Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Masonry Kachelofens - Jessica Steinhäuser

Photos and information provided by Jessica Steinhäuser: http://www.stonehousepottery.com/kachelofen.html

Kachelofens are traditional heating devices used in many moderate to cold climate European countries.

They exploit the principles of thermal mass and extreme wood burning efficiency to provide even consistent heat throughout the day or night.

- A Kachelofen needs only 3 to 4 split logs to heat for 8 to 24 hours
- Once the 3 to 4 split logs have burned completely, and there is only embers left, you lock it air tight.
- Hot gases travel slowly through the shafts heating up the mass which then radiate slowly through the home.
- No soot or creosote build up (like traditional chimneys) due to complete combustion.

A video on how to use/fire a kachelofen:http://vimeo.com/13994035

Kachelofen design is very versatile and can include cooking surfaces, benches, through-wall configurations, etc:








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