Super 27 ain't cuttn it this year

Bigg_Redd said:

I'm in a similar situation: I have the Spectrum Classic heating 1500SqFt of poorly insulated house. During very cold snaps it just can't quite keep up. During those times I find one of my many hooded sweatshirts and put it on rather than turning on the electric baseboard heaters. The house I grew up in was large and old and no woodstove on the market would heat it sufficiently when the temps dipped so I've never had the "This wood stove must work perfectly under all conditions and circumstances" mindset.

Point is, this winter has been an exceptionally cold one for you. If your back up heat has to do some work every 5-10 years I'd say you already have the perfect wood stove. Do you really want to get cooked out every winter just to avoid using propane for an occasional cold snap?

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I hear ya, and yes its been colder than usual.But we do get below 20 a lot even with an average winter. This winter has been just a lot more of it. The past couple winters have been mild. My point is, I bought a stove that is rated for 1200 - 2000 sq ft. I'm at 1300 sq ft. With those ratings I should have no problems heating my house when its 20 outside. Its not so much the propane being used as it is the frustration of getting up at 4:00 or 5:00 to deal with the stove. My furnace is in a closet 6 feet from my bed so it wakes me up when it kicks on. Sometimes I cant go back to sleep once it kicks on because I'm thinking " that shouldnt be kicking on this soon".
Yes, I could just let the heat kick on until I'm ready to get up, which is what I do sometimes. But I got this stove because it was rated as high as 2000 sq ft..I also get that all 1300 sq ft houses are not created equal. I've read on here many times " You can always build a smaller fire in a bigger stove"..

Bigg_Redd said:

I'm in a similar situation: I have the Spectrum Classic (same firebox as your Super 27) heating 1500SqFt of poorly insulated house. During very cold snaps it just can't quite keep up. During those times I find one of my many hooded sweatshirts and put it on rather than turning on the electric baseboard heaters. The house I grew up in was large and old and no woodstove on the market would heat it sufficiently when the temps dipped so I've never had the "This wood stove must work perfectly under all conditions and circumstances" mindset.

Point is, this winter has been an exceptionally cold one for you. If your back up heat has to do some work every 5-10 years I'd say you already have the perfect wood stove. Do you really want to get cooked out every winter just to avoid using propane for an occasional cold snap?

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About the putting on extra clothes. I wear long underwear etc on the cold days. . As long as I'm up, I can tend to the stove and the heat never kicks on even when it's below zero. Its after I go to bed is when I have the problem. I have reptiles here ( had reptiles all my life ) so I cant let the heat get down to 50-60 degrees. They have their own heat in their cages, but it wont keep up if the house is in the lower 60's or so. Can't let my babies die.

Sodbuster said:

Well, I'm heating about 2800 square feet of open floor plan with out Summit, and it too has struggled on the coldest of the days and especially the nights, I've been having to burn it very aggressively. For me it IS about the propane being burned, if you haven't checked prices lately call your supplier; here in Michigan prices per gallon range from 4.00 to as high as 5.59 with a 150 gallon limit. I'll throw on a sweater before I crank up the propane furnace.

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You're right there. Propane shortage. I'm glad I'm not having to buy it. My tank is setting on 60% and that was from filling it 4 years ago for around $1.40 per gallon.
2800 sq feet is over twice what I've got so even if you're "struggling" to heat your house on really cold nights, a Summit should heat my house with ease.