Thread: Issues with natural materials

A coal stove does dry the air. So for compensation we always have a pot of water on the stove to release some humidity. But the dry heat is starting to make sense.

Originally Posted by meleii

A coal stove does dry the air. So for compensation we always have a pot of water on the stove to release some humidity. But the dry heat is starting to make sense.

In the old days in winter here people would place dishes of water in the return air grills for the forced air furnaces because of the dryness. Just walking across a carpeted floor would would build up enough static electricity to to give the old girl a jolt for fun. That was a sure sigh the humidity was way low. Sometimes the water trick worked and other times no. It would depend I guess on how much the furnace was going on and drying the air out.

Bob

Blame it on on the stove if it makes you feel better but the answer is in the relative humidity outside and hence inside your house. Go to the national weather service and compare today's RH to July's. Warmer air simply has a greater capacity to hold things in solution, including water.

As a reality check, What does a water "restoration" company ask you to do after a water leak? Turn on the A/C. Why do A/C units have a discharge for condensate? Does your heater? No, because with heat, water stays in solution in the air.

So your heater is doing all it can to keep your air moist but it can not overcome the seasonal effect of drier air during the winter.

All this talk about humidity encouraged me to take out my ivory scales and wipe them down with mineral oil and let it soak in for a few hours. A great reminder.

Originally Posted by Splashone

Blame it on on the stove if it makes you feel better but the answer is in the relative humidity outside and hence inside your house. Go to the national weather service and compare today's RH to July's. Warmer air simply has a greater capacity to hold things in solution, including water.

As a reality check, What does a water "restoration" company ask you to do after a water leak? Turn on the A/C. Why do A/C units have a discharge for condensate? Does your heater? No, because with heat, water stays in solution in the air.

So your heater is doing all it can to keep your air moist but it can not overcome the seasonal effect of drier air during the winter.

Yes, that is part of the equation in what effects the RH in a home for sure. The type of fuel burned for heating, the type of heating unit and where it gets it's combustion air from also contribute.

When I think of a coal fired stove I think of a cooking stove not a furnace in the conventional sense. The coal fired stove is further drying out the already dry outside winter air that maybe drawn into the home for combustion.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

The coal fired stove is further drying out the already dry outside winter air that maybe drawn into the home for combustion.

Bob

How does it do that? How is it removing the water from the air? Where is it discharging it outside the house? If there is no discharge, the existing humidity did not change.

Originally Posted by Splashone

How does it do that? How is it removing the water from the air? Where is it discharging it outside the house? If there is no discharge, the existing humidity did not change.

Maybe Glen could elaborate a little more on his post #24. A stove radiates dry heat which dries the home air even more. The heated dry home air is drawn back into the stove along with what ever outside dry winter air infiltrates the home through the doors, windows and walls to keep the burning cycle going. Hot exhaust/flue gases including water vapor discharge through the stove pipe/chimney.

Bob

Too slow again, Glen beat me to it.