Our stove with 3 days worth of wood

Welcome to the forum. It's kind of hard to judge scale, but I'm guessing those logs aren't much more than a foot (30cm) long and stacked a little over 3 feet (1 meter) high? Type of wood and local temps will also make a big difference - if it's a good hardwood like oak or something lighter like pine.

With the stove in an alcove like that, you're going to need a lot of airflow to get usable heat out, and get that heat spread out to the rest of the house...er...uh...flat. Most of the radiant heat is being absorbed by the wood/alcove and a lot of the convection is being cut off by the fact the stove is raised off the ground and by the recessed ceiling of the alcove. Does the stove have a blower or provisions for one?

My fireplace insert is similar - basically a wood stove inside a steel box, so the radiant and convective heat gets cut off. Putting a blower on changed it from a radiant room heater to a whole house 'furnace' which uses half the wood as before.

PS - I don't know how much radiant heat is coming out of that stove, but make sure that wood doesn't get too hot - or any stray spark gets out of the stove, or it may all burn up within a few minutes and take the flat with it!

AG, do you have a block off plate at the bottom of your chimney or is it open to the top?

I can't speak to the consumption needs of your stove. And I don't know how seasoned (dry) your wood supply is.

I would be nervous about stacking the firewood so close to the stove, though! your picture worked so well that it set all the alarm bells in my head ringing, my friend. I keep the wood for the day in a tub that is a solid 3' away from my stove (which is soapstone), kindling and any other combustibles are also 3' away. What can I say? I'm a bit of a "nervous Nellie" about things like that.

I love the colors you've chosen for the alcove, they're terrific. And you must be really pleased to have a stove; news stories here have shown pictures of the snow and unusual cold in the UK this winter.

Ag, I think you are not getting the best performance from your stove because of what cozy referred to " the alcove effect".
If that stove came with a fan, it would improve your heat output into the room. Can you shut the air and the flue, to slow down the burn once cruising temp is reached?

Hi Agbagb

Nice to hear from another Uk'er. although I am what you would probably call a flapping Southerner

I am delighted with my multi fuel stove, although I am finding that I did not prepare enough (I did not decide to get the stove untill autumn), so I am burning mostly coal, with the full intention of leaving my logs to season until next year.

Lovely burner by the way, and I like how it is "lifted" off the floor, as this is the one thing I am finding a pain, as once I sit in front of it to load and light, I don't want to move, I get mesmerised (sp) by the fire

Jo

AG, Thats because I just made it up for your circumstance. I believe most of our stoves on this side of the pond have dampers to slow down airflow/burn.
Maybe you could install one? We close ours after the stove has reached cruising temp. Asl someone more knowedgible than me.

As others have said the amount of wood you burn depends on the home (size, insulation), stove (cat vs. non-cat, size of the firebox), heating needs (outside temp and what temp you like inside), wood (species, how well seasoned it is, etc.) . . .

As a guess I would say that is about what I go through in 3 days.

Finally . . . please heed this advice . . . I really do feel that your wood supply is too close to your stove. I imagine England has clearance requirements for stoves . . . and it really appears as though this combustible wood is fairly close to the stove . . . truthfully, probably it would not be an issue . . . but it really is better to be safe than sorry so to speak.

+1 on the distance of the wood to the stove. I wouldn't feel too scared if it was just a little stack of wood like the next load for the stove that can get dry before it's needed. I think you'll notice a lot more heat coming out after you reduce those stacks too. Something else you could do is direct some sort of fan towards the back of the stove/alcove part that would blow into it and push the air out.