michael riesterer

I did as you suggested, Big Al, and I'll be watching and reading what goes on here, too!

By the way, would you recommend Ianto Evan's book as a "good to read before you start" type of book?

Big Al: Had family in over the weekend and went to a hog harvesting workshop Mon. and Tues., so, after getting caught up on chores and such, I'm back to ya.

One of the especially good things with having our younger son here this past weekend was to be able to kick around the RMH project with him. And probably the most useful realization that father-son discussion brought me was this: we've made some radical alterations to our garage and we're still tweaking parts of it as we get used to the idea of how we will now be using that space. As the weather slowly but surely gets colder (23 degrees last night) there are dynamics unfolding with this new space which might be worth paying real close attention to.

In other words, we don't know what this altered/upgraded space is going to do once it gets real cold. And for that reason, I'm choosing to postpone the RMH for the time being. The hiatus might allow for some of your wisdom to get through my thick skull and I'll eventually see the light about your good counsel, Big Al.

So, with much appreciation and thanks, I'm going to stay on the RMH sidelines for now and observe what's going on in my garage-to-greenhouse experiment and revisit the RMH project sometime closer to spring, I expect. I'll keep following the discussions, though, and comment when moved to!

Thanks again, Big Al, you're a credit to the craft -- no question !

Big Al: I'm back!

You asked for photos of the window with measurements. Now you see inside and outside. We were planning to glass block this window once we had decided how the RMH piping would work going through the window opening. Thoughts?

Thanks.
Mike R.

Hey, Big Al: I have not been ignoring your last comment to me, including the request for photos. I've been tied up and am currently sitting in an urgent care waiting room. I shot the photos on Sunday and once I get things under control I will upload them to permies. By the way, I did get a response from Erica over the weekend:

The best resource for the recent workshop build would be our new book, the Rocket Mass Heater Builder's Guide.
I'm working through the edits and hoping to bring a draft of it out online this week.

Yours,
Erica W

I'm encouraged, but, once again, this doesn't tell me which plans to buy. I'm confounded that it's so difficult to get an answer.

Marci: You're way too modest. Your drawing is excellent !

Ok, I'm back, Big Al: First, thanks for reminding me about the Parts and Accessories portion of the e & e website. I had been there some weeks ago, but with all the different online resources, it's hard to keep track of where I saw what. I had not seen the Site Planning page, and that is pretty deep; a child adoption questionnaire, I imagine, is probably as detailed.

As far as RMH location, remember, my goal is first to warm soil that will sit above the bench and then to keep just the (by that time) greenhouse warm. The house is not a consideration. I do recognize that having the RMH on the west wall means it might be a good idea to insulate the wall and the floor, too. The other advantage I'm hoping to leverage is the window on the west wall, which I had hoped I could run the exhaust pipe out of. Going through the ceiling would be a real ordeal since the roof is flat and is covered with a rubberized leak-stopping material which I'd rather not disrupt if at all possible.

Your point about e & e "doing me right" is well taken. They seem like good people. When you say "I would make sure that they are aware that you are making a new inquiry and that there was confusion in the last round of e-mails", I kind've did that via multiple e-mails, calling twice and leaving messages for them to call me . . .

I don't know what else to do unless someone out there who has top secret contact with e & e can put in a good word for me. I think I'll stop typing for now. Thanks to all who care to be of assistance, you, especially, Big Al !

Hi, Marci: I'm using the Adobe Creative Suite, which is very corporate and un-permie-like, I know. But I taught it for years and still have access to it even though I've retired from teaching.

I have tried to move towards [free] google products despite some philosophical apprehensions I have with them lately. Google does have a Drawing app that, while simple, would probably work if I had to go that route in the future. Check it out.

Now I've got to look at what Big Al is telling me and see what I can do with his response.

Hey, (Big) Al: Thanks for being the unofficial go-between for me and e & e.

In answer to your questions: 1) the garage floor is concrete. 2) The common wall (garage-to-house) is block on the garage side. 3) The garage ceiling is 4 or 5 inches lower than the adjacent kitchen ceiling.

I've re-posted my garage/greenhouse layout with labels to show where each of the 3 doors lead to from the garage. Perhaps this will make more sense as to why I positioned the RMH where I did. Putting it on the east wall would prevent easy egress in and out of the garage.

I visited the VillageVideo site and got to the youtube videos. Thanks. I was not aware of that resource.

In any case, while I appreciate the details you provide, however, I still need an answer to my question (which is): based on what I want to do, which of e & e's RMH plans should I buy?

I should also add that Erica did respond to my question several weeks ago by saying (and I quote) "From the floor plan you sent, it does look like the greenhouse heater plans would be the best choice. The plans include several layouts, and the basic down-and-back layout can be shortened to fit your space (or you could extend the bench toward the corner if you prefer).

The problem is, I couldn't figure out which plan she is referring to. I did not see any plan called the "greenhouse heater" plans.

Is "greenhouse heater" code for something only permie insiders know?

My first post -- but been reading Permies.com for about a year.

I'm ready to start building an RMH in my garage-converted-to-greenhouse and cannot get a response from Erica W. about which plan to buy. I'm providing photos which show 1)how we glass blocked in the garage door opening, 2) the layout of the greenhouse setup as currently conceived, and 3) the photo of the RMH that was posted on Ernie and Erica's blog Sept. 21 under the heading "Rockets in Montana" (apparently the RMH built at the recent workshop).

That particular photo is the "picture" I have in my mind of what I want to have in my "garage to greenhouse".

All I need to know is which of Ernie and Erica's plans I should use to get the design I want.

Thanks, in advance, for any assistance -- it's getting cold here in the Michigan UP, and I gotta get started !