Wood Burning Stoves are a great feature to have in your home
May 21st, 2009 by admin, under Wood burning stove, Wood stove. No Comments
If you have ever sat in front of a fire on a cold wet night you will know the attraction. It somehow makes you feel secure and it makes the room inviting and welcoming. Maybe it’s the smell of the burning wood or the sight of the flames growing and then shrinking back to surge once again when a blast of air hits the fire. It is however a sad fact that many children have not experienced that feeling as many houses are not now built with a real fireplace. However a good and some people would say a safer alternative are wood burning stoves.
Wood stoves have a number of advantages over other wood-burning devices and heating mechanisms. They are generally cheaper than turning on the gas or electric heat if only a single room requires heat in the winter. They are fairly simple to install, too. And, here’s the real bonus, they don’t require full, elaborate chimney systems, but keep in mind they will require their own kind of chimney.
Wood stoves are smaller and less involved than fireplaces. They can go in just about any location in a house as long as there’s a way to properly install the stove’s own chimney system. And, unlike a full fireplace, these don’t require full brick structures that can monopolize a room. They just use their own small and less invasive pipes for funneling out unwanted smoke and soot to a larger chimney system.
Wood burning stoves can also add great architectural features to a home. They come in a number of sizes, styles, colors. They can take on old-fashion appearances or be modern and eye-popping. There’s a wood-burning stove available for just about any home’s design concept.
The things you want to consider when buying a wood burning stove include where you are going to place it, what safety features you will need, the style depending on the room and the ventilation requirements. There are many differnt sizes and styles so you should be able to find one that suits you.
With the price of gas and electric rapidly increasing wood burning stoves can provide a cheaper alternative to heat you home. Make sure you get professional advice about installation and if there are likely to be children about make sure you have considered safety features and where the stove will be located.
How To Build a Sauna - Tips For Making It Easy
July 2nd, 2009 by admin, under Wood stove. No Comments
Home saunas are becoming a favorite home additions for do-it-yourselfers. There are many reasons for this. Who wouldn’t like a way to relax at home and improve your health all at the same time? The tremendous health benefits of using a sauna are a not so well kept secret among sauna lovers.
When researching what is required to build a sauna it quickly becomes obvious that the process is not as difficult as most people believe. There are just a few basic principles that you need to take into account. Beyond that, creativity and flexibility are the name of the game.
Just like any other how-to project it is important to start with a solid plan. When making your plan the two main components that you need to consider are: The structure and the heat source.
When designing the structure, you need to consider the function and unique environment of a sauna. Saunas are a place to relax. Platforms and benches need to be arranged with comfort in mind. The number of people that will be using the structure is important. You want to plan enough space but at the same time a smaller space is the more efficient. It is a bit of a balancing act between large enough for comfort and small enough to be efficient. When in doubt, don’t skimp on space.
The heat and steam of saunas are what give you the health benefits. These can also create structural problems that need to be planned for. Insulation for the walls and some sort of vapor barrier should be included in your design. The idea is to keep the moisture and heat inside as effectively as possible. The basic requirement is to hold the climate within a comfortable place. All improvements beyond that are gravy.
The second crucial consideration for you to think about is the heat source. Steam saunas can be heated with gas, wood, or electric heaters. Electric heaters are a favorite choice for indoor saunas because of the convenience and lack of exhaust. For a traditional experience a wood stove is the best choice. Proper venting of wood and gas stoves is something do-it-yourself builders should get expert advice about before starting.
Using Infrared waves for your heat source is a modern alternative to traditional steam saunas. Infrared emitters produce waves that heat the solid objects in a sauna but not the air. One downside is that there is no steam in an Infrared sauna but there is evidence that the waves penetrate deeper into the skin when compare to traditional heat sources. This deeper penetration accelerates and increases the health benefits of a sauna experience. It is hard to beat an Infrared sauna for convenience. Warm-up time is very short and not much clean up is required afterward.
Developing your own custom design and list of materials from scratch is not the only option for homeowners. With our increased understanding of the health benefits of saunas there has been a corresponding increase in interest for this ancient custom. The result has been dramatic progress in the development of home sauna options.
You can now choose from a growing number of prepackaged designs and styles. The great thing is that they can be delivered right to your home and set up in no time at all. You can choose a modular unit that can literally be put together in under an hour or get a sauna kit that requires more assembly but gives you more of that “I did it myself” satisfaction. Almost all kits come with complete written instructions. Many also go beyond written manuals and have video tutorials, making it east to follow their step-by-step instructions.
Getting a home sauna has never been easier or more affordable. Don’t you think it’s time you started enjoying life to the fullest too?
Mike Hirn
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/how-to-build-a-sauna-tips-for-making-it-easy-137025.html
Sauna Equipment
June 25th, 2009 by admin, under Wood stove. 2 Comments
When we step into a sauna we begin to feel relaxed as the steam from the sauna envelops us and loosens the muscles in our body. To get the best results from the sauna you will need to have a well built sauna in your home or you can go to spas or exercise facilities where these saunas can be found. To make the sauna work well what are the various types of sauna equipment that you will need?
The sauna equipment that you will use for your sauna depends upon the type of sauna that you are using. There are some saunas that require a minimal amount of equipment. These are portable saunas. The portable sauna requires tap water to be poured into a heating unit. The heating unit needs an electrical outlet so that the heater will turn the water into a fine dry mist.
As you see there is a minimal amount of sauna equipment needed for the portable sauna. You mainly need a heater unit, some tap water and an electrical outlet. For a traditional sauna you will need hammers, drills, a saw and some sand paper to assist in the building of a sauna.
Besides these types of sauna equipment you will also need a hot towel rack to have your sauna towels warm and toasty dry. To power the saunaâs heat conversion there are different types of generators that can provide that amount of power that will turn water into a high and very fine mist. These generators will be found in various sizes and types.
To make sure that the sauna stays hot at a constant amount and the temperature doesnât rise very high other sauna equipment is needed. One of these is a sauna thermometer that is used in conjunction with the heat generators is needed. The heater unit can be placed outside of the sauna but the temperature controls need to stay in or near the entrance to the sauna.
With these types of sauna equipment you should be able to adjust the settings on the heater unit and the thermometer as well. This way you can control just how hot the air inside the sauna will become. The traditional style sauna uses a wood or gas stove as part of its sauna equipment to provide the power to the sauna.
There are high quality sauna rocks that need to be found so that the cooling mist that is needed in the sauna can be produced with the addition of a ladle of water. These items are just a few of the common sauna equipment that you can find. For other specialized sauna equipment you will need to consult with experts in the field of saunas.
Krishan Bakhru
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/sauna-equipment-119725.html
Shocking Columbus Day Discoveries
June 25th, 2009 by admin, under Wood burning stove. No Comments
One month ago, Columbus Day 2006 hit Western New York hard with a historic storm, the likes of which hadn’t been seen in 100 years. Trees, still in full leaf, caught the heavy falling snow, and by morning, they were bent, broken and had downed utility lines affecting more than 380,000 homes. The power was out for days and people had to live as in days gone by. During that time, my family made some shocking discoveries.
1. We need food, clothing and shelter, but we really like heat and running water. Gathered around the wood burning stove (thank God I let my husband play Paul Bunyun in our wooded lot), the family played games and wishfully waited for the power to come on. It was a long wait - five days to be exact.
2. There is a reason for some rhymes, especially, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” Being on well water, the pump needs juice and no running water was a bit hard to stomach for us 21st Century dwellers. I found out that urine is sterile and has even been used to clean wounds when water is not available. (Gives new meaning to flushing a wound.) None the less, the sound of a working toilet is now music to our ears.
3. We like each other. Who knew? There were board games by candlelight, storytelling, preparing meals, and talking to each other - a real novelty. Nobody blew a fuse, I heard less negativity and this imposed family time made better connections all around.
4. We need each other. We ditched the TV show “Survivor” mentality where it’s every man for himself. Survival mode brought out the best in us. Camp cooking on the grill was no vacation but we were lucky to have that. The stockpile of food I keep in the basement “fallout shelter” that I get teased about served duel purposes: to feed us and as a convenient reminder that once again, I was right. After four days, our relatives finally got power so we could go and clean up. That is why we are always nice to relatives - we need them!
5. There is life without the Internet! There was no My Space we had our space, and it was pretty cozy with seven of us around the wood burning stove. I have to admit the adults found no Internet as difficult as the kids. But, they couldn’t Google anything we said for to check for accuracy which had its advantages. (See number 6 below.)
6. We don’t like whine. A mini battery operated radio was our only link to the rest of the world. Most folks were great and recognized that the government cannot outlaw accidents, acts of nature, time passage, aging and gravity, but… I told my kids about results of a study that I had read just before the power went out that showed in 99% of cases of whine, sitting on the butt increased hindsight, drastically.
One day the kids will reminisce about this historic October storm and say, “Remember the time we melted snow to flush toilets?” and “How about when Mom ran out of chocolate and melted baking chocolate on the woodstove?” or “I went five days without a shower” and the rest of us will answer, “We REMEMBER!” While we’re not exactly looking to repeat it, the family got a charge out of being powerless.
The electricity can stay on - please - but let the power of our Columbus Day discoveries keep on going… and going… And make sure to stock up on plenty of C and D batteries.
Mary Fagan
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/shocking-columbus-day-discoveries-74203.html
Cooking Tips for Outdoor Chefs
June 25th, 2009 by admin, under Gas wood burning stove. No Comments
Outdoor cooking isn’t for everyone. It takes a person who is willing to put his reputation as a grilling superstar on the line each time he lights a gas grill or tosses a match onto a flammable pile of charcoal. that the people he feeds will appreciate the food he has cooked. Each time he (or she) steps out of his home into his back yard, armed with copper brush, tongs and forks; he faces a challenge to beat his best individual performance on the backyard grill.
Most of the outdoor chefs I’ve run across are men. It seems that women had rather stay in the kitchen. I think it is just a ploy to get the men out of the house for a while. The ladies give them the idea that cooking on the grill is almost important as breathing, especially if it’s done by him! That will get the guy outside with his chest puffed up, carrying a can of charcoal starter and a match.
First rule! If you’re using charcoal and you’re using a liquid lighter, know what you are dousing on those briquettes! It is really not the volume of the whoooomp that determines whether your coals will burn consistently. Never use gasoline, lacquer thinner, lantern fluid or any of those things that will blow you out of your shoes. Stick with charcoal lighter.
One big tip! Never use kerosene to start your charcoal! No matter how long you let your charcoal burn, no matter how much more briquettes on the coals, your rib eyes will have that subtle aroma and taste of kerosene. Your grill will smell like a piece of construction equipment. It’s best to stay with prescribed fuels that don’t stink.
There are other methods to ignite your charcoal. Use the chimney type device where you put the charcoal in an inverted cone and push a couple of sheets of newspaper in the bottom. Put a match to the paper in the bottom and the draft of the “chimney” will make the coals burn. I have never been able to keep that apparatus around the house for more than a summer due to rust, being stepped on or having the neighbors’ borrow it.
There is also the electric heating iron category of charcoal starters. Just plug it into an outlet, let it get red hot and stick it under the charcoal. It doesn’t take long to get a pile of charcoal glowing and shimmering with heat. You don’t have to worry about the whooomp either! The heating iron works well but it’s just not the same as seeing flames shoot as high as your house. You only get that with a liquid lighter that you’re not supposed to use in the first place.
Let’s talk about charcoal grills versus gas grills. I use both in my back yard barbequing. Cooking with gas is almost like cooking on the gas stove in the kitchen. Boring! Maybe that’s why I prefer charcoal. It’s just manlier to battle the flames and rescue a steak just in the nick of time, from being overly cooked. That’s the way outdoor cooking is supposed to be; a man conquering the elements!
Really, cooking on a gas grill is a nice and comfortable way to grill steaks, chickens, burgers, chops and vegetables. One of the areas in which the gas grills are deficient is smoking meat. As far as I know, you just can’t do that with today’s grills. You have to have a smoker. I prefer charcoal smokers of course, but I’ve had excellent results with electric smokers also.
Smokers, both electric and charcoal, are set up pretty much in the same way. The ones that I use are tall round ones that have a trap door opening on the side so you can add charcoal or water in the water bowl. There are other kinds of course and you can find them at a hardware store or outdoor market place. The costs are going to range from roughly $75 to $500 depending on the one you choose. I think most of them are good, but you can usually get just as much satisfaction from a cheap one instead of the high priced smokers. Of course there is the prestige of getting one of those sleek, black ones with the chrome smoke pipes. Gives you sort of a chill just to think of owning one of those, doesn’t it?
Meat smoked on an electric grill is great if you have some wood smoke flavor to make it tasty. I know you can buy little cans of wood chips to add some character to your cooking. Simply pour a little water in the can, set the can on the lava rocks in the bottom of the smoker, and when starts to simmer, you have hickory, cherry or pecan steam permeating your Boston butt! This is the city folks’ way of making barbeque.
Another big tip! If you’ve left the electric smoker outside uncovered, check to make sure the lava rocks are dry. If it has rained since your last cookout, chances are that the bottom of the smoker is covered in water. If so, don’t plug in the heating iron! It’s not a wise move because you will blow the iron up! Drain the water out of the base first, let the lava rocks dry, then have a safe barbeque.
My personal favorite is the charcoal smoker. It’s really not hard to use, though a lot of people seem to think it’s some kind of a miracle that the meat I smoke tastes so good. Some even think there is a secret to my success when I cook a pork loin or Boston butts and wind up with some of the most delicious barbeque you have ever tasted. Some folks even think there is a secret ingredient that I haven’t shared with anyone!
I usually smoke three or four Boston butts at a time. It’s easy. First I load the coal pan with charcoal, and then use a charcoal lighter fluid to start the coals. You could use one of the instant light charcoals if you wish, but just make sure than when you add charcoal, you use the regular briquettes or your meat will taste funny.
After the coals are lit and the flames have died, fill up the metal water bowl with about a quart of water. This helps keep the meat moist. Next lay the meat on the two racks of the smoker. I salt and pepper the meat liberally, and then put the lid back on the smoker and I’m finished for about an hour.
For three Boston butts, I usually let them cook for about 12 hours, adding charcoal and hickory chunks to the hot coals about every hour and a half. Some chefs soak the hickory in water for thirty minutes or so before adding them to the coals. I prefer to lay the wood chunks on the live coals. The dry wood smoking and burning will give you a mild taste of hickory, not the smell and taste of a burning barn! When the meat reaches 180 degrees on the meat the thermometer, take it off and tear it apart with forks. This way separates the pork easily. You can add barbeque sauce at this time or serve it on the table.
There is one ingredient so unique, so necessary to cooking good barbeque. It’s PATIENCE! From the moment you light the fire until you take the meat off the grill, allow yourself allow yourself enough time to do the job properly. Most people don’t do that. We are a society of instant gratification. If we want something, we want it now! That just won’t work when you’re trying for the best tasting barbeque you can cook.
Bob Alexander
http://www.articlesbase.com/men’s-issues-articles/cooking-tips-for-outdoor-chefs-58598.html
Antique Farmhouse Tour 6
June 23rd, 2009 by admin, under Antique Woodburning Stove. No Comments
Here’s some video from December 08 showing progress on teh farmhouse. I just installed my wood burning stove!
Duration : 0:3:29
Homestead Series Wood Stoves
June 23rd, 2009 by admin, under Wood stove. 7 Comments
A little bit about how wood stoves work, that not everyone might know.
Duration : 0:4:5
ARTEL pellet stove part 1 of 2
June 23rd, 2009 by admin, under Pellett Stove. No Comments
Duration : 0:7:38
Converting To Wood Heat (Part 8)
June 23rd, 2009 by admin, under Jotul wood burning stove. 7 Comments
Here is a series of videos about converting to wood heat by installing a Jotul stove.
Duration : 0:6:37
Home Improvement & Remodeling : Wood-Burning Stove Tips
June 23rd, 2009 by admin, under Wood burning stove. No Comments
A wood-burning stove is a space heater, and a homeowner needs to make sure that their wood-burning stove is EPA-certified. Discover the importance of having a good supply of available wood with help from a professional carpenter in this free video on home improvement and wood-burning stoves.
Expert: Stephen G. Anthony
Bio: Stephen G. Anthony is a professional carpenter, woodworker and handyman based in New York City and south Florida.
Filmmaker: Paul Muller
Duration : 0:1:59