Should I slightly undersize my new insert?

[wilbwworker]

Hello All,
I am looking at wood inserts for my 1800 square ft dutch colonial in MA. I am starting to zero in on a couple of different models. I have gotten a lot of good information on this site so I will ask another question. Should I slightly undersize the insert? I am looking at the Jotul Kennebec as one possible option. This puts out about 55K BTU and says it can heat about a 1600 sqft home. I grew up with an old VT Castings wood stove as a primary heat source. I LOVE wood heat. My wife likes it very much but does not want to be blown out of the family room that I am going to have the insert installed in. It will be used quite a bit in the colder upcoming months and we sit in the room that the insert is going into.

I just wondered how some of you live in the room that your insert is going in? Do you need to wear shorts? Growing up the woodstove was in the basement and we kept it cranking hot for months at a time. No need to worry as it was in the basement. Mine is going on the first floor in the family room (with the good TV) so we will be in there with it going quite a bit.

I would love to go with one of the bigger models that will fit as I would like to use this as my primary heat source and relegate the boiler to occassional duty.

Do you live in the room your insert is in

 

[Dix]

Welcome to the forums !!

'Tis usually better to go larger. You can always build a smaller fire in a larger stove. And when you need the additional output, it's available.

 

[Eaglecraft]

Hello All,
I am looking at wood inserts for my 1800 square ft dutch colonial in MA. I am starting to zero in on a couple of different models. I have gotten a lot of good information on this site so I will ask another question. Should I slightly undersize the insert? I am looking at the Jotul Kennebec as one possible option. This puts out about 55K BTU and says it can heat about a 1600 sqft home. I grew up with an old VT Castings wood stove as a primary heat source. I LOVE wood heat. My wife likes it very much but does not want to be blown out of the family room that I am going to have the insert installed in. It will be used quite a bit in the colder upcoming months and we sit in the room that the insert is going into.

I just wondered how some of you live in the room that your insert is going in? Do you need to wear shorts? Growing up the woodstove was in the basement and we kept it cranking hot for months at a time. No need to worry as it was in the basement. Mine is going on the first floor in the family room (with the good TV) so we will be in there with it going quite a bit.

I would love to go with one of the bigger models that will fit as I would like to use this as my primary heat source and relegate the boiler to occassional duty.

Do you live in the room your insert is in

I concur with Eileen.

Last winter I installed a Hearthstone Clydesdale insert in our living room. We have a 2000 sf ranch home. I have the insert perking along right now, as I am composing this reply from the living room. Our temps have been in the teens to low 40s. This insert is supposed to be able to heat a 2000 sf home, and I would agree that it is capable of doing it. The living room is quite comfortable.

I can adjust the heat output by: 1) adjusting the amount of wood that I place in the firebox, 2) adjusting the air input to the firebox, and 3) adjusting the speed of the blower motor that came as standard with the insert. You can always place less wood in the stove, damper the stove down, or turn the blower speed down to obtain less heat.

I would agree that a bigger stove is usually better (up to a point, of course). You can always "turn it down," but it might be difficult to get more heat out of a smaller stove. You might be tempted to "overfire" the insert if you needed more heat. Also, I recommend that you purchase an insert with an adjustable fan, as fan speed makes quite a difference in heat output.

Good Luck.

 

[raybonz]

Hello All,
I am looking at wood inserts for my 1800 square ft dutch colonial in MA. I am starting to zero in on a couple of different models. I have gotten a lot of good information on this site so I will ask another question. Should I slightly undersize the insert? I am looking at the Jotul Kennebec as one possible option. This puts out about 55K BTU and says it can heat about a 1600 sqft home. I grew up with an old VT Castings wood stove as a primary heat source. I LOVE wood heat. My wife likes it very much but does not want to be blown out of the family room that I am going to have the insert installed in. It will be used quite a bit in the colder upcoming months and we sit in the room that the insert is going into.

I just wondered how some of you live in the room that your insert is going in? Do you need to wear shorts? Growing up the woodstove was in the basement and we kept it cranking hot for months at a time. No need to worry as it was in the basement. Mine is going on the first floor in the family room (with the good TV) so we will be in there with it going quite a bit.

I would love to go with one of the bigger models that will fit as I would like to use this as my primary heat source and relegate the boiler to occassional duty.

Do you live in the room your insert is in

Welcome to the forum wil! As previously stated you should consider going larger.. I think you will be unhappy if your insert isn't large enough to do the whole job. I suggest you look at an insert good for at least 2000 sq. ft..My stove is rated up to 2000 sq. ft and I use it to heat 1632 sq. ft... Several advised I go bigger but so far so good.. Consider getting a stove with at least a 2 cu. ft. firebox or bigger..Where are you located in Mass.?

Ray

 

[fredarm]

Our living room can get a bit warm, but we just crank up the ceiling fan and move the heat around. I probably couldn't have gotten a smaller insert that I got (small fireplace) so it was an academic question for me. But if you have the option to go a bit larger, I would, without ridiculously oversizing it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Worry not about the stove room getting too hot. You'll especially enjoy that heat come January. You will also learn the value of both ceiling fans (blowing up on low or medium speed) and especially the value of a small desktop fan sitting in a doorway leading to other parts of the house. However, the real key is to not attempt to move the hot air out; instead, run that fan (small fan on the floor) on low speed blowing into the stove room. You will be amazed at how this moves the heat into the other rooms.

Go bigger rather than smaller.

 

[pastera]

I wouldn't undersized - use the blower speed and air controls to keep your stove room comfortable.
Mine runs 4-5 degrees warmer than the rest of the house once the air starts circulating
Not uncomfortable but will send you off to nap time.

Also in Mass

 

[wilbwworker]

Hi Fredarm and everyone else. I live in Wilbraham. Home of Tornados, Hurricanes, microbursts and the freakiest October snow storm ( 6 inches) that kept power out for 6 days. Thanks for the advice. I have a very large opening in the firplace and it looks like I could put whatever I want in there. I am thinking Jotul right now but still looking. Plan on pulling the trigger in the next month.

There is so much free firewood in my town right now I may not have to pay for heat for years....