Considering a steel or soapstone stove install

[begreen]

The best stove on the market is always - my stove.

 

[begreen]

skookumchuck, do you have any more questions or should we call this thread a wrap?

 

[Bigg_Redd]

If you purchased a lemon you wouldn't say anything because of pride? Not me. I would be screaming it all over this forum.

I'm not saying anyone bought a lemon. Also, I spent an extra $600 for the purdy version of my stove so I'm not opposed to buying for looks. I am saying that the heating benefits of soapstone visa vis steel stoves are over stated.

 

[Bigg_Redd]

The best stove on the market is always - my stove.

I've been saying this for years.

 

[Polarbear]

we have the hearthstone phoenix in our 1500 sqft home. house was built in 1994. windows are just ok and there is about 6" of blown in insulation in the attic. I'd say our windows and patio door are fairly drafty. Our living room, kitchen and dining room are 26'x30' area and the house overall is 30x50'. The stove is nearly centered in this room on the outside wall and the stove pipe and chimney vent through the roof. The house sits on a full basement. There is one ceiling fan on a flat ceiling in the dining room area that is always on. We live in s/e Michigan in the country on 5 acres and predominantly burn ash as it is very plentiful thanks to the emerald ash borer. This set up heats our home nicely. Last winter the coldest temp and windchill was -41 and we were very comfortable. Our furnace never kicks on unless we plan it.
The stove does its job. there is a definite learning curve. Loading the stove to capacity and getting long burn times is where we are struggling. We have not had great success keeping steady heat but we have been very successful at cutting our propane use. We burned 200 gallons of propane in 13 months and that was our propane stove and water heater. We run our furnace a few times a season and when it is damp/humid warm out. It just doesn't draft well in those conditions. I have also found that burning light fires in that warm/damp/humid weather our chimney cap will plug up with creosote. All of our stove pipe cleanings have produced less than a half cup of dust or creosote. So the stove does burn clean and seems low maintenance. The stove pipe cleaning only happened when the chimney cap plugged. In the shoulder season we try to burn hot once a day as the manufacturer suggest. I'm currently thinking about a low cfm fan to run behind the stove to push the hot air around. If we want warmer air in the bedrooms we run a fan on the floor in the hallway blowing cold air at the stove and in turn hot air flows along the ceiling to the bedrooms. works perfectly. if the house gets to hot we run the furnace fan and open vents to the basement. Heating with wood is dirty. period. lol. We have 3 dogs and a wood stove and someone could vacuum everyday. if you can find someone to do it. lol but we love heating with wood. best of luck in your decision. PB

Another thought, check out how the door and door pins are attached to the stove. That is the one weak link I found on the hearth stone phoenix. Door pins are wore out. probably cost us a new door and pins.

 

[shoot-straight]

Yep. Our pins egged out our door hinge as well. My dealer stepped up and got them to do a warranty repair.

Again I had soapstone non cat and now a steel/cast cat. There are clear advantages and disadvantages to both. As to looks- I don't like tthe looks of many of the soapstone stoves on certain hearths. The stones are just too blue for my taste and wouldnt look right in my house. My hearthstone was not blue, but black and grey with brown and red streaks. I think my ashford fits my functional needs better than my hearthstone did but its not perfect either.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like you should post a review, in its own thread of course.

 

[shoot-straight]

I put some of the other comparisons between the two on page 1 of this thread.

 

[skookumchuck]

skookumchuck, do you have any more questions or should we call this thread a wrap?

Well, at this point in my discernment I'm really trying to figure out the most appropriate size stove for my needs. I don't want to overheat my living room but I'd like some heat to make it back to the bedroom-end of the floor. No offense to those who have voiced other preferences or are fond of their own stove, I'm leaning toward a soapstone non-cat. I have genuinely learned a lot from everyone who has posted here.

 

[skookumchuck]

we have the hearthstone phoenix in our 1500 sqft home. house was built in 1994. windows are just ok and there is about 6" of blown in insulation in the attic. I'd say our windows and patio door are fairly drafty. Our living room, kitchen and dining room are 26'x30' area and the house overall is 30x50'. The stove is nearly centered in this room on the outside wall and the stove pipe and chimney vent through the roof. The house sits on a full basement. There is one ceiling fan on a flat ceiling in the dining room area that is always on. We live in s/e Michigan in the country on 5 acres and predominantly burn ash as it is very plentiful thanks to the emerald ash borer. This set up heats our home nicely. Last winter the coldest temp and windchill was -41 and we were very comfortable. Our furnace never kicks on unless we plan it.
The stove does its job. there is a definite learning curve. Loading the stove to capacity and getting long burn times is where we are struggling. We have not had great success keeping steady heat but we have been very successful at cutting our propane use. We burned 200 gallons of propane in 13 months and that was our propane stove and water heater. We run our furnace a few times a season and when it is damp/humid warm out. It just doesn't draft well in those conditions. I have also found that burning light fires in that warm/damp/humid weather our chimney cap will plug up with creosote. All of our stove pipe cleanings have produced less than a half cup of dust or creosote. So the stove does burn clean and seems low maintenance. The stove pipe cleaning only happened when the chimney cap plugged. In the shoulder season we try to burn hot once a day as the manufacturer suggest. I'm currently thinking about a low cfm fan to run behind the stove to push the hot air around. If we want warmer air in the bedrooms we run a fan on the floor in the hallway blowing cold air at the stove and in turn hot air flows along the ceiling to the bedrooms. works perfectly. if the house gets to hot we run the furnace fan and open vents to the basement. Heating with wood is dirty. period. lol. We have 3 dogs and a wood stove and someone could vacuum everyday. if you can find someone to do it. lol but we love heating with wood. best of luck in your decision. PB

Polarbear, would you be willing to post or share privately a photo of the room where your stove is installed?

 

[Polarbear]

I'll get a pic up soon. not a problem.

Here are a couple pics. hope it helps. I took the pics from the hallway. hard to get a decent pic of the area. If you have any questions please ask. PB

 

[skookumchuck]

I'll get a pic up soon. not a problem.

Here are a couple pics. hope it helps. I took the pics from the hallway. hard to get a decent pic of the area. If you have any questions please ask. PB

View attachment 149349 View attachment 149350

Thanks for sharing those! I went to college not far from you, so I know how harsh the winters can be out there. Ours can be just as bad, or worse, though it's very dry here (even the snow is usually dry powder).

My situation is similar to yours. The main floor of the house is just shy of 1400 square feet. The stove would be placed against a small partition (doesn't go all the way to the ceiling) in the middle of an open area consisting of the living room, dining room, and kitchen. That area, which is about 560 square feet, has a vaulted ceiling, which is 9' 8" at its peak. There is a ceiling fan there.

I have no illusions about a stove completely eliminating the need for furnace use in the bedroom end of the house. But I'd like to heat as much of the house as I can without cooking us out of the living room.

I'm leaning heavily toward a Hearthstone, but I'm just trying to figure out what size would be best.

 

[Woody Stover]

I have no illusions about a stove completely eliminating the need for furnace use in the bedroom end of the house.

We just toss a down comforter on the bed in the cooler bedroom. If someone hangs out in their room, a small electric heater there. You should be able to keep the most-used living space warm with the stove.

 

[skookumchuck]

We just toss a down comforter on the bed in the cooler bedroom. If someone hangs out in their room, a small electric heater there. You should be able to keep the most-used living space warm with the stove.

Yeah, that's what I figure. I don't mind occasionally running the furnace a bit and closing all the dampers in the main living section to focus the heat in the bedrooms.

Really liking the Hearthstone Mansfield and Heritage. Time to choose!

 

[firefighterjake]

We just toss a down comforter on the bed in the cooler bedroom. If someone hangs out in their room, a small electric heater there. You should be able to keep the most-used living space warm with the stove.

The master bedroom is one of the cooler rooms in the house due to the way the heat curls around and goes up the stairwell to the second floor.

We don't spend a lot of time in there except to sleep though . . . and an electric blanket has made sleeping quite nice.

 

[Woody Stover]

an electric blanket has made sleeping quite nice.

I like the down comforter, can't believe how hot that thing is. Plus, I already give the power company enough money....and electro-magnetic and microwave radiation give me the creeps.

 

[firefighterjake]

I like the down comforter, can't believe how hot that thing is. Plus, I already give the power company enough money....and electro-magnetic and microwave radiation give me the creeps.

But you should see my nice mid-winter tan . . . well, maybe it's more like a burnt sienna orange look. I hear ya on the down though . . . very warm to be sure. I figure for the cost though, the electric blanket works fine for me.

 

[hamsey]

Reviving a sorta old thread but if you do not mind me asking what did you end up getting? Any insights. Currently in the same boat but with more square footage. It's between a Jotul F500 CF or Hearthstone heritage.

 

[begreen]

In Hearthstone I would go for the Mansfield or do you need rear vent?

 

[hamsey]

Need rear vent. Fireplace lintel is only 27"

 

[begreen]

Have you considered the Woodstock Progress Hybrid with the short leg option (no ashpan)?

 

[hamsey]

PH is what I keep going back to. If I can just figure out how to extend the hearth and keep it flush. That 4 1/2" overhang at the top back is proving really challenging for the install

 

[begreen]

Post a picture of the current setup including the full hearth. Maybe there is another option?

 

[skookumchuck]

Reviving a sorta old thread but if you do not mind me asking what did you end up getting? Any insights. Currently in the same boat but with more square footage. It's between a Jotul F500 CF or Hearthstone heritage.

I decided to purchase a Hearthstone Heritage. Ordered it a week ago and it should be in the shop within another week or so. Install will be shortly after that.

My reasons were as follows, in no particular order:

1. The most reputable local dealer carries a couple different brands, including Hearthstone. The shop has an excellent reputation in this community, and they provide excellent service down the road if issues arise.

2. I spent some time in a neighbor's house, and he has a Heritage. It heats much more space than I have, so it became clear that I don't need a Mansfield. In fact, a Heritage roaring at full capacity might be too much (for me, but not for my wife).

3. In the course of my research, which included this thread and mining this overall website for information, I gravitated toward the soapstones in general and the Heritage in particular. I spoke with some friends in my area who have had different types of stoves and prefer their soapstones over the others.

4. I like the way it looks, and this matters since it will be in my main living room. A "better looking" stove makes the wife happier, and anyone who is married knows that's important.

One of my neighbors has a Jotul and loves it. By cutting his propane bill in half, the stove paid for itself within a few years (lots of cheap/free firewood in our area). As you research, my advice is to spend time around each stove when it's operational (in someone's home, preferably). There's no substitute for the insight you'll gain by doing that.

I'm deeply grateful to everyone in this thread who took the time to answer and share viewpoints!

 

[countybrown]

I decided to purchase a Hearthstone Heritage. Ordered it a week ago and it should be in the shop within another week or so. Install will be shortly after that.

My reasons were as follows, in no particular order:

1. The most reputable local dealer carries a couple different brands, including Hearthstone. The shop has an excellent reputation in this community, and they provide excellent service down the road if issues arise.

2. I spent some time in a neighbor's house, and he has a Heritage. It heats much more space than I have, so it became clear that I don't need a Mansfield. In fact, a Heritage roaring at full capacity might be too much (for me, but not for my wife).

3. In the course of my research, which included this thread and mining this overall website for information, I gravitated toward the soapstones in general and the Heritage in particular. I spoke with some friends in my area who have had different types of stoves and prefer their soapstones over the others.

4. I like the way it looks, and this matters since it will be in my main living room. A "better looking" stove makes the wife happier, and anyone who is married knows that's important.

One of my neighbors has a Jotul and loves it. By cutting his propane bill in half, the stove paid for itself within a few years (lots of cheap/free firewood in our area). As you research, my advice is to spend time around each stove when it's operational (in someone's home, preferably). There's no substitute for the insight you'll gain by doing that.

I'm deeply grateful to everyone in this thread who took the time to answer and share viewpoints!

Great to hear that you made your decision after doing your research. If you really want to thank all of us, post lots of pictures when you get it installed and burning!