Poor man's poll - alternate name for RMH

The problem lies somewhere else.
Why masonry heaters are not popular?:
-masonry is not popular here
-predominantly Anglosaxons brought the culture of fireplaces (despite being inappropriate for most of continent's climate)
If Russians or Poles would settle northern America, masonry heaters would be a norm, everyone would see one or had one in childhood or at present and people would be open to the idea of building another one, especially in the countryside with access to free wood. There would be also plenty of stove masons available. Here masons are scarce and want usually $1000 per day (if quoted per project) and stove masons are even rarer species and more expensive.

So if we want to change it, some of us just have to start to be builders, but without the feel of entitlement to lawyer's salary. We would have to build a lot of things almost for free (just the cost of materials) to get clients and spread the word locally. Also the look of the heaters has to be aesthetic and they also have to be built from tried out materials, so they will last at least 20 years.'

Changing the name that was somewhat established and seeded in some minds, to something new and obscure is irrational. The RMH name has to be nurtured by showing examples of quality and aesthetic builds and proven efficiency. What is the point of changing the name and still using ugly barrels and some cob thrown on top of it? It may work, especially for DIY permie folks, but nobody out of that small circle will take it seriously.

The most important part of the name has to be preserved "masonry heater", because this is what gives it an edge, by absorbing heat from the exhaust. Firebox may have different designs more or less efficient:
-masonry heater with batchbox firebox
-masonry heater with shoebox firebox
-masonry heater with Kuznetsov type firebox
-masonry heater with vertical flame path (venturi opening in the ceiling instead of back wall)
But these names without someone building them for an honest amount of money are just names on the paper.

Cristobal Cristo wrote:The problem lies somewhere else.
Why masonry heaters are not popular?:
-masonry is not popular here
-predominantly Anglosaxons brought the culture of fireplaces (despite being inappropriate for most of continent's climate)
If Russians or Poles would settle northern America, masonry heaters would be a norm, everyone would see one or had one in childhood or at present and people would be open to the idea of building another one, especially in the countryside with access to free wood. There would be also plenty of stove masons available. Here masons are scarce and want usually $1000 per day (if quoted per project) and stove masons are even rarer species and more expensive.

Don't you consider adobe bricks to be a form of masonry?

Coydon Wallham wrote:Don't you consider adobe bricks to be a form of masonry?

I do consider it to be masonry. What is the percentage of adobe homes in USA? 0.1%, 0.01% or maybe less? It's insignificant.

Cristobal Cristo wrote:I do consider it to be masonry. What is the percentage of adobe homes in USA? 0.1%, 0.01% or maybe less? It's insignificant.

You mentioned anglo-saxon culture being a problem. Assuming you refer to English colonial influences, I think you remove that from the scenario and adobe remains as a major feature. I'd expect it to be significant to anyone who respects the cultural heritage of the South Western US, mesoamerica, or the Andes.

I have an associate that helped build an adobe mansion for Oprah, next time I see him I'll ask what they did for heating...

Coydon,

I built myself an adobe house and two other structural masonry buildings.
I'm in the west and I have inquisitive eye and so far I only saw 2 or 3 adobe buildings out of tens of thousand of OSB/plywood ones. This southwestern heritage was replaced with shoddy and cheap fiberboard, so masonry is rarity and as the result the masonry heaters.
Of course someone could argue that Scandinavian houses are also wood and the masonry heaters are popular. Yes, that's true. But here we have combination of fireplace culture (replaced with "entitled to convenience" culture) mixed with wooden/fiber culture which lowers the number of available masons/stove masons.

Frannie Koe wrote:Alright!! I am convinced! I am going to build RMH, masonry heaters all over the place here in Alabama! We are going to get it out there and find people willing to help folks build them as well!!

YES!... Paul, just 99,999 more folks to get on board! We'll get it done one person at a time.

Frannie posted days ago and I felt it appropriate to Moosage her to share my thoughts. Super happy to see her post today.

Frannie, in your Moosage reply to me to mentioned that you have numerous tiny homes as well as some other buildings. I think it would be a good idea to begin your own thread to start asking questions about scaling down a RMH that will suit your various spaces and let the Q&A flow from there.

Frannie,
Uncle Mud here. I just got back home to Ohio from building another Tinyhouse Rocket in the Asheville area. I would love to chat with you about your tinyhouse and greenhouse rocket needs. Drop me a line at info@unclemud.com.

Paul, what 'public' are you thinking of when you want to promote the RMH? Only people in the USA, or worldwide (except for tropical countries that need no heating at all)?
Keep in mind what different words mean to your permies. What do they think of when they hear 'Rocket'? F.e. do they think 'rocket science' (meaning: difficult to understand)?
What do they think of when they hear 'Mass'?
What do they think of when they hear 'Masonry'?
What do they think of when they hear 'Heater'?
etc.

And then there are laws. Laws differ in different countries. It seems in the USA a 'Masonry Heater' is what the law approves. But is that the case in all countries worldwide? F.e. here in the Netherlands there are signs that they want to make a law against ALL woodburning! And that is understandable, because wood is very scarce and expensive here (and they think burning it pollutes the air).

Okay. These were my 2 little coins added ...

Seems to me more along the lines of these.  Perhaps someone can improve on this theme.

High Efficiency Space Heater
Or
High Efficiency Heater
Or
Clean Burn Heater
Or
Burn Clean and Save the World Through Efficient Use of Free Wood --- Heater    (just kidding) But you get the idea.  

I think the name should address what it actually does.  Rather than what it is.  Rocket Mass Heater is clinically accurate, but seems to not elude to the benefits.