Insert size for 1400sf house?

[Sprigger]

Hey everyone, I'm new here but have been reading over old threads trying to find some information. I have had lopi inserts in all of my older houses that I have lived in but have never gave much attention to the size of the stove and if it was actually sized right for the house. We have recently bought a house and I am looking for a insert to install. The thing that is throwing me off with this house is that it has 14' vaulted ceilings throughout most of the home and it is a longer, narrower house. The stove would be located pretty much in the middle of the home. At this time it also has single pane windows and a lot of them. I am located in central California so we don't get supper cold like most of you. I have been looking at the Lopi Revere along with the Pacific Energy Summit and Super, I also found a used Regency I3100 for sale that is used. I would feel comfortable with the mid sized stoves if it wasn't for the vaulted ceilings. Any ideas or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[USMC80]

are you looking to heat the whole house? How many square?

 

[Sprigger]

Yes I would like to heat the entire house, 1400sf.

 

[USMC80]

So your set on a insert and not a freestanding stove? What are your fireplace dimensions?

 

[Sprigger]

Yeah want to stick with an insert, the fireplace dimensions are 23 deep, 34 1/2 wide at the front, 30 1/4 wide at the back, 24 tall from the front to about 20 to the back before it starts to drop. Just checked the specs on the Regency and its calling for 25" for the height, which will be a problem.

 

[begreen]

Something in the 2 cu ft range would be more than adequate for your climate conditions. You are looking at a good group of stoves.

 

[USMC80]

That's a decent size fireplace, many inserts should fit. I hear great things about the summit, not sure if that would be overkill though for 1400sq.

 

[Sprinter]

Welcome to the forum. Stick around a bit and there are a lot of insert experts here that will be responding.

If you can install a ceiling fan in the vaulted space and run it in reverse (air flow upward), that can help distribute the ceiling air a lot. I do that in my house. Probably a mid size around 2 cf such as Pacific Energy's Super would work fine in your climate. The big ones would likely be overkill, but it is possible to keep the fires small in them. Insulation and draftiness can be a factor, though. Beefed up insulation and new windows can go a long way.

What are you doing for wood? Do you have a source of truly dry wood (less than 25% moisture content)?

 

[Sprigger]

I have access to more wood than I would ever need and most of it has been sitting for over 2 years. I'm leaning towards the Summit, I just don't want to over do it.

 

[stovelark]

Hi Sprigger, 1400 sqft with vaulted ceilings sounds more like 2000 or more sqft at 8ft ceilings, which stove ratings are for, keep that in mind. Having said that, if in a milder climate a good midsized insert should do nicely, like the PE's or mid size Regency you mentioned. Good luck.

 

[Sprigger]

Thank you for the info. I did some measuring today and found the ceiling height to be 12'. I still like the idea of a bigger stove, but I don't know if I can control these newer EPA stoves like I used to be able to with the old Lopi's. I also rounded up a 12' section of a stainless linner which would be about 16" short, do u think I could get away with using that?

 

[Grisu]

Hello Sprigger,

I agree with BeGreen a stove of 2 to 2.5 cu ft should be sufficient for your climate. For comparison, I have a PE Super insert with 2 cu ft firebox and heat about 1300 sqft in Vermont (!) with it. Our house is not (yet) really well insulated. If you are unsure because of your high ceilings I would look at some inserts in the 2.3 to 2.5 cu ft range like the Enviro 1700 series, Regency I2400 or the Osburn 2000/Matrix.
Another option to think about would be a catalytic insert. They allow better heat regulation and have longer burn times. You can run them lower during the not so cold months but get more heat out of them when it gets really cold. The BlazeKing Princess or a Buck Model 20 would be possibilities there.

 

[jharkin]

Similar to Grisu, I have no problem heating 1400sf of old drafty house in Boston with a 2.3cf stove. on the coldest Jan days when it dips into the single digits we might need a space heater in the farthest upstairs room to get it to 70, but otherwise can comfortably heat the entire joint. On mild fall days (high 30/low40s) the stove can easily bake us out of the living room and go 10hr on a load.

 

[Sprigger]

I should also say that we are thinking about adding on to this house at some point in the future. Would the summit just be too much? Or could I just run it cool. Also trying figure out if this linner I have would work even though it's about a foot short.

 

[Grisu]

I should also say that we are thinking about adding on to this house at some point in the future. Would the summit just be too much? Or could I just run it cool. Also trying figure out if this linner I have would work even though it's about a foot short.

That is the problem with a non-catalytic insert: If you run it too cool most of the time you have an incomplete burn and more risk of creosote accumulation and a chimney fire. The proper routine would be to burn small, hot fires instead. Of course, that kind of contradicts the purchase of a large insert in the first place. A catalytic insert may be your best option then.
How cold does it usually get in your place in the winter? Thirties? Twenties? What did you use for heating before? Any possibility to add that up to determine how much stove you may need?

In the end, you must feel comfortable with your decision. We can only speak from our experiences but you know your house and climate best.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Sprigger, I think you should buy the largest, best looking insert that you find after much research, I have a medium size insert that fits my needs, but they are much smaller than yours, go big and get something that you will enjoy viewing, you need a house heater, I don't, good luck and keep learning, many will help so learn as much as you can so you will be comfortable buying,,,

 

[begreen]

I think the 2 cu ft PE will handle it fine, even with the addition. What is the coldest temp you will see? Average temps are in the 50's and 40s in mid-winter, right?

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

I think the liner should be a foot too long and then you cut it to size, you can't skimp on something like this....

 

[tickbitty]

I have a Lopi Republic 1750i (basically the same as the Lopi revere without the nice door) and I heat a somewhat drafty brick rancher that is over 1400 sq feet. It's a little over a 2 sq foot firebox. We love it and it's just the right size for us and our house - it sticks out of the fireplace enough to look and act more like a freestanding stove.
We do fine with it, and can stay pretty toasty, but we supplement with the heat pump since there are long periods when nobody is home to load the stove.

 

[Grisu]

Regarding your liner: Is it correct that you only have 13 ft of chimney? In your climate that may not be enough. PE recommends 15 ft minimum height although I get away with 13 ft. Nevertheless, my temp difference is much higher and therefore I do not have draft problems. In your case, I would suggest extending the chimney to 15 ft when you are at it anyway. Sticking with a PE may also be a good idea as they usually have good draft compared with some other stoves.