Getting a new wood stove this year: Better to go a little small or a little big?

People are going to tell you to avoid VC like the plague. The company has changed hands several times in recent years, and as a result, customer service and warranty coverage has gone in the toilet.

It is usually recommended to go bigger than you think you'll need.

Are you going to install the stove in the fireplace, or a completely new hearth and chimney? In the main living area?

If you like the step top look check out the Lopi Endeavor, Regency 2400 Step Top and the Pacific Energy Super Step Top

Makes/ models aside, go bigger. If you buy too big you can always damper down. Too small and you're cold and regretful....

I don't know the weather is by you (local conditions can vary too) or house so I'll just give you some food for thought;

Is this for full time or supplemental occassional heating? A larger firebox can burn for longer periods of time.

How about your house layout? Will the heat move easily throughout or be trapped in the stove room? A big stove in a small space is unpleasant.

What will you be burning? You should be getting your wood supply now, but what kind of wood predominates in your area?

Lastly of course you can burn a small fire in a large stove but not the other way round.

FTG-05 said:

We have a single story 2053 house in SW Lincoln county, TN. Right now it has a fireplace with a blower system. While it heats the house pretty good in moderate temps (35 and above), it sucks in colder weather since it brings in extremely cold air from outside. Plus, it uses firewood like no tomorrow.

So we'll be getting a wood stove for next winter. The stove we both like is the VS/Majestic steel stove like this one:

It's the Savannah series non cat wood stove. There are three sizes listed, the model we like is the SSW20, which they say will heat "up to 1000 sq. ft". The medium sizes say they will go up to 2,200 sq. ft.. They do not give the firebox size on their website.

The house is pretty warm as it is with decent attic insulation (which I'll increase this spring) and all double windows. Since my wife and I both like the house to be a little cool at night when we're asleep, I'm leaning towards the smaller unit. I think it will heat the house up just fine during cold days and nights down to about 30 degrees and I can run it hotter for even colder days, down to the 20s or colder.

But what are you guys experience? The only stove I've had before was a chinese special about 30 years ago in Seattle, we never got all that cold there.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks,

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Welcome to the forum FTG-05.

I realize you live a bit south so your heating needs are not as great as those in the farther northern areas. However, you can experience some pretty good cold from time to time.

On the manufacturers claims of what a stove will heat, take it all with a grain of salt. That is usually nothing but marketing hype and most times people find that the claims tend to be a bit off. With that in mind, I doubt you will be heating a 1000 sq ft but don't know. Just remember that we rarely hear about anyone who says their stove is too large but it is very common for folks to be disappointed with the stove not being able to keep the house warm. If it were me, I'd go with a larger stove.

So what if the stove is too large and it throws more heat than you want? Most times it is a simple fix just by not loading up the stove. That is really the best way to run most stoves anyway. If it is going to be cold, fill it. If not, half fill it or whatever it takes. It also depends upon what wood you plan on burning as all wood is not created equal when it comes to giving heat.

Speaking about this, have you given thought yet to what you will be burning? Are you aware that you should already have next year's wood stacked out in the wind to dry? Sorry but most folks tend to put a lot of thought and planning into the stove but little thought is given to the fuel. You can not do that when burning wood. It won't work. A word of warning too. If you plan to buy wood, never plan on buying good dry wood. It just does not happen. The sellers will tell a good story and tell you it is seasoned and sometimes will say for how long. However, when the wood is delivered you will find that it has no doubt been split the day of delivery and sometimes cut to length on that day. Wrong! Wood won't dry in log form. It has to be split and then stacked out in the open air to dry. If you are in a wet area, then it needs to be covered but only on the top.

Again, I would recommend going larger rather than smaller. Good luck.

I can speak from experience, go big without a doubt. I'm currently trying to sell my englander 17 and get the 13 because it's too small

Best advice I ever got here was 1) Before installing a woodstove, insulate and chaulk the house to keep the heat you have inside and 2) Figure out your sizing needs for the stove and then go one size larger. I've never regretted this advice.

As mentioned, you can always put less wood into the firebox or not reload so soon if you feel as though it's getting too warm . . . but it's next to impossible to stuff more wood into an already full firebox if you're cold and the woodstove is cranking . . . unless you end up with the TARDIS woodstove which is of course bigger on the inside than the outside.

My wife and I also like our bedrooms to be a bit cool at night . . . this has never been an issue due to the house layout.

Go big. Not way, way too big, but a size larger than you think you need.

Have you looked at Lopi and Englander stoves? Both looks pretty similar to the one in your picture, and both are very good quality and not too expensive.

I originally bought a stove that was supposed to heat around 1024sqft, I installed it in my basement thinking that if I warmed the basement it would drastically reduce the amount of heat required to heat the upstairs. I had to run that stove full power continuously even to get the basement above 60, I paid around $500 for that stove and I ended up giving it away. If you get yourself a small stove, and you find out it doesn't meet your needs you will experience a loss due to you having to un-install the small stove and install something bigger. You will also have a loss when you try to sell the smaller stove.

Like others have suggested go big, there are al lot of stove out there especially CAT based that can produce heat for extended periods of time without cooking you out of the house. Blaze King stoves get very good reviews and seems to burn very well on a lower setting and in warmer climates.

FTG-05 said:

So far, it's been unanimous, go bigger. Thanks for the input!

I looked at Lopi previously, do they make any steel stoves (vs. cast iron)? Both my wife and prefer the clean looks of steel.

Off to look at the Englander stoves!

Thanks,

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Agreed, after seeing your layout go bigger.

Sorry but I disagree with most of you small is the way to go especially if your putting it in a fireplace, get a stove with rear and bottom baffles and you will be surprised at how much heat you get radiant as well as convection. Install a good quality liner insulated with a block off plate, just an idea for you to ponder.

Good luck and stay warm.

I'd error on the side of big. We wondered about that question, and went big with the Lopi Freedom insert to get the bigger window. But we really never wished for a smaller stove box once it was installed. It heats up easily, is more versatile in terms of what it will hold. I'm the farthest thing from a stove expert, but if I had to do it again, I'd again go with a more expensive brand, like Lopi. I make $12/hour, so money means something. Burns real clean, built real well, really puts out the heat.

FTG-05 said:

Englander 30NC, 3.5 cu ft. firebox, 475 lbs and $900 at Home Depot. This compares to about a 1.7 cu ft firebox and $1400 for the Majestic we looked at the local stove store.

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I have been through the same decision process, and ended up going big and not regretting it for a moment.
In other news, the Englander NC30 has a huge following here, and their support is close to legendary.

I'm heating a 250 year old and uninsulated 1500 sq ft colonal supplemental heat only, we burn from the afternoon through the evening only
warm in the stove room cool in the rest of the house.

Lots of good advice here so I will only touch on one point that I dont think has been mentioned yet. Ive never owned a small stove but I believe that at least a 2 cubic foot firebox will be required for overnight burns. It would bug me if I had to relight my stove every day. Good luck!

That's such a nice set up you have there! Great looking house with the perfect room for a woodstove!

With the 38 acres (half wooded) you should have ample supply of wood. Hopefully you have nice mature hardwood trees also which would be real bonus!

In my humble opinion the small Savanna is not enough stove. By running a small firebox stove hot, you will be loading it frequently with the smaller firebox. I personally prefer to know I can burn overnight on cold days.

Take a look at the Woodstock line of stoves, maybe the Ideal would be a good choice.

Your going to love that MS362!

Good luck with whatever you decide.