Insulation & Heating
Insulation
Our yurts come standard with one layer of 100% sheep’s wool felt insulation. The felts are sourced from the Mongolian countryside, and the thickness may vary slightly, but on average, one layer has a thickness of 5/8”. In colder and damper climates, an internal heating source is typical, and in some circumstances, a second layer of felt may be added.
Depending on your specific climate, you may need to shed or accumulate layers of felt. If your temperatures drop below -15°C (59° F) for prolonged periods of time, we recommend adding a second layer of felt.
For example, at our home base in Alexandria Ontario, we rent our 20’ and 22’ yurts out for overnight stays with 2 layers of felt. Temperatures can drop to as low as -40° C at the Groovy Farm, but our customers stay toasty and warm with a simple wood stove and a second layer of felt.
Certified Ecolab Technologists have stated that the Thermal Resistance (R value) of our felts at 1” have an R value of R 3.9.
Even if it is an excellent insulation factor, the limited thickness does not allow to reach building standards. However, it is important to note that the compact nature of the structure (combined with the felt insulation) traps heat much more effectively than a much larger modern home. Think of it as a thermos bottle, compared to a much larger volume. Also, the wool felt is comprised of naturally occurring fibers that breathe.
This phenomenon inadvertently traps air between hollow spaces within the fibers, making it nature’s most efficient insulator. The fibers are water repelling and tolerant, but if inundated with moisture, will continue to insulate. The felts act as an all-natural dehumidifier, simultaneously absorbing humidity and discharging it into the surrounding atmosphere at a slower rate. This air exchange is also proven to absorb and lock away Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Add that all together and we’ve got an all natural, 100% biodegradable and renewable dehumidifier, insulator, and air purifier. Thank you, Mr. Sheep!
Heating
200 Years ago, Mongolian nomads would heat their gers with an open fire. Today, they use simple iron stoves connected to stove pipes that run up the yurt and through the toono (dome). Having the stove pipe run through the toono is recommended as it regulates and diffuses the heat throughout the space much more efficiently than a stove vented through the sidewalls. To comply with North American codes, we recommend sourcing a slow burning wood or pellet stove — see the parts and guidelines on stove installation here.
Electrical or propane heat will also work in our yurts, but they lack the necessary umph to dehumidify the space in fluctuating climates where heavy precipitation is common. A solid alternative, if you are living on grid, is a simple wood stove backed up by an electric (or propane) heater for support throughout the nights.
Square Footage Guide:
Yurt Size | Square Footage |
3-Wall 12’-13’ | 133 ft² |
4-Wall 16’ | 200 ft² |
5-Wall 20’ | 314 ft² |
6-Wall 22’ | 380 ft² |
7-Wall 26’ | 530 ft² |
8-Wall 30’ | 706 ft² |
The nature of the yurt’s construction permits and encourages air flow, this also means it is never truly sealed from the outside world, regardless of its insulation. To avoid waking up in the middle of the night to feed your stove, we recommend using something that can heat three times the square footage of your yurt.
Heating Volume Guide:
Yurt Size | Approximate Volume in Meters | kWh | British Thermal Unit |
4-Wall 16’ | 45 m³ | 3.2 kWh | 11,000 BTU |
5-Wall 20’ | 65 m³ | 4.6 kWh | 16,000 BTU |
6-Wall 22’ | 80 m³ | 5.7 kWh | 20,000 BTU |
7-Wall 26’ | 110 m³ | 7.85 kWh | 30,000 BTU |
8-Wall 30’ | 160 m³ | 11.5 kWh | 40,000 BTU |
Super 20’ | 70 m³ | 5 kWh | 18,000 BTU |
If your stove does not explicitly tell you the amount of square footage it heats, Glowing Embers recommends calculating the volume of your yurt using meters and dividing it by 14 to find out the right kWh output needed from your stove. In traditional scenarios, it is not recommended to go above your space's calculated kWh output, but in special cases, such as our yurts, we encourage you to go with a larger kWh output than is required, as it is much easier to dissipate heat than it is to create it.
Please note that this is only a rough guideline.
Stove manufacturers often use different metrics to communicate the output of heat, and there is no universal guide that will apply to all stoves.
We highly recommend sourcing your wood stove locally and speaking to an expert about your specific needs. ‘Think global, support local’.
Wood Stove Recommendations for Customers
Jake B from Kearney, Ontario
“I installed a Drolet Spark 2 in my Super Ger. It was a compact model, and I found that its narrow and long profile was the most efficient. It saves floorspace and heats the interior of the yurt up so quickly! At -40°C, I can have my yurt comfortably warm (20°C) within 2 hours. If I burn every day, I can get approximately 20 days out of 1 cord of wood.”
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