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Summary
part 2 of a 2 part podcast
Paul and Uncle Mud continue the discussion of the home heating infographic (permies.com/heat).
Paul wraps up the carbon footprint part by saying mini-splits have a typical CF of 18.4 tons per year, in-ground heat pumps are about 8.4 tons and an RMH is about 0.4 tons. There's also the point that by now heat pump designs are very well optimized, RMHs will probably continue to improve.
Market volatility: Wood pellets vary a lot by locality. Electricity cost nationwide is about 15c/KWh, but it can be as high as 60c. Mud says that oil and natural gas are even worse. Samantha notes that her bit of forest produces wood faster than she can use it.
Life span: The underground part of in-ground systems shouldn't need attention, but other parts may need replacing. Industry states average lifespan is about 14 years. There's also annual maintenance. Mud comments that parts for systems can become obsolete, thus rendering the whole system scrap. An RMH has no hard to find parts. Some early RMH designs aren't so durable, now they have got better understanding of the materials, for the riser especially. Paul also talks about the safety aspect of RMHs which almost never get chimney fires, due to no creosote buildup in the flue.
Heat pumps and many other devices won't work without power. But an RMH can't be set to operate if you're away from home for 2 weeks in winter.
Heat pumps won't work in extreme cold weather, but in some conditions the RMH won't work well, either: if the temperature difference between inside and outside is small (less than 10°F), it's hard to get the RMH to start and run due to cold plugging. Reversible heat pumps can cool in the summer. RMH can help to stabilize inside temperature, due to the mass. Mud compares it with a refrigerator, which is more efficient when full.
Relevant Threads
Heat Infographic thread
Rocket Mass Heater forum
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