Just got the Summit installed yesterday and it has been heating our 2200sf home better than expected. I am surprised with the better-than-expected results and the wife who was supportive but had no idea what to expect is very pleased. I was thinking we were going to possibly need fans in doorways and definitely floor vent/fans to get the heat up to the master bedroom, but not the case. Last night the family room where the insert is located and we watch TV was toasty warm (t-shirt and jeans and fell asleep on the couch from the comfort, which I rarely do), the thermostat on the dining room wall which is at the opposite end and diagonal from the family room read 71*. The wife said the bedroom felt warmer than ever to her. Before the install we used the 24yr old heat pump which I was afraid to crank over 67*. Speaking of the heat pump, I shut that off at 4pm yesterday. It's 25* out and snowing and we're perfectly comfortable!
So anyways, as it's my first time heating a home with wood I'm learning as I go. One thing I'm concerned about is overfiring the stove. Obviously stuffing too much wood and running with the air wide open would overfire the stove. But at what point is this reached? Where is that desired mid-point? I had some discoloration on the glass late last night that I wiped off this morning. The manual says buildup on the glass is from not burning hot enough. So what's hot enough? I have a Kintrex IRT0421 thermometer and my readings off the glass are 550-650 with where I'm comfortable burning at. Corner stove temps are 180-300 depending on the corner. Today I experimented and put a 20" half log of oak on top of two almost burnt down hardwood splits and by the time I shut the air down from the reload the glass temp reading was 700.
And speaking of not burning hot enough, even though I put two splits on last night at 11-11:30pm and opened up the air to light them up nicely than shut the air down gradually, at 7am this morning the fire was out and the coals were dead. Dining room thermostat read 61*. I recognize the fact that the fire is going to burn down through the night and the temp is going to drop, but it would be nice to have coals in the morning to start off of. Anyone got direction on how to achieve this? Is this a result of not putting enough splits on for a through the night burn?
Attached is a rough schematic of the 1st floor of the house for curiosity's sake. Master bedroom is directly above the family room on the 2nd floor, with the bed located almost directly above the hearth. The two guest bedrooms are at the opposite end of the 2nd floor but we are not concerned with heating them as we have no children and I can throw a space heater in whichever room we have visitors stay in.
Chimney (outside masonry chimey, 6" insulated flue liner. NO block-off plate. Top of chimney supposedly has insulation packed in around liner underneath of top plate. That part of the install I wasn't there for. Every chimney sweep and stove retailer I asked about the block off plate said it was unnecessary and they
did not do it.
Wood: full chord of "seasoned" (I learned about craigslist seasoned wood from hearth.com) hardwood delivered and stacked last fall, plus a 1/4 chord of 3yr old oak stacked in the garage.
So anyways, as it's my first time heating a home with wood I'm learning as I go. One thing I'm concerned about is overfiring the stove. Obviously stuffing too much wood and running with the air wide open would overfire the stove. But at what point is this reached? Where is that desired mid-point? I had some discoloration on the glass late last night that I wiped off this morning. The manual says buildup on the glass is from not burning hot enough. So what's hot enough? I have a Kintrex IRT0421 thermometer and my readings off the glass are 550-650 with where I'm comfortable burning at. Corner stove temps are 180-300 depending on the corner. Today I experimented and put a 20" half log of oak on top of two almost burnt down hardwood splits and by the time I shut the air down from the reload the glass temp reading was 700.
And speaking of not burning hot enough, even though I put two splits on last night at 11-11:30pm and opened up the air to light them up nicely than shut the air down gradually, at 7am this morning the fire was out and the coals were dead. Dining room thermostat read 61*. I recognize the fact that the fire is going to burn down through the night and the temp is going to drop, but it would be nice to have coals in the morning to start off of. Anyone got direction on how to achieve this? Is this a result of not putting enough splits on for a through the night burn?
Attached is a rough schematic of the 1st floor of the house for curiosity's sake. Master bedroom is directly above the family room on the 2nd floor, with the bed located almost directly above the hearth. The two guest bedrooms are at the opposite end of the 2nd floor but we are not concerned with heating them as we have no children and I can throw a space heater in whichever room we have visitors stay in.
Chimney (outside masonry chimey, 6" insulated flue liner. NO block-off plate. Top of chimney supposedly has insulation packed in around liner underneath of top plate. That part of the install I wasn't there for. Every chimney sweep and stove retailer I asked about the block off plate said it was unnecessary and they
did not do it. Wood: full chord of "seasoned" (I learned about craigslist seasoned wood from hearth.com) hardwood delivered and stacked last fall, plus a 1/4 chord of 3yr old oak stacked in the garage.
