International studies say it’s true: radiant heat is the healthiest heating method around. Here’s why: The warmth produced by masonry heaters doesn’t have a dry, parched quality about it. In fact, the radiant panels of a masonry heater warms objects in your home the same way as the Sun, providing maximum comfort. In addition, there isn't any dust associated with conventional forced air heating systems, so over all air quality is better. And that’s especially critical given today’s airtight homes -- a real benefits to asthma sufferers.
Masonry heaters get their energy from wood -- a renewable form of solar energy stored by trees. The heating system burns fuel cleanly and completely, and over a very short burn time, minimizing smoke and other airborne toxins. Additionally, the carbon dioxide released by the heater is eventually returned to plant material, and does not make a net contribute to the greenhouse effect.
Independent laboratory tests of masonry heaters show an overall efficiency approaching 83-85%, with combustion efficiency found to be nearly 98%. One short fire warms a masonry heater for up to 24 hours, slowly and evenly releasing heat throughout your home. Around two cords of wood (6 face cords) is all you need to heat the typical home for an entire season.
Because the fire in a masonry heater is short, hot and intense, it creates very little smoke. The intense heat of the fire consumes virtually all the fuel in the combustion chamber, so almost no dangerous creosote is produced to clog the chimney and run the risk of a chimney fire. Residual ashes are dense and easily removed from the heater’s ash collection container.
Most homeowners locate their masonry heaters in a part of the house where the family congregates. Masonry heaters typically are multi-functional and often include a heater, a bake oven, a cook stove, cozy sitting benches and wood storage. Because they are constructed of natural materials, they will enhance the aesthetic quality of the room. Homes heated with masonry heaters also stay cleaner and are less dusty. Walls and furniture don’t become smoke-stained.
The surface of masonry heaters are supposed to get warm during normal use, but never too hot to the touch. Unlike conventional wood stoves and fire places, masonry heaters burn so cleanly that they produce very little smoke, harmful tar particulates or dangerous creosote build up that can cause chimney fires. Well constructed masonry heaters accomplish all this and still provide the ambience of a fireplace. Families with children and pets must exercise extra caution with traditional wood stoves because their metal surfaces can become hot enough to cause burns. And fireplaces can spew out stray sparks or flare up. But a masonry heater’s surface is safe and comfortably warm; in fact, many masonry heaters incorporate built-in benches for curling up with a good book. An additional safety factor is the relatively quick burning time of the wood charge, meaning you can plan your fires around your day when you are home and have peace of mind while you are away that the fire is out.
Many heater customers tend to be practical, and appreciate the unit’s fundamental simplicity. Masonry heaters don’t have blowers, fans convectors, pipes, burners or boilers that can break, crack or fail when the power goes out. The mechanical reliability and longevity of the materials used for construction is unsurpassed. Other heater customers commission custom designs that take full advantage of the stone’s beauty and capacity to be fabricated into elegant designs that become architectural elements of the room.