Valuable Tips
- The cast iron boiler weighs hundreds of kilograms. Therefore, it must be placed on a floor with a solid surface. Better that it was a concrete screed.
- The wall next to the stove must be made of non-combustible materials and without communications.
- The draft in the chimney must be regulated in an effort to make it less. Otherwise, a large draft will suck out the heat and, as they say, it will fly into the pipe.
- In order for the fireplace to work for a long time and without interruption, it is worth constantly cleaning the chamber from ash, and the chimney and stove from soot. It is better to do this in the spring, when the summer season is just beginning. If there are glass doors, they need to be wiped off soot. But to do it with means without abrasives. With good care, you can enjoy decades at the hearth of a cast iron stove. In some ancient estates, cast-iron stoves are already under 100 years old!
Cast iron stoves: advantages and disadvantages
Cast iron heating units have proven themselves from the best side, due to the ability of cast iron to accumulate heat and give it away for some time after the fuel has completely burned out. In addition, the list of advantages of a cast iron stove includes:
- Corrosion resistance and durability. Gray cast iron is characterized by a high carbon content and does not rust when exposed to condensate, therefore, such a stove for a summer residence is not afraid of cold kindling and can be used irregularly during the winter season without harm. A cast iron firebox is not damaged by acids formed when ash and soot are mixed with condensate moisture.
- Compact and attractive design. Wood-burning cast-iron stoves look aesthetically pleasing and stylish, organically fit into the interior of the room. The unit does not take up much space in a room or kitchen of a country house.
- A variety of models differing in functionality.
The disadvantages of heating units of this type include the high price. Cast iron stoves cost one and a half to two times more than steel ones. Also the disadvantage is:
- large weight of cast iron products, which complicates and increases the cost of delivery and installation of the heater;
- the tendency of cast iron to crack as a result of a temperature shock - you should avoid getting cold water on the hot surface of the heating and cooking stove;
- brittleness of cast iron - the material is capable of splitting with a strong point impact with a solid object.
Cast iron stove has a high price
Country stoves are inferior in efficiency to boilers, since they are capable of fully heating only one room, emitting thermal energy and providing convection. In the neighboring rooms, heat will only come with heated air. If the unit is supposed to be installed in a house with several rooms, it is recommended to choose a model with a built-in water circuit or, in addition to the oven, use electric convectors in the adjacent rooms, which will help maintain a comfortable temperature level.
Pros and cons of the design
There are enough pluses, you need to know about them:
- Low price.
- Elementary construction.
- The ability to make a unit with your own hands. Everyone will be able to create a structure simply by using a welding machine.
- Versatile work. Different fuels can be used during operation.
- Small size that allows installation in any room. But at the same time, the usefulness of the heating system remains.
But there are also disadvantages that can change people's minds:
- The heat transfer rate is more than half. If you need to live in a country house permanently, then such an installation will not bring the desired result.
- Uneconomic. Fuel burns quickly and needs to be replenished constantly.
- A small potbelly stove can heat one room. When the area becomes large, a lot of fuel is consumed.
Advantages and disadvantages of cast iron furnaces
All cast-iron heating devices are made by casting, so their walls are thick, and their weight is quite large. That is why they serve for a long time - the walls practically cannot burn out. In addition, all these units are different:
- small size, which is beneficial for a small country house;
- attractive appearance;
- profitability - efficiency reaches 80-85%, since firewood burns slowly;
- no foundation required - can be installed near the chimney, covering the floor with non-combustible material (for example, a piece of tin);
- easily detached from the chimney and transferred to another place;
- no additional cladding is required before use;
- you can purchase a model covered with enamel or high temperature-resistant paint;
- such a heating device is able to quickly warm up a room with an area of up to 150 m2;
- models from the best manufacturers are equipped with a combustion intensity control system, which makes it easy to regulate the temperature in the house;
- models with a slow burning function allow you to keep heating the room at night;
- cast iron stoves are much cheaper than brick-built ones;
- models with a horizontal surface on top can be used for cooking;
- a cast iron heater heats up faster than a brick stove and slower than a steel stove;
- cast iron holds the temperature longer than steel, but gives off faster than brick.
The disadvantages include:
- the need for a sufficiently high chimney;
- instability of the material to sharp cooling (cast iron can crack if cold water is poured onto a hot surface).
Features of operation:
- the cast-iron stove can be damaged by rust, so the room must be dry enough, and surface damage must be corrected in a timely manner;
- models of foreign manufacturers are mainly intended for peat and pellets, therefore, logs that are too long (about 18-20 cm) must not be used in them.
What is easy to find on store shelves?
You can find a cast iron fireplace stove for giving long burning on free sale. There are the following units that have positive reviews:
- "Coal - E10". This is a unit from a domestic manufacturer. Everyone will be surprised at the low price, but if you look at it, there are a number of disadvantages. Outwardly, it is ugly, the power is low, but in a small non-residential room it will be a good way of heating.
- Sergio Leoni ELIZABETH 164543. This design is reliable and ahead of the first model in terms of performance. Visually, it is a beautiful model, because it is lined with ceramics. If you want to let heat into a decent area country house, then you should purchase this particular unit.
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The German manufacturer offers its customers Thorma Bergamo. This model combines everything - high quality, good looks and good power. In addition, the presence of a hob will be a pleasant addition to the hostess. In a small country house, such a unit is just right.
According to many, it is better to purchase a factory stove. Although, knowing the rules and scheme, it is easy to create your own, saving money.
Foreign manufacturers
Foreign companies have also proven themselves well in the domestic market.
Edilkamine
The stove of this Italian manufacturer has a beautiful design and is capable of heating a room with a volume of 180 cubic meters. Its cost ranges from 30 to 120 thousand rubles. Basically, such devices are made of stainless steel, but there are also models made of cast iron (Classic 2 oven).
Efel
These Belgian units, with high power, are capable of heating a room with a volume of 400 cubic meters. meters. They can work on briquettes, wood and coal.
Supra
For the manufacture of the furnace, French craftsmen use steel and cast iron. But ceramic inserts are also used. The main fuel is wood. The interior of the furnace is lined with refractory bricks. The device can withstand temperatures over 750 degrees. The cost of such a unit ranges from 27 to 120 thousand rubles.
Gucha Arina
This Serbian company has long been engaged in the production of stoves designed to heat houses with a volume of less than 200 cubic meters. meters. These designs are distinguished by a high efficiency, which is achieved due to the system of re-combustion of the resulting flue gases.
Efficiency of 84%, reliability and good design made these furnaces popular in the domestic market. They are distinguished by safety and low cost.
Bavaria
Fireplaces from this manufacturer have a high heating capacity. They easily heat a room with a volume of 90 cubic meters. meters. The long burning system makes it possible to save on fuel.
Jotul
Devices from this manufacturer are distinguished by the following properties:
- strength;
- long service life;
- security;
- Beautiful design.
Installation of such a device does not cause any difficulties.
Thermophore
The furnaces of this company are especially popular due to their high technology of execution. The manufacturer is constantly improving the technical characteristics of its products and strives to create the furnace equipment of the highest class.
Thorma
The furnaces of this manufacturer are distinguished by increased reliability, since the latest technological developments are used in their creation.
Installation rules
Despite the fact that cast-iron stoves do not require the construction of a foundation, like brick ones, their installation and installation require compliance with certain conditions. Neglecting them can lead to overheating and even fire.
The weight of a cast-iron stove or fireplace can exceed 200 kilograms, the load on wooden floors in a country house is no more than 300 kg / m2. If the base area of the stove is small, it is necessary to reinforce the floor in the place where the stove is to be installed. To do this, a structure is built that redistributes the weight over a sufficient overlap area, from two layers of plywood or OSB, and from above it is trimmed with a non-combustible material, for example, sheet metal, tiles or porcelain stoneware.
The distance from the walls to the heated surfaces of the stove or fireplace must be at least 25 cm in the horizontal direction and 60 cm in the vertical direction. Wooden walls are also recommended to be sheathed with iron sheets or fire-resistant plasterboard.
The chimney is connected to the stove pipe and taken out through the ceiling or wall. In this case, it is necessary to comply with fire regulations and installation rules. For cast iron stoves and fireplaces, it is necessary to use stainless sandwich chimneys or ceramic insulated structures.
The diameter of the flue must not be less than the diameter of the flue pipe! The permissible total length of horizontal sections is no more than one meter!
Getting started with the operation
After that, the main work begins. The valve is removed and a small piece is cut off. After that, you need to tap this place and try to remove the valve itself. There is also an overlay inside. It is also being dismantled. After the formation of the entrance from the top, the container is filled with water. This will work if there is no air collected inside. With a small pressure of water, liquid is supplied through the hose inside.
It is convenient to work when the balloon is on its side. To prevent water from flowing out, the hole is clogged with a plug. At the top, with the help of a grinder, it will be removed. To speed up the process, you need to constantly roll the future potbelly stove. This will be a cover in which you will have to make a damper, like a chimney. The cover will be used as a door, so you need to make curtains on it.
You will need to perform a valve, so the resulting metal circle is not thrown out. When the cutout in the cylinder is made, it is worth strengthening the walls. Metal plates are used, they are welded by the apparatus. Next, you need to make a handle and a locking mechanism. It is impossible without grates, therefore a hole is made in the body for them. It should not exceed the middle of the total length of the container.
In order for the unit to stand steadily, four legs are required.The blower is a small box where waste ash will be poured. You can't do without this add-on. At the bottom, an entrance is made for the chimney. To prevent the heat from flying out, you need to partially weld the diameter. When the stove is opened, smoke comes out. This will exclude the hanging of a small canopy made of metal. The pipe is welded, after which the tests can begin. To make it non-standard and complement the interior, cladding or painting is used.
To make your work safe, do not forget about:
- Gloves.
- A mask for working with welding.
Varieties of cast iron stoves
In the country, the following types of devices are mainly installed:
- Heating. They heat up quickly and retain heat for a long time.
- Cooking and heating. There is a hotplate at the top of the appliance.
- Fireplaces.
When choosing a furnace design, the necessary functions are selected in accordance with the operating conditions. For colder regions, a heating stove is most suitable. A fireplace is more often installed in houses where they live in the winter season.
Heating
The main purpose of such a cast iron stove is to heat the room. The design includes the following elements:
- a firebox equipped with a door;
- ash pan;
- lattice;
- chimney.
The oven comes in many different shapes. The following models are mainly found:
- square;
- rectangular;
- round.
Since in such a heater the air duct has several elbows, a high heat transfer occurs. To use wood of standard sizes, there is a stove with a deep firebox. Such devices are easy to transport.
Units with a long burning system have the maximum convenience. In addition to firewood, the resulting pyrolysis gas is also burned in the firebox. One bookmark will give off heat for 3-4 hours.
In order for the pyrolysis gas to appear in the furnace, a small ingress of oxygen into the furnace zone is sufficient. In this case, the burning of firewood stops, they begin to smolder. Gas is released, for the combustion of which another chamber is made. It is fenced off from the main one with a metal grating. The combustion power can be adjusted with a gate, as well as the door of the ash pan located below the main firebox.
Cooking and heating
When there is no electricity in the country, it is these devices that can be the best way out of the situation. This oven is used not only for heating the room, but also for cooking. Basically, it is equipped with two burners, sometimes it is equipped with an oven.
The main advantages of this design:
- The retractable ash pan makes it possible to carry out ash removal even when the furnace is burning.
- Combination of several functions: heats and at the same time decorates the room (if it is a fireplace). In addition, you can cook food on it.
- There is a place to store dishes.
- Modern models are equipped with a long burning system.
- The efficiency reaches 78%.
The disadvantage of this design is the need to constantly monitor the operation of the device.
Fireplaces
These are the most expensive models with two main functions:
- heating the room;
- room decoration.
Manufacturers offer the following designs of fireplaces for implementation:
- Convection. Equipped with a metal casing for air circulation.
- Gas generating. They have two furnaces: firewood is smoldering from below, and pyrolysis gas is burning in the upper section.
To install a fireplace, only the construction of a chimney is required. The device works in autonomous mode: it does not need electricity or gas supply. The greatest effect is achieved when using a cast iron fireplace. It cools down slowly and has a high heat dissipation.
The main disadvantages of this device are constant monitoring of its operation and regular cleaning.
Irreplaceable benefits
A heating device such as a fireplace is increasingly attracting the attention of lovers of comfort and convenience.Fireplaces are steel, brick and cast iron
But it is the last option that is gaining special popularity. And for good reason.
A cast iron stove takes the least time to warm up the room. In this sense, the best option is a long-burning fireplace stove for a summer residence. After all, a person does not go there every day. The gardener comes to the dacha in the evening, then in the rain or, for example, in winter. And during his absence, both the room and the fireplace itself manage to completely cool down. The stove should melt quickly and easily, warming up the whole house in a matter of minutes.
Another secret is that the case is sealed. This helps the wood not to burn quickly, but to smolder slowly. Pyrolysis gas accumulates in the firebox, which does not escape through the chimney as in other stoves. The gas is burned in the firebox, which is located above the combustion chamber, and thus releases heat energy. As a result, the house is evenly filled with warmth.
Another plus - cast iron does not burn out, even if it is heated often. He is not threatened with rust. And the appearance of the stove can always be freshened up by covering it with silicone-based paint.
Only a heating or heating-cooking stove can be installed in the dacha. But more often the preference of gardeners falls on the second option.
