Wise investment into the future can yield incredible savings! During a time when heat is traditionally very costly, one of the key things I want to integrate into my home is Passive Solar Heat.
Using the calculations in the below video, building the South wall and roof to allow for multiple large or tall windows, installing stone or brick floors, and building the remaining walls of rammed earth or SIREwall. The house will be naturally cool in the summer and naturally warm in the winter. Then a simple RMH on the Northside of the house can adjust for really cold or cloudy days. Since Colorado gets an average of 300+ days of sunshine and is closer to the sun due to the altitude - the cost savings of using 100% free sunshine for winter heat is amazing. Rammed earth/SIREwall walls are incredibly efficient with heat absorbtion, transfer, and regulation. Then only having to run the RMH occasionally with cardboard, sticks, and easy-to-gather fuel, the savings will be enormous compared to traditional white gas, propane, cord-wood stoves or even electric or other alternatives using solar panels.
Passive Solar Heat:
Page #24: https://www.abundaculture.org/assets/AbundacultureManual2014.pdf
SIREwall: Structural, Insulated, Rammed Earth wall made with local soils combined with portalnd cement. It is strong (3000 psi), non-toxic, mold-free, fire-proof, flood-proof, insect/rodent-proof, 100% EMF-shielding, wind and quake-sturdy, low-maintanence, and lasts for centuries.
https://sirewall.com/projects/
Rocket Mass Heater: rocketheater.com
Do you have other free-heat ideas that have worked well for you? I'm working on figuring out some directed space-heater-type alternatives to help my Dad stay toasty (he gets cold unless the ambient air temp is over 80 degrees!).
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