How to heat a 9 x 16 uninsulated shed? Suggestions sought.

[-MIKE-]

Not all combustion, correct? Gasoline and Propane yes, wood no?

[ranck]

Correct, pure carbon would not produce water as a product of combustion.

Wood, yes. There is hydrogen in that there cellulose and one of the products of combution of wood is H2O. Maybe not as much as propane or other hydrocarbons, but still some.

Bill Ranck Blacksburg, Va.

[-MIKE-]

Cool. Learn something new everyday.

[J. Clarke]

Cellulose C6 H10 O5

Lignin is not clearly defined chemically but it also contains a great deal of hydrogen.

[dpb]

Problem is, of course, there's really no source of pure carbon as a fuel. Eastern coals have roughly 5% or so H in an ultimate analysis plus that in the 2-3% moisture; western coals are somewhat higher. H normally doesn't show up in the analyses as generally one sees the proximate analysis, not an ultimate so the moisture content is all that's reported on that basis (but the elemental H is additional to H20 in an ultimate analysis so it's not a double-accounting).

--

[J. Clarke]

Coke and charcoal come pretty close, with up to 95 percent carbon content.

[Stuart]

[Puckdropper]

Old Guy wrote in news:94b756e4-11c1-4930-a5fe- [e-mail]:

*snip*

Just a thought... Have you looked in to a spray foam insulation? It has to be applied professionally, and will take a little space, but it's better than building 2x4 stud walls so you can install bat insulation.

Puckdropper

[-MIKE-]

Have you seen the silver backed rolls of insulation that are always against metal roofs in big corrugated steel buildings? I can't remember where, but I saw that stuff being installed once with built in adhesive. They pealed off a backing and stuck it up, straight on the roofing. The adhesive was super-duty, like that rubber self-sealing window flashing. It would stick to anything and everything, and would not come loose.

[dpb]

Don't have an ultimate analysis handy, but 100 - 95 is pretty close to 5 :)

Not too many use either for space heating, though, which was the general subject. Anyway, was just noting there's H pretty much everywhere, even in nonhydrogenous fuels unless special care made to remove it.

[dpb]

For space heating?

[Doug Winterburn]

Rigid foam panels glued on with construction adhesive, the kind that comes in caulking gun size?

[Stuart]

It is a source of almost pure Carbon for use as a fuel :-)

Actually, one of my daughters is a blacksmith and uses Coke for her forge

- place can get pretty warm.

[dpb]

Secondary effect :)

It's probably the most common use for coke, of course...good friend has been plant engineer for one or more foundries for years. One of his horror stories is the new furnace dedication of a Japanese owned facility -- the religious leader picked up a big handful of sea salt and before John could stop him, having no idea what was coming, tossed it in the hot vessel! Needless to say, the Cl and other nasties caused so much contamination in what was to be a very specialized high-purity stainless forge they had to completely gut the lining and redo it -- at the cost of something like $10M.

[J. Clarke]

Usually overkill for the purpose. Charcoal on the other hand has at various times and in various places been plentiful--it's a byproduct of pine-tar extraction for example, which led to it being something of a glut on the market in Scandinavia at one time. After a while they ran out of pine trees though . . .

[Lee Michaels]

"Puckdropper" wrote

Actually, there is a amatuer version of the spray foam insulation. I seem to have misplaced the link. It comes in cardboard boxes. Each box covers so many square feet. There is some kind of nozzle/applicator that you hook up to it. The chemical reaction moves the foam into the space and expands it. One time application, of course! There is no way to use part of a box.

I am certain, though it is probably a very good product, that is expensive.

[Nova]

Snort enough of it and you won't care how cold it is? ;-)

[KIMOSABE]

The price I paid for the infrared propane heater was $49.

for all for the good advice and for alerting me to the moisture problem. I think I'll start by leaving the double doors open for an hour or two after closing down work.

I haven't taken a close look at it yet, but the easiest way to insulate for me will be to use the firm pink foam stuff with the shiny silver backing from Home Depot.

[Stuart]

Yes I know, when they're not using the forge they have a wood burning stove to keep warm :-)

[Old Guy]

Hi all,

Thanks for the ideas about insulating my cold storage shop.

Maybe some folks have used some of this stuff and have been happy with it. I have serious reservations about the various suggestions.

I looked at the spray stuff, and don't like the results. The final surface is rough, and will collect dust, no matter what i do. And it is soft, so any impact will make it look worse. But worst of all, even if there is goop mixed in the insulation to make it not flammable, if some of my wood stock burns next to it it gives off a witch's brew of fumes. I've been in a gas chamber twice in the military, I don't want to repeat the experience in my shop.

There's the same set of problems with adhering foam panels, even with a foil facing. They give off some stuff that you don't want to breathe when there's a fire. And adhering 1/2" sheetrock to them (which is the standard for protection) could be done, but the panels would NEVER be in alignment.

I think the foil faced bubble insulation is less noxiious, but I still have soft walls. (Not ready for a padded cell....yet).

If someone has some experience they can offer, I'd appreciate any and all stories.

Old Guy