Hearthstone Clydesdale Wood stove insert

I don't think the technology of Hearthstones is a problem. I've got a Hearthstone Equinox and it's a stand alone, not an insert. IMHO, stand alone stoves will always provide more heat since you've got all sides exposed to the room, not one. You've also got a firebox of 2.4 cu ft which is way, way undersized for your requirements. My old VC was 2.4 and it was great when the weather was freezing or just below but NOT when it gets bitterly cold outside and I was heating half the size you are.

You need dry wood and a good way to get the heat to other areas. Even then, it sounds like you have problems in getting your stove hot enough, let alone heat the space. You should have no problem getting the stove well into the 600 range with good wood and proper usage. Get some dry wood >20% moisture, fill the stove and when the fire is going strong, turn the controls down gradually until the air control is as closed as it will get. If the fire does not continue to burn hot, you either have a draft problem or a wood problem.

If I have any complaint about my Hearthstone, it can become far too hot if I use wood that is too dry, too small and I fill the stove too full. Larger splits have eliminated the overheating problem so far. Once my Equinox gets too hot, I need to open windows to cool the room!

I've got about 2300 sq ft and the only way we ended up comfortable when it's below 20F outside is when we finally added a second stove.

I tried running just one large stove (WS Progress) which is located in a cathedral ceiling family room which had a return air duct at the peak. The stove room was warm, but the rest of the house would suffer.I ran the furnace fan to try to circulate the hot air, but that did not help at all. I tried running the ceiling fan in reverse, that just made it drafty.

Adding a second small stove (Palladian) at the other end of the house made all the difference in the world. Unless your house is super well insulated, it's hard to heat that big an area with one stove.

edelk said:

I regret not putting the insert upstairs because i am having issues getting the hot air to circulate upstairs. I imagined that the room that stove is in wood be so hot that it would run you out of the room...but this isnt the case. It gets warm but not as warm as i thought.

Click to expand...

When the room does not really get that hot then there is not much heat that can flow upstairs either. I would first follow BeGreens advice and try to maximize the output of the Clydesdale. Do you have a way to measure its temperature? An IR thermometer is usually a good tool for an insert to have. A moisture meter would also be advisable that you can test your wood. Bring some splits in and let them get to room temp. Then split them in half and press the pins in the center of the fresh surface. It should read less than 20% for an optimal burn.

How do you operate the stove? How far do you close the air at its final setting? Do you see flames in the top of the firebox coming from the burn tubes?

Once you have your insert running well you can try moving the heat upstairs by locating a small desk fan at the top of the stairs blowing cold air down towards the stove room. Warm air should rise along the ceiling to make up for the displaced air.

Does the insert have a full Stainless steel liner on it?

edelk said:

Grisu-I do have a thermometer but i have to remove the grill grate on top in order to get an accurate reading of temperature. I would like to have the thermometer on the stove at all times but I don't know how else to get an accurate reading without removing the grate and placing it on the center of the box. Im not aware of any other locations i could get an accurate reading from? I have been operating the stove full blast. I try to burn around 450-500, but i get concerned of over firing the stove? can i burn higher? I normally have the air flow all the way open because i am burning the higher moisture wood. then if it gets nice and hot i close it down about half way to try and maintain that temp. Then at night i close it down almost all the way.Is there a certain brand of moisture tester i should I get? I do see flames in the top of the firebox coming from the burn tubes occasionally. Ill try blowing some cold air into the room. Thanks.

Click to expand...

For an insert, an IR thermometer usually works best. Harbor Freight has a relatively inexpensive one, same for a moisture meter. To get an idea how hot you run your insert now and in the future I suggest to remove the grate for a few days. Run the insert as usual but with the blower off. Measure the hottest spot on the top and look for an easily accessible spot in the front. Make a (mental) note of the temp difference between the two spots at different stages of the burn. Once you know for example that 600 F stovetop almost always means 450 F in your chosen spot in front then you can put the surround back. In my case, I measure in the center just above the door which is about 100 to 150 F cooler than the top during the early stages of the burn. After the insert has settled in more like 50 F less. That way I know when I would start to overfire my insert (at that point I turn up the blower which usually calms things down). I don't know what are good temperatures for the Clydesdale; maybe another owner can chime in or you may need to ask Hearthstone. Nevertheless, 400 F seems a bit low when measured on the top.

Your main problem seems to be unseasoned wood. When you leave the air open that wide it means a lot of heat goes up the chimney; your insert is essentially a fancier fireplace. You should also see strong secondaries in the top of the firebox at least during the early stages of the burn every time and not just occasionally. Those will ensure that all your woodgases are consumed and the potential heat from the wood is maximized. I would buy some bundles of artificial wood logs like Envi-blocks or BioBricks (pure wood, no wax-filler etc.) and burn those. You may be amazed about the heat your insert can put out then for a sustained time.

Begreen-Yes there is an insulated block off plate, there is an opening about 8ft from the stove...then you walk about another 5 ft and the stairs is right there. I think there are too many turns and bends for the air to move upstairs. Im thinking i need to figure out how to put a large grate in the upstairs floor and either find some drop ceiling tiles that are open or cut some holes in the ceiling tiles with grates.

Click to expand...

Check with your local fire code about cutting holes in the ceiling/floor. And I suggest putting fusible dampers in there that will close automatically when there is a fire.

If the wood isn't as dry as you'd like it, that's more than likely the biggest culprit.
However, having a drop ceiling in your basement might not be much of an issue if the walls are insulated. Is the lower level finished?

While making changes to your home like the holes through the ceiling and floors might eventually be exactly what you do, you might want to see if there are other things you can do in the meantime to effect the change you want.
If the windows are large, and perhaps drafty, see if you can seal them. Maybe hang insulating curtains over them. Also, just make sure the wood you're using is up to snuff. Maybe try and get your hands on some kiln dried stuff just to see how it performs. But ultimately, just keep tinkering with what you have until you get it the way you want it.
You might not agree with every bit of advice you get, especially coming from myself, but it's been my experience that the people that post on here are genuinely interested in assisting in solving the problems described. Besides, there's usually more than one way to go about any situation at hand.

edelk said:

Thanks, I just ordered moisture tester and IR thermometer! Ill check on fire codes and fusible dampers

Click to expand...

What kind of moisture meter did you get? I'm looking for one. Did it work out for you? Others......any suggestions?