The stove I have will heat up to 2000sqft I have a 1300 sqft house. I know I won't need to run to stove wide open. But I don't want a smoldering fire either. If burn smaller fires will I need to close the damper a little to keep the heat in?
How can I use a large stove in a smaller house?
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jtp10181
Minister of Fire
How well insulated is the house? Many times stoves estimated heating capacity is for a well insulated house at moderatly cold temps outside.
burntime
New Member
Or to clarify, manufacturer ratings are bs, use it as a guide only, you are better to go by firebox size.
Not very well insulated especially in the room where the stove is going. Actually I'm not sure if its insulation or the drafty windows or both but the room is always cold. So I decided to put the stove in that room and try to circulate the heat though the rest of the house.
I will measure the fire box. Maybe this will help until then it's the biggest fisher stove you could buy (Papa bear, Grandpa bear) not sure which is bigger. The outside measurements are 30in high, 23in wide, 28in deep.
I will measure the firebox tommorrow and post it
I will measure the fire box. Maybe this will help until then it's the biggest fisher stove you could buy (Papa bear, Grandpa bear) not sure which is bigger. The outside measurements are 30in high, 23in wide, 28in deep.
I will measure the firebox tommorrow and post it
In my workshop (all 320 square feet of it, with 10 ft. ceilings), I have a stove that the manufacturer claims will heat 2000 square feet of living space. All I can tell you is that I'm glad I'm not trying to live comfortably in that 2000 square feet. My workshop will get downright toasty if I want it to...a little ceiling fan does its essential part, as well...but I don't run the stove full-tilt all the time, I watch the stovepipe temp, and I don't ever burn little wimpy smoldering nasty creosote-forming fires. Put the stove in and figure out how to burn in it and live with it...it ain't rocket science. :wow: Rick
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
You can do either of 2 things.
Burn smaller hot fires, damper down after hot and you should not have a problem with creosote, as long as your burning dry wood.
Or, get a hot fire going with good coals, then load large splits in. They will burn longer without heating you out of the house.
Burn smaller hot fires, damper down after hot and you should not have a problem with creosote, as long as your burning dry wood.
Or, get a hot fire going with good coals, then load large splits in. They will burn longer without heating you out of the house.
You can have a small fire in a big stove, but not the other way around.
You can get an easy overnight burn in a big stove, but not in a small stove.
You can burn longer, fatter, and more misshapen pieces of wood in a bigger firebox.
I've never heard anyone say "I sure wish I'd bought a smaller stove," but a quick read of just a few posts here will catch someone saying they wish they had opted for a larger one.
Bigger is better, so be happy. You can always crack a window if it gets too warm.
You can get an easy overnight burn in a big stove, but not in a small stove.
You can burn longer, fatter, and more misshapen pieces of wood in a bigger firebox.
I've never heard anyone say "I sure wish I'd bought a smaller stove," but a quick read of just a few posts here will catch someone saying they wish they had opted for a larger one.
Bigger is better, so be happy. You can always crack a window if it gets too warm.
Let's remember we are talking about an old Fisher stove here folks. Maybe Dave_1 will chime in with sage advice on how to burn it.
BrotherBart said:
BB, it's tough to remember something I never knew. Heck, these days it's tough to remember things I did know. On second thought, I suppose I'm beginning to remember lots of things I never knew. Anyway...what's special about an old Fisher stove? I'm curious, and want to learn...even though I'll probably forget and remember something I didn't learn. :-S Rick
One thing to remember, if you can manage it sailor, is not to throttle that sucker down too much unless you like having flames shooting out of your chimney and the fire department pulling heavy trucks up on your nice manicured lawn one of these nights.
Dem old pups just don't burn as 'fficiently as the da new ones and what dey don't burn be linin yur smoke stack.
And your house looks like the Titanic leaving port.
That is, of course, unless you are Dave_1.
Dem old pups just don't burn as 'fficiently as the da new ones and what dey don't burn be linin yur smoke stack.
And your house looks like the Titanic leaving port.
That is, of course, unless you are Dave_1.
BrotherBart said:
Titanic burned coal. At least for a few weeks. Flames shooting out of my chimney doesn't sound like it would be as much fun to deal with as it might be to watch. I don't have a manicured lawn, but I don't really want the fire department to pull heavy trucks onto my property for any reason. Whoever Dave_1 is, I hope he checks in, as it sounds as if he's the oracle of Fisher stoves. I'll try to remember if I ever come across an old Fisher stove and decide I want to recommission it. Thanks, soldier. Rick
fossil said:
Yeah he is the Fisher wizard. And I just HAVE to get better with the smileys. :red:
On a similar topic - I purchased a pellet stove that will go up to 60,000 btu's. My house is 2000 s.f. and I know that is alot but I 'think' I would rather burn it below top throttle than push a smaller stove to max. Am I on the right track?
Highbeam
Minister of Fire
I do agree I would rather have a stove big enough that if I needed a big fire I could make one and not worry about over firing. I have thought about adding more bricks but haven't decided if I want to. That is something I could do anytime I do need to replace some so I may buy some extra just in case
RedRanger
New Member
no man said:
Look: it has taken me a long time to figure it out. and it is like this. toss that junk!! you can get a cheapie epa certified insert or stove for $800 and up. I didn`t believe the hype about less wood burned? more heat output? now that I have one, I certainly do. Just do the sensible thing and get rid of that dragon....
Well thats not going to happen I'm not going to get rid of the stove and buy a new one. I'm a strong believer in older things are build better, stronger, and last longer than the new junk that is out there today. If you take care of it and use it right it will perform just as good if not better than the new. I'm sure this stove will be the same. I have a 30yr old chainsaw never been rebuild and it runs better than my neighbors new saw, I have a 20yr old blazer 190,000 miles the most i"ve had to do to it is shocks. I can go on but I'm just trying to show if its kept in good shape and used right you will not be disappointed.
no man, funny that you are saying that to sonnybc. He had the same attitude and has recently learned that some progress has been made with newer stoves and that there are still companies out there that build new stoves with integrity. In many cases, particularly when you are looking at extracting more heat from the wood and cleaner burning, the new stoves have left the old burners in the dust or smoke as the case may be.
no man said:
No man - that old Fisher is built like a tank for sure. It probably only has about a 100 yr life expectancy. That being said, the advancements in the newer EPA cert. stoves is a FAR CRY better than that old dragon. Your wood usage will go DRASTICALLY down, your heat output from the reduced consumption will actually INCREASE over the Fisher, and the safety advantage of an EPA stove compared to the Fisher is dramatic unless you are VERY meticulous with that old stove. Using the term "new junk that is out there today" is very unfair to the quality stoves that are out there (and there are many).
I would compare my stove to a Fisher in any way. The build, the beauty, the efficiency, the life expectancy, any comparison you wish. This is not a challenge, just an example of the old v.s. new mindset of stoves. And the Fisher simply WILL NOT perform better than the new. I will even go as far as to claim that it will not perform as well.
This is NOT an attack, it is also not a recommendation to conform to any ones "vision", but reality it is.
That old Fisher is a heck of a hunk of burnin' love, built heavy, strong and very well, but I surely wouldn't call it "better".
Hogwildz
Minister of Fire
Every time I hear someone boast of their "better built" older stove, I look over at my Summit and get a little twinkle in my eye......Ding
Here is a simple analogy:
Compare that 20 yr old Blazer to a comparable newer vehicle, hows that Blazer on fuel consumption vs. miles?
Same goes for newer stoves. Matter of fact, why even have a computer & internet? Won't your telegraph out perform the computer?
Ugga Ugga
Here is a simple analogy:
Compare that 20 yr old Blazer to a comparable newer vehicle, hows that Blazer on fuel consumption vs. miles?
Same goes for newer stoves. Matter of fact, why even have a computer & internet? Won't your telegraph out perform the computer?
Ugga Ugga
Adios Pantalones
Minister of Fire
Old stove will keep chugging along- but it will use more wood, give more smoke, and more worries about what's in your chimney. Really- look at new stoves and you'll see that they aren't high tech monsters with moving parts- they're simple and more efficient.
Less wood, less creosote, more heat...
Less wood, less creosote, more heat...
Henz
New Member
you sure as hell can. My house, not well insulated is 1300sqft and I am running the Avalon Olympic which states that it is adaquate for a 2500sqft house. And it works well. I had the Rainier before, wasent quite up to heating my drafty house. Been eliminating the drafts though too
Boy I really got hammered for that one. I do agree new car bet better gas milage I guess I was looking people
I now and how much money they have had to put in it. I read about new stoves and they said every six
years you need to replace parts so they keep burning clean. I looked at it and thought why should
I spend 700 or 800 on a stove then in a few years spend more on replacing parts. Maybe what I read was not right.
I guess I can't say I'll never give up the old stove I'm not attached to it and after this next season if I don't like
the appitite of the stove I probably will by a new one when they go on sale. Thanks for pumling me with messages
you guys really made me think about it for a while
I now and how much money they have had to put in it. I read about new stoves and they said every six
years you need to replace parts so they keep burning clean. I looked at it and thought why should
I spend 700 or 800 on a stove then in a few years spend more on replacing parts. Maybe what I read was not right.
I guess I can't say I'll never give up the old stove I'm not attached to it and after this next season if I don't like
the appitite of the stove I probably will by a new one when they go on sale. Thanks for pumling me with messages
you guys really made me think about it for a while
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