Intro and Ice Storm

[torn8o]

Hey all - - great forum here.

From Missouri here, the land of ice and no electricity. The storm last weekend has been completely devastating. I don't know if there's any way to even explain it. My mother in St. Joseph has no power, heat, water, nothing. And her property is a mass of twisted wreckage that used to be beautiful trees. The whole thing has reminded me of the utility ... and often necessity ... for a good wood stove. She stayed for a couple of nights with friends who also have no power, but have wood heat ... and they are toasty warm, cooking meals, boiling water, and surviving just fine. Here in Kansas City, we were extremely lucky, as it just happened that we stayed a degree above freezing during the worst of the storm. Absolutely everywhere else around us has experienced catastrophic levels of damage. We have plenty of ice, but not enough to be as destructive as the surrounding areas.

Anyway, we always had a stove growing up and back then I dreaded the trips to harvest wood, split it, season it, stack it, take out ashes, etc. But now I look back on those days fondly and am in the market for a new stove. Going to fit something in a large stone fireplace and have enjoyed reading all of the posts and opinions in here. Any advice is certainly welcome. Lived around stoves for years and had no idea how clueless I was till I started reading this forum!

Best,
Mike

Edit - PS ... if you'd like to see any of the photos of the storm, check out the thread in this forum: http://stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14536
I'm a storm chaser and weather nut, so we share crazy stories in there. My mom's place is the one in the photos on the top of page 2 of that thread.

 

[CountryGal]

Welcome to the forum! I have a brother in SW Missouri (Billings) and he has a back up generator -- used it alot in January when they were without power for several days.

 

[webbie]

Good to hear from ya!

Let us know the particulars - fireplace size, type, heating area, etc. as you go along further and we will mention some brands and ideas.
Also, look around the forum, wiki and main informational articles.

 

[torn8o]

Thanks much -

The fireplace size is 34"H x 39"W x 14"D.

The living area (upstairs) is somewhere under 2k ft. Bungalow style with a basement. House was built in the 20s, and the fireplace is ancient. I've been repairing masonry on it myself and a friend who works as a chim sweep/inspector is coming over for a cleaning and inspection next week. I've been going back and forth between an insert and a stove that would fit in the space (with a plate over the flue). I would really like a bit of top space for the stove outside of the fireplace to give some cooking area and to boil water.

I'm all ears for any suggestions ... thanks in advance!

 

[Gibbonboy]

I've got my 1400 in the fireplace. I've never personally had an insert, but I've been around a few, and I can say that I would go the stove route. Not sure what your set-up space looks like, I had to extend the current hearth out another 16 inches, and try to get that stove greased up right to get it set in just so. But it is really nice to boil water or cook dinner on if there's no power. Of course, our gas range works without electricity, but it's always nice to have options. We normally only burn that stove during the fall and spring, but once in a while it's nice to actually WATCH a fire burn.

 

[Greg Ray]

Welcome,,,,, Mike, Have a brother that lived in Springfield Missouri last year and was without power for 2 weeks during the ice storm. He got by with his wood stove fine. I was thinking of buying a pellet stove because of the wife liked it,,, but changed my mind because of the the power and cost of pellets. Hope the family is getting by now!! My brother moved to Tulsa OK this spring, and he found a place with a insert in the fireplace so he bought it. As you know much of Tulsa Ok is without power now. I hope to have my Lopi REVERE installed next week! Lot of good people on here to help you out on your heating needs! Good Luck Greg

 

[webbie]

Given a fireplace that short, a stove on the hearth AND part way back into the fireplace, with the plate located up at the top of the fireplace (we have an article that shows you how to do that) might be a good idea. Either that, or if you want the insert look, get an insert that sticks out part way (with panels, etc.)

We call such a stove "A Hearth Stove".
https://www.hearth.com/gallery/pics/woodcoal/source/hearthstonefp.html
https://www.hearth.com/gallery/pics/woodcoal/source/castine123.html

A lot of advantages, including more efficiency and no blower needed.

Head over to the gallery and dig around:
https://www.hearth.com/gallery/pics/woodcoal/index.html

also check out the article in the popular link in my sig on "choosing a wood stove.

That should get you started.

 

[torn8o]

Terrific - I'll get started.

By the way ... anyone aware of some sort of pre-made hearth pads that can fit over the top of an existing hearth? I would like something that extends out a bit further than the current hearth out onto the wood floor in front of the fireplace. The brick hearth is very old and I think it would improve the looks and logistics of setting a stove if I had a larger hearth (I just don't want to lay tile!).

Oh, and Springfield got nailed last year. Missouri is starting to get these storms relatively frequently, seems like. Tulsa is a total disaster as well right now. OKC isn't much better off. KC had a bad one in '02 when half a million people went without power for days and days. Some went for weeks and weeks. I knew one with no power for two months. I'd take a tornado any day -

 

[jpl1nh]

Hey all - - great forum here.

From Missouri here, the land of ice and no electricity. The storm last weekend has been completely devastating. I don't know if there's any way to even explain it. My mother in St. Joseph has no power, heat, water, nothing. And her property is a mass of twisted wreckage that used to be beautiful trees. The whole thing has reminded me of the utility ... and often necessity ... for a good wood stove. She stayed for a couple of nights with friends who also have no power, but have wood heat ... and they are toasty warm, cooking meals, boiling water, and surviving just fine. Here in Kansas City, we were extremely lucky, as it just happened that we stayed a degree above freezing during the worst of the storm. Absolutely everywhere else around us has experienced catastrophic levels of damage. We have plenty of ice, but not enough to be as destructive as the surrounding areas.

Anyway, we always had a stove growing up and back then I dreaded the trips to harvest wood, split it, season it, stack it, take out ashes, etc. But now I look back on those days fondly and am in the market for a new stove. Going to fit something in a large stone fireplace and have enjoyed reading all of the posts and opinions in here. Any advice is certainly welcome. Lived around stoves for years and had no idea how clueless I was till I started reading this forum!

Best,
Mike

Edit - PS ... if you'd like to see any of the photos of the storm, check out the thread in this forum: http://stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14536
I'm a storm chaser and weather nut, so we share crazy stories in there. My mom's place is the one in the photos on the top of page 2 of that thread.

WOW, some unbelievable photos! There's gonna be lots of free firewood! Welcome

 

[elkbelch]

Hey Mike I am down here in Pleasant Hill. I just bought a Quadrafire insert from Complete Home Concepts in Lee's Summit in September.
It has been doing quite well for us so far. There are a few other stores in The KC area they all seemed ready to help and very knowadgeable.

Elkbelch

 

[JimWalshin845]

I'd nix a insert and go with a stove... better output and easier to regulate. You should be able to use cementous board and a nice tile to make your own hearth extension. First you have to decide what stove, hearth specs come from the stove specs.

Welcome aboard!

 

[JBinKC]

Was very lucky I only got a 3/4" coating of ice out of 3"' of precipitation on Saturday morning and escaped with very little damage.

 

[torn8o]

Yeah, I think I'm leaning more toward a stove at this point. Such a large selection of them these days! ... My dad actually built ours when I was a kid. Solid steel - the thing literally weighed a ton. But our home was always warm! He was a real handyman who was the biggest do-it-yourselfer I ever knew. The stoves on the market now all seem so small by comparison ... I want something airtight that I can set and leave while I'm at work or overnight.

Lots of good links posted that I'm going through - thank you for the suggestions. JB - glad the lake was spared so far this year. You guys took it on the chin last winter. Of course, we still have a lot of winter to get through.

Some new ice storm photos have been posted in the thread I mentioned earlier. Lots of cool photography rolling in -

 

[JBinKC]

Frye as long as you have a place to store the wood it sure makes sense to get a stove for next burning season with all of this potential free firewood which could make your payback 2 burning seasons.


I agree with the stove option as you get more heat out of it. I would also oversize the stove some to the area you are considering to heat.

 

[torn8o]

Yeah - totally agree, JB.

There is supposed to be a group getting together on Saturday to cut, but it's looking more and more like a no-go to me. We have a shot at 7 fresh inches of the white stuff between now and then. We're right on the edge of a possible band of 9", so I wouldn't be surprised if we got more out of this storm than currently predicted. There's an enormous amount of moisture available to this storm. Long and short of it is ... we're going to get dumped on tomorrow!

But yeah - as soon as we have the chance, I'm going to be out with a chainsaw. My brother and I have plenty just on our family property to cut and stack for next year. There will be more than enough for an entire season - and my guess is there will be tons of free stuff for the taking as well out of this. You can bet I'll be taking advantage of it.