Question for Insert Owners - Duration of heat output

[wood4free]

The question of burn time has been asked several times before but I want to pose a slight variation of the question to insert owners. On AVERAGE, with an outside temperature at 20 degrees F (-7 C) or colder, how many hours of continuous heat output do you get from your insert on 1 full load of wood before the stove top temperature drops below 400 degrees F (200 C)? This is the first winter I have used a wood stove. I now realize I need a larger insert and continuous heat output for 8 hours (if possible) is a criteria I will be seeking when shopping for my next stove. I am quickly growing tired of getting up a couple times during the night to feed the fire. Yes, I committed the cardinal sin of getting too small a stove but at the time of purchase last year I only planned on the stove being a supplement to gas and didn't want to spend thousands on a larger unit. I am now hooked on burning wood even though the little 1.8 cf firebox of the Drolet insert barely heats my drafty house to any resemblance of being warm. I felt a real sense of satisfaction when the gas company called me in December wanting to send a service technician out to check the accuracy of my meter since so little gas had been used!

I am interested in comments from all insert owners but would particularly like feedback from any users of Enviro Kodiak/VistaFlame 1700 insert or Blaze King Princess insert.

 

[iceman]

Left my house @ 630am today stove temp 650ish came home @ 430pm temp 450ish
Loaded stove at about 530am
As you can see easy 10hr burn
Stove pacific energy summit
Oh yea house temp 78 outside hi temp today 22
2000+ sq ft

 

[Lanningjw]

Get a insert with a big box. I can always get 8/12 @ 20 degrees. Depends on what kind of wood and how much ash is in the box. It was below 0 and I was getting 8 plus hours.

Ash is a funny thing, not enough and you loose your coal bed for restarts, to much and your coals live forever in the ash and limit the amount on your reload....

 

[Dix]

Welcome to the forums

How big of a drafty house are you trying to heat? How drafty is drafty? Adding your location to your info will help us with choices.

For the PE, I get 6 hours of burn, at least, on a load of excellent wood, it gives off heat for another hour or so before the fan starts "cycling". My fairly well insulated house can hold the heat for 3-4 hours before any drop ( the other half of the house is heated by the Timber Ridge, pretty much the same burn times).

 

[wood4free]

Iceman, I will add the Summit insert to my short list for future consideration. I didn't think it would fit in my fireplace but checked the measurements and it looks like it will just fit. I'm curious, how many full cords of wood do you use in the Summit in an average winter?

 

[iceman]

Iceman, I will add the Summit insert to my short list for future consideration. I didn't think it would fit in my fireplace but checked the measurements and it looks like it will just fit. I'm curious, how many full cords of wood do you use in the Summit in an average winter?

I was using 4-5 but got smart and dry wood... this year 3.5-4 because its so cold , but I was on pace for 3 ... might still get there but will Prolly go 3.5 -4 as this is a brutal winter as far as temps go...

 

[jerseykat1]

I too am having buyers remorce because of my small fire box at 1.9 cuft. My stove does heat fairly well, but it requires too many relaods through out the day and night.

I am going for the princess next year.

 

[Patapsco Mike]

When I pack my firebox full with oak I can keep the cat active for 12 hours. At 15-16 hours I can reload with full sized pieces and it lights right up. The burn times of the Princess are incredible.

 

[btuser]

I've got a 2800 sqft colonial with a less-than-ideal floor plan. My house has a calculated heat loss of 55-60k btu/hr, which I don't even think I get close to really needing. This past weekend my insert was the only source of heat. No problem. In this weather I load about 4 times a day, two small and two large.

I get about 6 hours of real heat from my Lopi Freedom, the last 4 hours are under 300F but the fan is still blowing. I'm happy but I think I could go for a 10 CF firebox.

 

[wood4free]

Eileen, I live in Pittsburgh, PA. and it is cold here. Got down to -1 F Saturday morning. My house is 2 story built in 1955 and around 1,800 SF. The downstairs is very open. The stove is located in the living room which is 13 X 22. The adjacent dining room is 10 X 12 which is fully open into the living room. The entry way if 6 X 9 and also fully open into the living room. The kitchen is 10.5 X 10 and there is a den which is kept closed in the winter. There are 3 bedrooms upstairs, two of which are kept closed. Out of 7 primary rooms 3 are kept closed and unheated. In the living room there are 2 large (86" X 49") aluminum frame original picture windows. There is also one window of the same size in the dining room. I have plastic film on the inside of the windows and blinds and heavy drapes are pulled. A 2 car garage sits directly beneath the living room. The warmest I am able to heat the house with the Drolet insert is 60 degrees now that the temperature is below 20 F. When the outside temperature is in the upper 20's I can get the inside up to maybe 64 degrees. This year I am burning Elm and soon Silver Maple, neither of which are ideal. Next year I have locust and black cherry to burn. My flex liner is insulated and approximately 22 feet high. My draft is very good. Given the old windows and the layout I believe I need a much larger insert to heat the house. My plan right now is to use the Drolet insert next year and replace it with a larger unit sometime in 2013. I am going to take my time and do a lot of research and get opinions before making a decision. Any and all comments would be most appreciated.

 

[begreen]

The more you can do to stop the house losing heat, the less this is an issue. Get an energy audit and find out about programs to tighten up the house. That said, for sure I would have a 3 cu ft stove in the house.