New guy with a few questions...

[bsj425]

After filling up my fuel tank this week while heating oil is "low" and paying over $1,500 just to get it ALMOST HALF full I am going to bite the bullet and get a wood stove, heating oil is killing me. I am not looking into a wood stove as a primary heat source but just to supplement what we have and hopefully use the boiler as little as possible. Our home is 5 star rated so our fuel usage isn't bad in comparison to others but when it is 4.20+ a gallon its just ridiculous and I would rather spend my hard earned money on other things. So with that said our house is a 1,400 sq. foot single story ranch that is pretty open in the layout. The kitchen/ living room are completely open and are the largest part of the house so if I can heat those parts I will be more than satisfied.

I am going with a heatilator ecochoice WS22. I thought I had my plan figured out until I was referred to this site from one of the dealers since I am new to the wood stove scene. The house we had before this one had a fireplace so I am not new to wood burning or chimney maintenance. My question is this. I have ceramic tile flooring throughout the house. Do I really need a hearth? Everywhere I have read says no but the dealer says yes I am pretty sure they are just trying to sell me more crap. The second question is about the wall behind the stove. We are going with a corner install and the manufacturer says 3.5 inches from corner to wall. Is that assuming you have regular drywall or some kind of heat shield? Not really looking to burn my house down so want to get it done right. I am having it professionally installed so I am sure they will know but I just want to be sure and it seems like there is a wealth of knowledge here..

 

[begreen]

Greetings. Your best first stop for information will be the stove manual. It is downloadable at:
http://www.hearthnhome.com/downloads/installManuals/7057_128.PDF

The hearth info is on page 31. Do you know what is under the tile? Is it on cement board or a cement slab? If so, no additional hearth is required. If the tile is on wood, then it looks like they want a little more protection to reach R = .13. The corner clearances are 3.5" minimum, but it doesn't hurt to exceed the min. for greater safety. Note that in spite of the stove clearances, if single wall pipe is used it needs to be at least 18" from the nearest combustibles. It needs to be shielded to reduce this clearance. Or double wall pipe can be used for a 6" to combustibles clearance.

 

[soupy1957]

BeGreen has covered just about everything in his response, (nicely done, sir).........so I'll focus on type of stove and some general observations:

-Considering the smaller size of your home, and the "single level" factor, it isn't going to take much to heat up your house.
-Presuming you DO live at the "North Pole" in "Alaska," as your info says, ......you'll need a good supply of wood, seasoned and ready. Hopefully you got started on this already.....winter will come to you sooner than me.
-There are differences that you will notice right away, between a fireplace fire (insert or not), and a stand-alone wood stove fire. For one thing, you'll get better heat saturation.

Some other thoughts:
A. Keep some water on the stove in a steamer pot.
B. Consider an EcoFan for pulling up that cold air pocket that can
develop behind the stove.
C. Don't burn trash or painted/treated wood
D. Do (either yourself, since you say you have the knowledge, or a professional)
at least 'annual' chimney cleanings.
E. Stick with hard woods for winter heat.
F. Newsprint pages (black-n-white) are worth saving and using.
G. Super Cedars and/or Fatwood are worth keeping around.
H. Have a fire extinquisher nearby at all times.
I. Teach the family how to help keep things going and safe.

-Soupy1957

 

[snowleopard]

Good advice given above. Don't forget to get started (if you haven't yet) on your firewood supply for this winter and next. I recommend that you consider putting up enough wood for a worst-case scenario--maybe four cords--so that if something happens, you're not scrambling for wood in March. You read about that happening surprisingly often here.

If you can aim for at least half of that as seasoned birch, and the rest dry spruce/aspen/cottonwood, it should do you. Know that you'll be burning through your supply a little faster until you get a feel for your heating system (stove/wood/house working together as a unit).

You should have no problem meeting your goals for heating that space, and with some circulation boosts, warming the rest of the house as well. I would venture a guess that the fuel oil you bought will get you through the winter, assuming adequate wood supply.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[bsj425]

Thanks for the replies first off I dont live at THE north pole I live in the town of North Pole, Alaska which is in the interior near Fairbanks. Our winter usually starts at mid- end of October and goes until May. In that period I would say the average temp is around -20ish with -40 to -50 streaks not being uncommon. As for the sub-floor we currently have radiant heating so there is plywood then all of the tubing and that is cemented over then the tiles. I still will probably build a hearth for aesthetic reasons but was more concerned with the sheetrock behind the stove more so than the floor under it. I will be burning primarily birch. I already started the wood collecting process and have about 7 chord of birch split and stacked. I will probably buy some wood to get started since I know it will not be properly seasoned yet. And for the air circulation we got the fan kit that mounts on the wood stove and pushes it out into the room. The stove we got is more than capable then heating the entire house I am just saying if I can heat the kitchen/ living room area I will be satisfied and anything more will be a bonus.. Again thanks for the replies there is tons of info here.

 

[shawneyboy]

One other thing not mentioned, look into a chimney fire extinguishing device, (chimflex type thing). Make sure all parties within the house know and understand when, god forbid it is needed, and how to use it.

Shawn

 

[firefighterjake]

Random thoughts . . .

North Pole, Alaska . . . Been there on the way north to The Arctic Circle -- and of course did the tourist thing and stopped at the Santa shop or whatever the name of it was called.

Hearth . . . sounds like you're OK with the cement and then tile -- but I think you would be wise to go with a hearth for both the aesthetics and extra margin of safety. I mean no one has ever exceeded the code or stove manufacturer's minimum standards and then regretted it to my knowledge . . . vs. folks who have just met the minimums and then have posted frantic messages here asking folks as to what temp do they feel is too hot on the wall or floor . . . or worse the folks who do the install according to what they think would work or look best despite what the manufacturer says is the minimum. My own belief is to over-build and over-exceed and then sleep easily at night.

Sheetrock behind the stove . . . it may get warm and many folks get alarmed at how warm it can get -- but as long as you've met the minimum clearances or even exceeded them you should be fine. If you are truly a worrier you can reduce temps even more with some sheet metal and spacers.

Chord = a musical term. Cord = a wood term. Better to learn this early or face the "wrath" of the Wood Cutting Horde. OK, just kidding . . . but there is a difference.

Wood: Wood is good. Seasoned wood is better. It's good that you're getting wood already and are even thinking about buying wood, but buying wood may not automatically translate into buying seasoned wood even if the sellers says it is seasoned. "Seasoned" is a subjective term. Better to ask the seller when the wood was cut and split. Best is to be able to determine what the moisture content of the wood is before unloading the wood. Some folks may consider "seasoned" wood to be cut in the winter and split up last week . . . most folks here would suggest the wood should be under x percent moisture content . . . or barring that 8-12 months of having the wood cut AND split (more time for some species and less time for others . . . and a lot depends on the weather and the local climate.)

Moving the heat: A well known tip here is to help circulate the heat produced by a stove by taking a floor fan and blowing it towards the stove . . . it sounds counter productive, but what it does is blow the cool air near the floor towards the hot stove where it is heated and as the hot air rises it flows out to replace the cooler air which has sunk to the floor. This helps set up an artificial air current if you would that actually can help move the heat in a home.

Supplemental heat: Hehheh . . . that's how a lot of us folks started out or thought we would start out . . .until the price of heating oil and the ease of use made us realize that heating full time was in some ways even easier than having to constantly relight a fire. Myself . . . I started out thinking I would just burn on weekends and evenings . . . after a week or so of burning I realized I could burn full time pretty easily and just rely on my oil heating system as a back up.

Wood: Did I mention that having more wood than less wood is good. Get as much wood as you can get . . . no one complains about having too much wood left over in March or April. Newbies may be found here in the Spring though wishing they had bought or scrounged more wood as they are close to running out.

Speaking of Safety: Take the time to learn your stove. Thermometers are useful. Next to folks installing their stoves wrong the biggest issue I see with woodstoves is the improper disposal of wood ash -- treat all wood ash as if there is a coal inside.

 

[woodchip]

Newbies may be found here in the Spring though wishing they had bought or scrounged more wood as they are close to running out.

Been there, so know the importance of having too much wood (you can never have too much wood)..................

And a warm welcome from another happy birch burner

 

[snowleopard]

Wood:
Wood is good.
Seasoned wood is better.
It's good . . . you're getting wood
already . . .
even thinking about buying wood,
but buying wood may not translate . . .
into buying seasoned wood
even if the sellers says it is seasoned.

Better to ask the seller
when the wood was cut and split. . .
more wood than less wood is good.
Get as much wood as you can get . . . .

Jake, can you sing that? ("Rejects, I've had a few, but then again . . . ") I'll strike a cord . . .

 

[bsj425]

For air circulation I got the fan kit to attach to the back of the stove and we have known about the fan pointed towards the stove we use to do that at our old house with the fireplace.. I was told I should get an outside air kit mostly because:

5. Set-up an outside air intake pipe that pre-heats the combustion air bringing it from outside directly to your stove. Otherwise you are just sucking cold air into your house (the Qty. of air that leaves your chimney has to be replaced by something, and in fairbanks in January that will be awfully cold air leaking into your house around windows and doors if you don't supply the stove combustion air from outside.

However my house is less than 10 years old 5 star rated and sealed VERY well there is no drafts anywhere to speak of however I do have an HRV system that brings fresh air into the house. So is the outside air kit still necessary? If not that would be great since that is another expense I can cut out of the process the kit isnt very much but the installation is what will get ya. My HRV brings in plenty of fresh air when the system is on.

 

[snowleopard]

I also assumed I would need an OAK, but was advised by my installers to wait, told that they could turn into icedam nightmares. I waited, and will never install one. Very happy with the function of my stove without it. My house is overtight, without an HRV, and the stove actually increases the air turnover in the house. The air that is pulled in does not make the house uncomfortable. I did not install a fan on the back of my stove, also on the dealer's advice. Wait and see what you need, and I didn't need that. Internal circulation and the radiant heat of my stove keeps the place warm in the winter.

The stove also dries my house out, which I needed. I had too much moisture inside, and with the stove, the house is much more comfortable. You should talk to the HRV installers; they can probably adjust the unit to allow for air intake as well as to help with circulation inside your home. Unless you can't add these things later, the course of wisdom is to wait and see what you need.

 

[bsj425]

I was thinking along those lines since both the fan kit and OAK can be added later if needed. My HRV is a pretty hi tech unit with a LED screen and buttons I can program its air intake and all that it currently is set so it kicks on when the air inside reaches a certain humidity level so I can always tinker with that and see how it functions.. Up in these parts we are only a couple months away from fire weather!

 

[leeave96]

I looked at an online brochure of the stove you are buying - is looks like a good stove. The 2.7 cu in firebox ought to be plenty for your sq footage - given your insulation quality.

Good luck with your install.

Bill

 

[bsj425]

That was the main reason why I got it was the size it takes 22 inch logs and has that nice big glass window so see the fire and radiate the heat off of.

 

[rogerandbridget]

Hello New Guy

Follow the installers Manuel to the "T". Make sure your installer knows what he is doing, best if the sales location does both. The installer is by far responsible for the correct practices. In many instances there are permits and inspections and MOST inspectors will go by the book......the installers book. Not every stove is made the same, but they all have ul listed install requirements......tile floors are fine as long as the tile has a non flammable underlayment ( at least in our county). Biggest rule of thumb......err on the side of caution!

 

[pen]

I agree with Roger and always recommend that the homeowner do a little homework (as you are here) and come up with a few "quiz" questions for the installer that you can ask him such as "how are you planning to get the required r-value of "X." Throwing a few questions in or even saying "I am so excited to share the progress of the hearth with pictures to a few friends who are really into stoves and installs!" Will help to keep the installer on his toes.

pen

 

[woodchip]

+1 there.

I have often asked people questions to which I already know the answer, it is a quick way to find out if they know what they are doing.... ;-)