Our lobby’s centerpiece is a large masonry heater, an old-world technology modernized to perform as well, if not better, than many furnaces. The masonry heater features local river rock and weighs about 12,000 pounds. It uses a robust draft system and a long convoluted exhaust stack to maximize heat transfer to its stone cladding. These stones absorb and radiate thermal energy and provide supplemental heat to the east wing (3,200 sq ft) of our building throughout the day. The exhaust is only 350°F by the time it exits the stack. A single firing of dry wood is all that is required to heat throughout the day.
In the winter months (October 1st – March 31st) CCHRC abides by Borough and EPA regulations pertaining to air quality, as a result, you may not be greeted with a fire or a warm, radiating, stove during your visit. Stage 1 Air Quality alerts are issued when the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exceeds or is forecast to exceed 25 micrograms/m3. Stage 2 Air Quality alerts are issued when the concentration exceeds or is forecast to exceed 35 micrograms/m3. During these alerts CCHRC disables all solid fuel burning appliances including the masonry heater and pellet boiler and uses alternative heat sources including residential oil-fired boilers.
