Help with sizing please

[48rob]

Hi,

I want to install a wood stove in my shop.
The area is 12 x 24, carved out of a 24 x 30 garage.
The stove will be placed in the middle of the 12 x 24 space, next to a 42" steel door that opens into the rest of the building.
The entire building is insulated.

The room 288 square feet is pretty small, though with the door open it is a little better at 720 square feet.
My desk/work space will be 7 feet from the front of the stove.

Small wood stoves seem to fit the bill, but after looking at some in person, the fireboxes are so small they'll barely hold kindling...

I'm in the building a couple hours in the morning, then home for lunch, then working a couple more hours in the evening.
The goal is to stay warm, but not be cooked out, and to have a fire that lasts longer than 2-3 hours.
I have a gas heater as backup, but don't want to have to start 3+ fires a day, or come out from the house several times a night.

A larger firebox would hold enough wood to leave coals for the morning, but will it burn at all in the daytime, or just smolder to keep the temps reasonably comfortable?

Thanks!

Rob

 

[madison]

Check with local authorities/building inspectors regarding wood stoves in garages, it may be a no-no.

 

[oldspark]

This comes up all the time about the code, do the codes that do not allow a wood burner in the garage allow a nipco type heater in there, and if they do is it because it is considered a portable heater.

 

[48rob]

Thanks for the help so far!

I'm not in an area governed by codes.
The insurance company may be a different set of issues...but for now, I'm just trying to determine if any of my ideas are realistic, or if I'm way off the mark.

Rob

 

[begreen]

I'd be tempted to try the new Englander VL-17 in this application. No track record yet, but from the description of the area to be heated and the affordable price, this is what I'd be considering.

http://www.overstockstoves.com/50tvl17--epa-certified-noncatalytic-wood-stove--1250171200.html

One thing not mentioned, what is the ceiling height?

 

[48rob]

The ceiling height is 8 feet.
8" of insulation in the ceiling, 3.5" in the walls.
There are 19 sq' of windows.
Floor is concrete.
I have a 25,000 BTU Warm Morning gas heater in it now that does a good job (shop section only) and will stay as backup heat.

Seems like I really don't need a "lot" of heating capacity, as the space is pretty easy to heat, what I do need though is the capacity for enough fuel to keep the fire going longer than 3-4 hours.
12 hours would be ideal, but 8-10 could be do able.

Rob

 

[begreen]

If the goal is long burns from a small stove it sounds like a small cat stove maybe the best bet then. Pricey for a shop heater though.

 

[48rob]

After looking at the prices for cat stoves...prompted by your reply, non cat looks like my only option, as money does play an important role here...
The stoves I've been looking at are in the $500-$600 range.

So, in short, I have to stay with a small stove to prevent overheating the space, and learn to deal with frequent reloads?

Going with a larger firebox for extended burn times will either cook me out of the building, or do nothing but smoke?
Turning down the inlet air won't allow a long burn with lower heat output no matter the size of the firebox?

Rob

 

[begreen]

There is only so much fuel in a small firebox. A wood stove is not going to burn like a gas stove. I would use an electric heater for that small space or a small vented, gas heater. If you want to go up a size to the 13NC, that stove will get longer burn times. But I think you will be using a fan to blow in cold air from the shop to stay comfortable. The 13NC is also on the linked site previously provided.

 

[48rob]

Begreen,

Thank you for your time and effort to explain all these things, it is appreciated!

Rob