laid hearth in front and cook shelf the rear.
The stone work is completed and capped with local Pennsylvania bluestone.
For more pictures and information on this green home, check out the homeowner’s blog.