~ SSRsi's Primitive Heat & Power Page ~

The one good thing about modern civilization is the technological developments that make most of these techniques irrelevant. Still, technology often comes at a high price ($$$), so here's how they used to do it..

Intuition ~ Creativity ~ Adaptability
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MAKING A FIREPLACE ~ Construction - Miscellaneous Odd Forms - Facings and Mantels - Mending Poor Fireplaces - Fireplace Accessories - Building the Fire

Romans in Britain - Central Heating - Hypocaust To most people, their knowledge of the Romans was that they 'invented central heating.' Not the type we know today, but a form of underfloor heating that also warmed the walls. There were no such items as radiators in the Iron Age, but they did manage to use a form of heating that was radical for its day. Up until the Romans arrived, the British only knew how to heat one room by using a fire. See also: Roman hypocaust

I Heat my house by burning corn Corn stoves have been used in the South and Southwest since 1969, when the stove was invented by Carroll Buckner of Arden, NC. The most famous demonstration of the stove was in the Oval Office, installed during the administration of President Jimmy Carter.

How to Burn Wood Safely in Emergency Situations Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Canadian wood heat industry have teamed up to prepare this list of important safety tips for people using a wood stove or fireplace for emergency heating during the power interruption. Excellent info for EVERYONE.

Choosing and using your wood stove in today's environment. Pretty good article for someone in the market.

Installing a Woodstove. An excellent article with detailed, easy-to-figure-out graphics and very fast loading.

Heat Values In Wood: Covers 27 species. Includes density & weight/cord, BTU’s & Recoverable BTU’s/cord, and Units needed to produce 1million BTU’s. Wow.

How to start a wood fire. I used to think that everybody knew how to start a fire in a fireplace. Then my friend filled the house with smoke… Damper? What’s a damper?

Five essentials to getting the most out of your woodpile. No matter how much you admire the sight of a cut and split stack drying in the autumn air, you owe it to yourself to get by with as short a stack as is prudent for the winter in your locale. Here, then, are five strategies for milking the most Btu's out of every stick you burn. Great article by Ike Johnson.

WOOD BURNING Guidelines - Reducing Creosote. Fairly decent article by Shari Blank on an extremely important issue.

Coal Stoves and Inserts. In certain parts of the country, coal is popular as a home heating fuel. Coal comes in different grades, the best grade for home heating being "hard coal" or anthracite, of which the best varieties are mined in Eastern Pennsylvania. Because coal is a dense and powerful fuel, and burns extremely efficient, a ton of coal can produce as much or more heat than a cord of wood and substantially more (almost twice as much) as a ton of Pellets.

COAL BURNING TIPS. Coal fires are not as easy to start as wood fires and the ease of burning will vary with different types and makes of stoves. The burning of coal requires patience and a specific and regular procedure of loading, shaking, adjusting, etc. If you do not follow the right procedure the coal fire will go out. This can happen in a short period of time and once the extinction process has begun, it is almost impossible to reverse. This article will help you keep the home fires burning (safely).

Heating with Wood: Producing, Harvesting and Processing Firewood, and Chimneys: Their Installation and Upkeep [PDF] hot topics from the Chimney Safety Institute of America

The Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to chimney and venting system safety. CSIA is committed to the elimination of residential chimney fires, carbon monoxide intrusion and other chimney-related hazards that result in the loss of lives and property. To achieve these goals, CSIA devotes its resources to educating the public, chimney and venting professionals and other fire prevention specialists about the prevention and correction of chimney and venting system hazards.

POWER

HP's History of Water Machines Water wheels are a class of old machines which were developed since 2000 years. The first account of a water wheel combined with a bucket chain was given by Philon of Byzanz. Also Covered are:

Water turbines   Other water engines   Systematic research on water engines   Piston pumps Archimedian screws   Other types of pumps   The Hydrovolve engine

The Dutch Windmill Windmills are said to have existed in Holland from about 1200. The first record we have of drainage mills dates from 1414 (Reijerwaard). Before those days, windmills are mentioned, but these must have been corn mills.

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