Regency f1100 vs the f2400, need help sizing wood stove

[mario veda]

Hi..My home is 3 bedrm ,with a den ,full bath and ahalf, kitchen ,living rm,dinning rm 1254sq ft . I half-finished the attic with a bdrm (no heat or air up there)and no insulation in any walls but new better eff. windows,...(((air currents will circulate around the inside of the house in a circle from den where woodstove is thru one bdrm w half bath then down a hall where 2bdrms and full bath are to living rm dinning rm +kit back to den)))I know this because if u run a high powered fan in the Living rm pointing down the hallway u can feel the air all threw the house and back into the den . Thats how I cooled down the house w fan and AC thermostat set at 75 during record 102 degrees summer we had LOL..It was built in 1956 located in Richmond Va.

I am looking at the Regency woodstove line ...The dealer told me I should buy the smaller F1100 model which is rated at 55K btu for 600-1200 sq ft with a 1.4cu.ft firebox but I like the med size F2400 because it has a larger firebox (2.3) which seems easier to put wood in and during a fire, the rateing on it is 75K btu for 1000-2200 sq ft...He says the F2400 would run too hot and I would have to damper it down too much ???.

I have been using for 6 years a much older welded steel woodstove that has a much bigger firebox than the F2400 and I got it running very hot(85-90 degree living rm ,kit and den temps, 65-70 hallway bdrms) but it is very ineffient and used alot of wood thats why Im looking to get rid of it....I dont run a woodstove 24/7 because the winters arent that bad in Va but when I do Id like to have a long over night run,, really dont know if I would be making a big mistake getting the F2400....BTW I am having a 6" s.s 316t liner w insulation (Forever Flex) installed to match 6"stove flue, I have uncracked 8" tile flue now ..Thank U for any input.

Sorry for long post....mario

 

[soupy1957]

You didn't mention anything about a basement, but since your house is about the same size as mine, (except I have a full basement, below grade), I'd say you won't need a MONSTER stove, to get the job done. Especially since you live in an area where you are not necessarily going to have as harsh a winter as some other areas in this fine country of ours.

I love our Avalon Stove, but I looked really closely at the Regency, (and I'd also consider the Vermont Casting Co.), and like the classy style of those stoves.

"Location, Location, Location" as they say in Real Estate, but it's also true with a wood stove. Obviously I'd put the wood stove on the ground floor, and let the heat rise, but take a good look at airflow and helper fans as important factors.

Unless I missed it, you didn't say anything about your current heating system. Forced hot air? Baseboard? (Forced Hot air can assist you a LITTLE with moving the air around the house when the stove is cranking, to help equalize the temps somewhat. It doesn't work "great" but it works "some."

You can buy a stove that is bigger than you need, and build smaller fires, ya know. Just because it's the size of a console television (remember those?) doesn't mean you have to load it up to the gills!! It's about how big the fire is you build, and how long you burn it for. Temps are typical with burns, but you can control it somewhat by how much wood you pack in there, and how long you let it burn.
(redundant?).

I'd rather buy BIGGER, in order to accommodate a variety of wood split sizes, for North/South burns as well as East/West burns (some stoves are too shallow to accommodate both directions), but it all depends on how tightly packed your chosen room for the stove is, with "her" stuff (lol).

-Soupy1957

 

[mario veda]

Thanks ..My heating system is a new 15 seer Carrier gas and ac package unit.The room that the stove is in is a 17 L X12 W den that is used as a home gym work out room.No basement just a crawl space about 3ft head rm under house. The 1.4 firebox just looks so small that 4 pieces of wood would tightly fit ?? And I dont think itll burn for 8 hours.I guess my post should have asked if someome had the small Regency 1100 and how they liked it.Im going to look at other stoves today.I was considering the regency F2400 wood stove because it was being sold to me as a package deal with delivery,removal of old woodstove, set up, blower,air mate, installed 12ft of 6" 316T s.s insulated Forever Flex liner for $3000.

 

[mario veda]

I posted a question about the size of the Regency f1100 vs the f2400 for use in a 1254sq ft home as I think the f1100 firebox seems too small. Any owners that would care to share their views on the heat of either vs the sq footage of house and size of the fireboxs as to loading etc I would greatly appreciate it... Is the f2400 to big for my home ??? ..mario veda...Thanks

 

[begreen]

Merged threads.

It sounds like a 2 cu ft stove would work, but it will be running half loads for a lot of the time which will mean shorter burns anyway. 1.4 cu ft is not bad. One of the longest burning non-cat stoves is the Pacific Energy Super (or Spectrum) series. Have you considered a catalytic stove? In your climate a catalytic stove that can burn low and long is sometimes more practical.

Regardless, there are lots of 1.8-2cu ft stoves on the market, so you can be choosy. Shop around a bit to look at other options from Lopi, Napoleon, PE, Englander and Buck.

 

[mainstation]

In my last house, a 1970 brick Bungalow with full basement, we had a regency 1100. The upstairs sq ftg was just shy of 1000'. It was a good stove and while it didn't burn all night, it did give a good 6 hour burn and more than enough coals to re-kindle easily in the am.
If you have good air movement throughout your house and plan on insulating at all I would stick with the 1100 and pour the wood to it when it really gets cold.
The 2400 is a bigger stove in all aspects and is just as good, so really it's sorta up to your commitment personally to woodburning I guess.
Good Luck.

 

[Dieseltech94]

I have a regency 1100 insert to heat 1000 sq ft. Does the job very well. The stove is in a 12x15 room and does not blow us out. I get 5-6 hours of burn with plenty of coals. I do wish i went with the bigger stove for log size ( east/ west load only ) and overnight burns. I fit 2-3 5-6" splits with a healthy coal bed. The regency line is a great quality, product and is very well built. Plus steel stoves rock!

 

[mario veda]

Thanks I went to a Lopi dealer today and looked at their stoves,, the republic or spokane 1250 and 1750 pretty much same as regency 1100 and 2400 except for damper handle location. The model The Answer small stove might be more in line with what I may be looking for, it is rated at 750-1400sq ft with 66k btus and 1.6 cu.ft firebox which is only slightly larger than 1.4 and the price is $1599 plus $400 installation which is the same price as Regency F2400 @ $2000 W blower,air mate,legs and install plus $1000 for 12ft of 316ti s.s liner 6" (For Ever Flex) installed and insulated with thermix .Will continue to look...mario

 

[Dieseltech94]

I looked at the Lopi line also. Really nice stove. Would have gone with the Republic line but it was not available yet. Almost went with the Answer but regency was throwing in the blower so that was the deciding factor. I felt the btu ratings of the stoves are somewhat bogus. Most of that output depends on type of wood, moisture and draft conditions and the amount of wood you burn a at any given time.

 

[begreen]

Mario, pm'ed me that it is a basically uninsulated house and the stove door lacks gasketing. He is getting rid of it asap. I have advised getting the house insulated. VA just qualified for Federal energy retrofit money, worth checking into. Replacing the gross old box that is currently burning in there, will a nice surprise with a modern stove, regardless of choice. Just be sure to burn dry wood.

I am going to stick with recommending a 1.8 - 2 cu ft stove. This will give you overnight burns (with good wood) and yet it will still burn cleanly with half loads of wood. If you are looking to save some money, look at the Englander 13NC (made in VA, 1.8 cu ft.) and the Napoleon 1400 (Canada, 1.7 cu ft). Both are good quality stoves. The Napoleon has much tighter clearances and easier hearth requirements than the Englander. But at $710, it's hard to beat the value of the NC13. http://www.overstockstoves.com/50epacenowos.html. The Napoleon is selling for about $850.
http://www.ventingpipe.com/napoleon.../p575072?source=gba_575072&CAWELAID=339802129

 

[mario veda]

Begreen thank you for the information it helps alot.Didnt know there was soooo much to take into account when useing a wood stove or buying a newer high eff model.This is a very good site with folks that are willing to help people like me that didnt have a clue but now can ask good questions when at the woodstove showroom with a dealer. Im hopeing to be amazed of what a newer model stove can do vs the old 3.0cu.ft woodeater Ive been using for 6 years.You sent me links to some good woodstoves and my first choice was a Englander before finding this site but if the package deal thats being offered to me with the Regency F2400 2.3cu.ft stays true I will go with the 2.3 if not than Ill get the Englander 1.8 at Home Depot. Thanks again mario in Va

 

[begreen]

You're welcome. The new stove will be a big improvement. Now get some dry wood ready and check on getting the place insulated. That will be money in the bank winter and summer for as long as you own the house.

 

[woodjack]

Mario
I don't think you can make a mistake going with the Regency. I have a Regency f3100 and love it, but I'm sure the other stoves are good as well.