Hi,
I am trying to help my parents get a new wood stove. They live in Wasilla, Alaska, which has typical winter temperatures in the single digits to twenties, and at least one or two cold spells of about -20ºF for a week or so every year. They heat with wood only, and have been for thirty years. Their current stove is an old blaze king (non-cat, looks like princess model?), has some cracks in it (also 30 years old). The stove does heat the house well, though it is impossible to control the burn very well these days. Looking to replace it. The house is about 1600 square feet, one story (back bedrooms always a little cool, this is fine). We're looking at the hearthstone pheonix model, but I'm not sure if it is enough. It is rated to 2000 sqft, but I hear in Alaska you ought to take that number and reduce it by some amount (20-30%) when trying to size. It physically looks to be a similar size (inside firebox) to the current stove.
Also: I have never used a stove with soapstone, and don't know if the difference in use and the feel of heat will be so much different that it may be undesirable at all. All the reviews I've heard are pretty good. Any advice on how different it feels from a steel stove?
I am trying to help my parents get a new wood stove. They live in Wasilla, Alaska, which has typical winter temperatures in the single digits to twenties, and at least one or two cold spells of about -20ºF for a week or so every year. They heat with wood only, and have been for thirty years. Their current stove is an old blaze king (non-cat, looks like princess model?), has some cracks in it (also 30 years old). The stove does heat the house well, though it is impossible to control the burn very well these days. Looking to replace it. The house is about 1600 square feet, one story (back bedrooms always a little cool, this is fine). We're looking at the hearthstone pheonix model, but I'm not sure if it is enough. It is rated to 2000 sqft, but I hear in Alaska you ought to take that number and reduce it by some amount (20-30%) when trying to size. It physically looks to be a similar size (inside firebox) to the current stove.
Also: I have never used a stove with soapstone, and don't know if the difference in use and the feel of heat will be so much different that it may be undesirable at all. All the reviews I've heard are pretty good. Any advice on how different it feels from a steel stove?
I bet you're right- the cool off will take longer than the warm up because of a greater temperature differential. Fire temp vs stove temp VS stove temp vs room temp.
