Northern California Stove Options

[Heftiger]

Hi all!

I'm new to the forums and new to the idea of wood heat. I have been reading extensively and would appreciate some insight.

Last October I bought a house in Northern California; the coldest climate I've ever lived in (I've lived in California all my life). The house came with an Efel oil burning stove. Last year I went through 300 gallons of oil and spent about $650, plus whatever I spend in propane for supplemental heating. This year I filled up my 150 gallon tank for the winter and spent $620! There's no way this is going to fly, I need a better solution. I'm thinking wood.

Here's my dilemma. I've never used wood heat before so I don't know what to look for in a good stove. But here is my wish list.

1) Long burns. I definitely want an all night burn. Additionally, I'm gone all day and my wife refuses to touch the wood. So I need something that I can wake up at 4:30 in the morning and put some wood on (and the coals be hot enough that I don't need to re-light the stove) and it should last until I get home again at 6:00pm.
2) Aesthetic. The stove is basically the center-piece of our living area. I know that Blaze King seems ideal for long burns, but IMHO they're butt ugly. Is there anything that even comes close to the BK and also looks good?
3) Durable. This stove is going to be an investment for me, and I would hate to buy something that requires a lot of upkeep or replacement after just a few years of work.
4) I don't necessarily need a behemoth. I'm heating a 1600 sq. ft. house. The stove is in the main living area which is very open (maybe about 700+ sq. ft) and has vaulted ceilings. I would like to use the stove as my primary heat and not have to use my propane central heat except for backup.


So what are your recommendations? Is there something with the features of the BK but looks prettier? Would the BK be too much heating for me anyways? I read something about somebody refusing to buy a sheet metal stove (the BK), should that be a concern of mine?

Thanks in advance for your help. This website has already been a great resource for me!

 

[Todd]

Welcome to the forum. For the long burns your looking for your going to need a cat stove and the Blaze King has the longest I know of. Did you look at the BK Chinook? It's more contemporary looking than the standard black box Blaze King and boasts 30 hour burns. Another stove to consider is the new Woodstock Progress Hybrid, it's their new larger stove but can also be turned down to a low slow 16+ hour burn. The combination of soapstone and catalytic technology makes for a gentle even heat output that doesn't blast you out like steel stoves. Check them out at www.woodstove.com

 

[SlyFerret]

Your wife's attitude about the stove will change once she experiences it. By the end of the first month, I bet she is willing to reload it when whe wants some more of that wonderful radiant heat that warms you to the bone.

-SF

 

[fossil]

I'm originally from California, as well, (Bay Area). I'm wondering just where in Northern California you are...sounds like (from your comment about the climate) you might be more inland toward or up in the Sierras than out near the coast. What fuel will you be burning? My guess would be mostly softwoods like I burn up here in Central Oregon. That makes attaining long/overnight burns a real challenge. I'm thinking that a big honkin' cat stove would give you your best shot. Rick

 

[Heftiger]

I'm originally from California, as well, (Bay Area). I'm wondering just where in Northern California you are...sounds like (from your comment about the climate) you might be more inland toward or up in the Sierras than out near the coast. What fuel will you be burning? My guess would be mostly softwoods like I burn up here in Central Oregon. That makes attaining long/overnight burns a real challenge. I'm thinking that a big honkin' cat stove would give you your best shot. Rick

Rick,

I'm in Lassen county.

We mostly have Lodgepole Pine.

Thanks for your input!!

 

[fossil]

I'm originally from California, as well, (Bay Area). I'm wondering just where in Northern California you are...sounds like (from your comment about the climate) you might be more inland toward or up in the Sierras than out near the coast. What fuel will you be burning? My guess would be mostly softwoods like I burn up here in Central Oregon. That makes attaining long/overnight burns a real challenge. I'm thinking that a big honkin' cat stove would give you your best shot. Rick

Rick,

I'm in Lassen county.

We mostly have Lodgepole Pine.

Thanks for your input!!

Yeah, if I didn't have Lodgepole, I'd have very little to burn. Larch (Tamarack) when I can get it. Juniper burns well, but it's messy to deal with. I did manage to snag a 2-cord load of Oak & Madrone that a guy brought over from the Eugene area a couple of years ago..very nice, and I still have some of it...but those opportunities are extremely rare for me up here. I've never even managed to lay my hands on any Douglas Fir. :shut: Softwoods like we're forced to burn are lower in density than hardwoods, and they simply don't burn as long as denser woods. But they definitely burn and definitely produce heat. More frequent reloads are to be expected. I've never owned/burned a cat stove, but from all I've learned here on these forums I'd give it some serious consideration if I were in the market for a new stove. Among the members here burning softwoods in cat stoves is "north of 60", who lives in the Yukon and burns Pine & Spruce in a BK cat. Perhaps he'll weigh in here. Rick

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

I'm in Lassen county.

Spent one of the best summers of my life doing bird surveys in Blacks Mountain Experimental forest in LNF and living in a little forest service cabin along Hat Creek.

Plenty of Ponderosa and Jeffrey Pine


I think a 30 is called for here

 

[rdust]

Around here the BK and Woodstock stoves have a cult like following. The BK Princess would be sized appropriately along with the Woodstock Fireview or their new stove would probably fit your needs well. The BK stoves are better looking in person than pictures, still just a plain steel stove but it's heating machine. The BK stove is a steel stove but it's far from being "sheet metal", you shouldn't have any concern with purchasing a steel stove from any of the reputable stove manufactures.

 

[begreen]

Given the parameters, I would be looking into a cat stove. The suggestion for a Woodstock Keystone is a good one. In the BK line, have you looked at the Chinook?

 

[Heftiger]

Given the parameters, I would be looking into a cat stove. The suggestion for a Woodstock Keystone is a good one. In the BK line, have you looked at the Chinook?

I looked at that one as well. My wife doesn't like the design. Surprisingly she actually like the look of the BKK. My father-in-law has an old 1980's BKK so I'm basing my decisions off the look of that; I'm assuming not much has changed.

I might end up going with the BKK just because I need long burn times with not the greatest wood. I figure the 40 hour burn time for the BKK is with the best wood (40 MBTU per cord) and ideal conditions. Lodgepole Pine is more like 20MBTU per cord. So I figure I can get 20 hours of burn time if i'm lucky, maybe more like 15 stuffed full. 15 hours burn time seems ideal for me. That gives me enough time to sleep in on weekends and still not have to load the fire first thing in the morning.

Either way I'm holding out this winter with my Efel Oil stove, so hopefully by the time I buy next year Blaze King will have their new line of stoves out and I might like those better.

I really do like the looks of the Hearthstone soapstone stoves and the VC Defiant. They just don't seem to have the burn times I need.


Again, thanks for all the great input!

 

[begreen]

Well if the wife can handle the BKK, get the Princess. It is a better sized for your needs and less expensive.

 

[Heftiger]

Well if the wife can handle the BKK, get the Princess. It is a better sized for your needs and less expensive.

Do you think I can still get 15 hour burns with the Princess and Lodgepoll Pine? I look at the difference between the Princess and the BKK as the fire box size. I'm thinking I'd rather have the option to load more wood than wish I had more space later.

Thoughts?

 

[begreen]

The Princess should still be burning within your parameters of 13.5 hrs. At 2.8 cu ft, this is not a tiny stove and you are not in Minnesota.

 

[Highbeam]

The typical transition from plate steel to sheet steel occurs at 0.25 inches. So anything less than 1/4" thick is sheet metal. Obviously, the typical steel stove is made up of both plate and sheet but mostly sheet metal. Nothing wrong with that, we make lots of important things out of sheet metal like guns, cars, ovens, and lawn mowers.

A lot has changed since the 80s with the looks of BKs. The "ultra" line came out which takes some of the ugliness out of the classic line. The ugliness is a product feature to BK and they plan to keep it that way. Oh and they're made right here in WA where there are no hardwoods. They are made for burning softwoods at least as much as hardwoods.

 

[Heftiger]

Oh and they're made right here in WA where there are no hardwoods. They are made for burning softwoods at least as much as hardwoods.

I didn't know that, thanks!

 

[jeff_t]

I guess 'ugly' is in the eye of the beholder. I find it 'uninspiring', and not at all offensive, like jake . They really don't look as bad in person. I'm hoping in January that I'll find it beautiful.

 

[Todd]

I kind a like the looks of the Princess Parlor model but don't like the looks of the other options.

 

[Highbeam]

If you're going to do it, go full-ugly. The classic model. In the right setting like on a rustic red brick hearth in a basement or even a pole barn, that king classic with those especially attractive holes beneath the stove will be much more attractive.

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

and you are not in Minnesota.

Mount Lassen in July

 

[begreen]

Yup, the highways get a little snowy up here at times too. I was assuming he doesn't live on the mountain.

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

I was making a funny. You were supposed to laugh.

 

[begreen]

LOL. I know, I'm too serious. Is she holding up that snow wall with one hand?

 

[Heftiger]

How'd you all get pictures of my driveway? :D

 

[begreen]

LOL, next you're going to tell us your snowplow is a D9 Cat. Where in Lassen Cty are you located and what are the average winter temps you deal with?

 

[Heftiger]

LOL, next you're going to tell us your snowplow is a D9 Cat. Where in Lassen Cty are you located and what are the average winter temps you deal with?

I live about 1000 feet above Susanville (5500 ft). Like I said, I've only lived hear for a year. Last winter we got lows in the teens (hit 0 a couple days).