DIY Water Heating with Compost

(Page 3 of 3)

July/August 1981
By the Mother Earth News Editors 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE COMPOST PILE

RELATED CONTENT

Now that we've got the system all hooked up, we plan to watch our water-heating compost pile closely throughout the summer and fall . . . until the decomposing heap begins to "die out" and its heat-producing capacity wanes. We hope this new design will provide evidence that a simple pile of wood chips and manure, connected to a closed-loop plumbing circuit, can heat enough water for the average household's use . . . so watch forthcoming issues of MOTHER for follow-up details on just how the "new" system is working out.

HERE'S ANOTHER "HOT" ITEM

Bill Mayes is well known in the small mountain community of Brevard, North Carolina . . . not only for his fine flock of sheep (a few of which have joined the expanding livestock herd at MOM's Eco-Village), but also for the unusual way he waters those animals.

Bill recently learned that a sheep raiser can actually reduce feed expenditures by giving preheated water to lactating ewes, so that the animals use up less body energy (and thus require less food) to warm the water they drink for conversion into milk. So—as an inexpensive method of heating his flock's drinking water—the Tar Heel farmer built a low, oval compost pile modeled after the prototypes described in MOTHER's series of articles on the Jean Pain technique. Deep within a straw-bedding-and-sheep-manure mound, Bill buried a 500-gallon water tank and next to that —a coil made from 75 feet of one-inch tubing . . . which is, in turn, joined to an outside valve that empties into the sheep's water tub.

The supply source for this setup is actually the gutter on the barn roof, which feeds rainwater directly into the holding tank inside the decomposing heap. Even though Mr. Mayes has no way of measuring the interior temperature of his four-foot-tall compost pile (which is supported by a wire enclosure similar to the ones we used for MOTHER's first and second mounds), he does know that the water emerging from the heap usually registers about 108°F . . . a temperature which seems to please the sheep, and which saves them from using body energy to warm the liquid produced in their mammary glands.

Mr. Mayes, who operates a boys' camp each summer, says he's been quite pleased with the performance of his "barnyard burner" and plans to use the compost mound as a demonstration project for his campers this season.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 |
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print

Comments

Add Your Comment

Please note that there is currently a problem with the comments function and your comment may or may not post successfully. We are working to correct the problem and thank you for your patience. 

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Mother Earth News readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Mother Earth News?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.