Russia is a huge country, and often heating in a country house can take several months a year.
cast iron oven for summer cottage
Without heat in the house, it would be somehow premature to consider it residential. Moreover, in the cold season, the uninterrupted operation of heating systems in many cases is simply a matter of survival. There are many options for the construction of heating systems for summer cottages. Heating can be done with electricity, gas boilers or a classic Russian stone stove. It is possible to install a fireplace. Cast-iron stoves for summer cottages are deservedly popular. This is a fairly economical, but at the same time reliable option for space heating.
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Advantages of a cast iron stove
It would seem that there is currently a huge selection of heating system projects on the market, and for each of them it is easy to buy specialized equipment at the nearest hardware store. However, the construction of many heating systems in suburban country houses is simply impossible.
So, few country houses can boast of being connected to the main heat supply. Accordingly, there can be no talk of any central heating batteries.
Only in exceptional cases, summer cottages can be connected to gas mains.Accordingly, there is no cheap and practical way of heating houses with the help of gas boilers. Of course, gas can also be supplied in cylinders, but here you can go broke on one shipment to remote communities.
stove with fireplace
It is unlikely that heating on an electric boiler is suitable for a country house. Most likely, the operating costs for this type of heating will cost the owner of the cottage a pretty penny.
You might want to build a classic Russian stone oven. But firstly, this is a rather expensive pleasure, and secondly, such a heating device is of considerable size and may not fit into the dimensions of your modest house.
As a result, one of the most reasonable options would be to install a cast-iron stove in the country. It will cost you inexpensively when you buy it, and you can collect fuel for it in abundance on your suburban area or in a nearby forest. However, no one bothers you to buy a car or two of ready-made firewood, which will provide you with a warm winter in a country house. In addition to firewood, such a stove can also be heated with coal, which will be especially beneficial for suburban communities close to mining regions.
What is good and what is bad in a cast iron stove
A cast-iron stove is, although quite simple, but still a heating device and for its uninterrupted operation it is necessary to carry out routine maintenance work with it. First of all, remember that regularly, after each firebox, you need to clean the blower, as its overflow with ash can significantly reduce draft or even cause a fire.
sauna stove installation
What are the main advantages of cast iron stoves that exist regardless of their manufacturer or modification?
- Cast iron is an excellent material for making thermal devices. For many years, furnaces of various modifications have been made from it. It perfectly accumulates heat and evenly distributes it throughout the room. Cast iron is quite massive and its cooling, although faster than stone ovens, is much slower than steel stoves or collectors.
- In addition, cast iron is resistant to high temperatures and your stove does not deform even if you throw more fuel into it than the norm, which cannot be said about steel stoves. Under certain circumstances, they can lose their shape or even crack, which undoubtedly does not have the best effect on fire safety.
- The cast iron stove is quite easy to install. Unlike a classic brick oven, there is no need to build a foundation under it, it is enough to lay a sheet of fireproofing material. In addition, it is possible to install a cast-iron stove by only two or three people, without resorting to the services of qualified specialists.
- A cast iron stove is not expensive and its purchase will not cause serious damage to your budget. At a cost, a cast-iron stove will cost more than a steel stove, but cheaper than a solid brick stove.
But, of course, any device has its drawbacks. Although there are not very many of them in cast iron stoves, it is still necessary to list them.
- Alone, you will not mount such a furnace - it is still quite weighty equipment. You will have to invite a couple of assistants.
- It is necessary to heat and cool cast iron evenly - it is very sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. Its surface and the entire thickness may crack at the same time. Do not pour a bucket of cold water on a red-hot cast-iron stove.
furnace scheme
You can heat a cast-iron stove with small portions of fuel; you should not throw large armfuls of firewood into it. In the case of uniform kindling, a cast-iron stove will show its most advantageous properties - uniformity of heating. But the duration of the furnace of a cast-iron furnace should exceed that of a stone one - cast iron cools faster than brick.
How to choose a cast iron stove
Modern industry produces a wide range of cast iron stoves suitable for installation in country houses. Consider the most popular modifications among Russian consumers.
- Cast iron ovens with built-in hob. This is a fairly convenient device, which, in addition to heating the room, also plays an important role in cooking. The combination of heating and cooking functions will seriously save space in a small country house.
- Heating stoves. Such devices are the best suited for equipping baths, which are often an integral element of a suburban area. Such a stove can be mounted both directly in the steam room and in the wall between the rest room and the steam room. In the latter case, they are often equipped with a firebox with a glass door, which will allow you to combine the functions of a sauna stove and a fireplace. Part of such a furnace, located in the steam room, is equipped with a heater - special equipment with which you can create heated wet steam. Splashing water directly on the cast iron surface is not recommended - brittle cast iron may crack.
- Cast iron stoves equipped with a heat exchanger. Such devices create a hot water circuit in the house.The heat exchanger element can also be mounted in the sauna stove, so the sauna stove can not only heat the steam room, but also heat the water for washing.
- A cast iron stove can be combined with a fireplace and installed in a residential building. In this case, you get a two-in-one device that will not only effectively heat the room, but also enjoy an open fire on long cool evenings.
It is important to remember that the temperature of the outer surface of a cast-iron stove during kindling can rise to 400 degrees, so when installing it, it is very important to follow all the fire safety rules. The surface of a cast-iron stove should be protected from easily combustible materials, and if this is not possible, it should be reliably isolated from them with non-combustible materials with low thermal conductivity, such as asbestos plates.
Installation of a cast-iron stove in the country, the right choice of installation site
Installation of cast-iron stoves for summer cottages, subject to all fire safety standards, is usually not particularly difficult.
homemade stove for a summer residence
Before installing the furnace, it is imperative to draw up a project for its installation and stock up on fireproof refractory materials that isolate from combustible surfaces. With such materials, it is necessary to isolate the cast-iron stove not only from the wooden floor, but also from walls and ceilings.
Pay attention to the correct and safe installation of the chimney system. During operation, chimneys can heat up to high temperatures, which can cause fires in adjacent structures. Pay special attention to the places where the pipes of the chimney system pass through the wooden floors.Such fire hazard areas must be checked regularly and, if necessary, the fire protection layer must be renewed.
Video of launching a homemade cast-iron stove in the country
