Y’all might be tired of hearing about it but I’m gonna’ post it anyway… ‘cause it’s the Internet and I can if I want, Al Gore says so.
When I was planning my furnace build from the Pacific Energy stove, one concern I had was the amount of radiated heat lost through the “glass” door (maybe not technically “lost” ‘cause it radiates into the basement, but that’s not where I want it). I was correct, a ton of heat radiates through that door… heat better put to use warming the area on the floor above. My first thought was to build the plenum completely around the stove with a door in it, to access the firebox door… but decided the chances of introducing smoke and ash into the forced air system would be too great. I decided I’d have to live with the “leakage” of heat, or replace the “glass” (I guess it’s actually clear ceramic, invisible to inferred, or radiated heat) with steel plate.
We’ve had some cool mornings this week, and because I’ve replaced the storm window with screens, I’ve had a chance to play with the new build a few times. This morning (67[sup]o[/sup] in the house), as I was getting the fire going and feeling that heat on my legs… it dawned on me if I could simply reflect that heat back into the firebox it would be used to heat the firebrick and steel, greatly increasing the efficiency of heating the floor above. I’m forcing air around the firebox, pulling heat away at a greater rate, so reflecting heat back in shouldn’t cause any sort of problem as long as the fire is properly regulated.
Using my semi-professional knowledge of metal properties… Aluminum has a unique characteristic, it reflects near 100% radiated (inferred) heat. The aluminum itself will get hot from heat energy, and will transfer that heat to another solid substance if it’s touching it, but won’t radiate heat into an air space. I hung a piece of aluminum foil in front of the door, and now I can place my hand within an inch of it and feel no heat. I have the draft control set as low as possible and she’s a pumpin’ heat into the upstairs… I may even haf’ta close the flue damper some. My plan is to take some aluminum plate and make something that will hook on the door, with a handle so it can easily be removed, and sit about an inch or so away from the glass…
And before y’all start tellin’ me… Aluminum melts a 1220[sup]o[/sup] (most alloys require at least 1100[sup]o[/sup]), boils at over 4000[sup]o[/sup], and requires the temperature of the sun to burn. It does not create any gasses (poisonous or otherwise) when hot, but can react with other substances to to create gasses. The only problem with aluminum is that it can fail catastrophically if subjected to repeated heating and cooling, so it can't be used as a structural component of a stove or furnace... but would be perfectly safe as a reflector.
addendum: Oh, and by the way, if you try this experiment with aluminum foil, do not let any of it touch the ceramic glass. Somehow I let a small area lay against it, or the heat somehow pulled it against it, and it's gonna' be a real PITA to remove... if I even can remove it.
When I was planning my furnace build from the Pacific Energy stove, one concern I had was the amount of radiated heat lost through the “glass” door (maybe not technically “lost” ‘cause it radiates into the basement, but that’s not where I want it). I was correct, a ton of heat radiates through that door… heat better put to use warming the area on the floor above. My first thought was to build the plenum completely around the stove with a door in it, to access the firebox door… but decided the chances of introducing smoke and ash into the forced air system would be too great. I decided I’d have to live with the “leakage” of heat, or replace the “glass” (I guess it’s actually clear ceramic, invisible to inferred, or radiated heat) with steel plate.
We’ve had some cool mornings this week, and because I’ve replaced the storm window with screens, I’ve had a chance to play with the new build a few times. This morning (67[sup]o[/sup] in the house), as I was getting the fire going and feeling that heat on my legs… it dawned on me if I could simply reflect that heat back into the firebox it would be used to heat the firebrick and steel, greatly increasing the efficiency of heating the floor above. I’m forcing air around the firebox, pulling heat away at a greater rate, so reflecting heat back in shouldn’t cause any sort of problem as long as the fire is properly regulated.
Using my semi-professional knowledge of metal properties… Aluminum has a unique characteristic, it reflects near 100% radiated (inferred) heat. The aluminum itself will get hot from heat energy, and will transfer that heat to another solid substance if it’s touching it, but won’t radiate heat into an air space. I hung a piece of aluminum foil in front of the door, and now I can place my hand within an inch of it and feel no heat. I have the draft control set as low as possible and she’s a pumpin’ heat into the upstairs… I may even haf’ta close the flue damper some. My plan is to take some aluminum plate and make something that will hook on the door, with a handle so it can easily be removed, and sit about an inch or so away from the glass…
And before y’all start tellin’ me… Aluminum melts a 1220[sup]o[/sup] (most alloys require at least 1100[sup]o[/sup]), boils at over 4000[sup]o[/sup], and requires the temperature of the sun to burn. It does not create any gasses (poisonous or otherwise) when hot, but can react with other substances to to create gasses. The only problem with aluminum is that it can fail catastrophically if subjected to repeated heating and cooling, so it can't be used as a structural component of a stove or furnace... but would be perfectly safe as a reflector.
addendum: Oh, and by the way, if you try this experiment with aluminum foil, do not let any of it touch the ceramic glass. Somehow I let a small area lay against it, or the heat somehow pulled it against it, and it's gonna' be a real PITA to remove... if I even can remove it.
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