Compost Heat

**clovis** · #21 12/07/09, 08:04 AM

Very interesting thread. My imagination is full steam ahead...pun intended.

This thread makes me wonder if there will be a day that numerous homes will be heated from a single compost pile, built in a nice, neat 'compost heat building', and companies will provide compost, water, and then maintain it for a monthly fee.

I am surprised that the use of compost heat is not more widespread in today's world.

fishhead · #22 12/07/09, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruceki

I get loads of chips from local tree service companies; usually 30-50 yards a week, and the piles are very hot. I spread them out 2-3' deep in pads and my pigs bed down on it. If they're cold, they burrow into it. Incidentally, while they're doing this they're also stirring it and fertilizing it. Works well for everyone.

Bruce / ebeyfarm.blogspot.com

That sounds like a great way to recover the lost nutrients in the pig feed in the form of compost. I'll bet a person could charge people to dump leaves or wood chips into a chicken or pig pen and then sell the resulting compost.

Wis Bang · #23 12/07/09, 07:24 PM

I remember reading about this farmer in Mother Earth News who used a mound of wood chips and manure using a coil of black PVC around a wooden armature to make hot water to heat his barns. I remember it got quite hot and lasted all winter. The resulting 'compost' was used on his fields.

tamo42 · #24 12/07/09, 07:28 PM

There's also this guy:

http://www.mb-soft.com/public3/globalzl.html

I haven't built one myself, but it looks like it would work.

ronbre · #25 12/07/09, 07:41 PM

seeing as how we have the pex and the pump for our outdoor wood furnace..you've got me thinking now..i had thought about putting a compost pile nearer our home..of course the fire scared me in the thread above..but it makes sense that i might be able to suppliment the furnace with a compost pile heater in the less cold months

fishhead · #26 12/08/09, 06:44 AM

I've sent emails to a couple of groups that work with alternative energy production to see if they have any info on using wood chips or sawdust for compost heat. One does research (NRRI) and the other does grants (AURI). Both are MN groups.

Paul Wheaton · #27 12/21/09, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Wheaton

I took some video of something like that just a month or two ago - gotta put it up on the mighty youtube.

There was a LOT of discussion on this earlier .... digging ... here it is: jean pain method

I finally pushed the video up to youtube: