Stove type - lets start there..

[bigpig]

Hi,

I'm new to the forum and reasonably new to, at least, owning a wood burning stove. I have read the 'where to start' thread, yet still would appreciate guidance. Here is my living room - given the size of the fireplace what type of furnace should I look for. My goals are supplemental heat and aesthetics (yeah, kinda obvious).

 

[begreen]

Welcome. That's a beautiful room. With a big tall fireplace opening like that perhaps consider a classic looking freestanding stove in there? How large an area do you want to heat with this stove and how often will it be burning.

If you want to heat with wood you will need fully seasoned firewood for the most satisfying performance. If you don't have some cords already split and stacked you might also be on the lookout for seasoned firewood from a reputable dealer.

Note that in a fireplace one would put an insert or a freestanding stove, not a furnace. A furnace pushes hot air through ductwork, typically from the basement.

 

[tarzan]

Not knowing how much area you need to heat or how seriously you plan to use your stove or insert for heat it would be hard to make a recommendation.

That being said, one look at your living room and Woodstock Stoves come immediately to mind. They have a rear vent option and a strong following here. Many options available also to fit your needs.

 

[bigpig]

Thanks. Agreed I probably mean Stove or Insert rather than Furnace.

Intent is to at least heat that room which is 1300 sq ft, about 2-3 days a week for about 10 hours per day.

Woodstock look good, but why rear vent - I had presumed a vertical vent directly up the chimney?

 

[tarzan]

Rear vent is desirable for fireplace installs do to clearance issues with top vent stoves. Your fireplace looks to be exceptionally tall so maybe no issues there.

It also allows you to get more of the stove out of the fireplace and into the area you are heating although extending the hearth is often required.

A few of the Woodstock offering have reversible flue collars that give you the choice between top and rear vent.

 

[begreen]

A top vent may work well with that tall fireplace. Rear vents are typically used to get under the lintel. You have a lot of choices. The chimney will need a complete cleaning and then an insulated liner installed. The liner should be at least 15 ft tall for the average stove.

Based on the parameters I am thinking a Jotul Castine, would look nice there. Is there a particular style stove you like? What's the budget?

 

[bigpig]

A top vent may work well with that tall fireplace. Rear vents are typically used to get under the lintel. You have a lot of choices. The chimney will need a complete cleaning and then an insulated liner installed. The liner should be at least 15 ft tall for the average stove.

Based on the parameters I am thinking a Jotul Castine, would look nice there. Is there a particular style stove you like? What's the budget?

No particular style at this early stage, the most important factor will be how it fits the architecture of the room / house. I also like the look of the stove in your signature (PE Alderlea T6). Budget also no idea at this juncture.

 

[prezes13]

It's a beautiful room my vote would be with Tarzan. Woodstock progress hybrid.

 

[bigpig]

Tarzan? Can't find a reference online.

 

[begreen]

It's a beautiful room my vote would be with Tarzan. Woodstock progress hybrid.

The PH seems like overkill, especially if this room is closed off from the rest of the house.
"Intent is to at least heat that room which is 1300 sq ft, about 2-3 days a week for about 10 hours per day."

 

[prezes13]

My whole house is 1200 sf 2x6 construction and my stove can heat it well, but bedrooms stay colder so I figured that 1300 sf room in Pennsylvania in an older house look like wouldn't be too bad. Everybody says supplemental and only on the weekends, but the more you burn the more you like it and then you start burning 24/7. I know begreen knows what he is talking about, but from my experience "limited" I wouldn't hesitate to put a 3 cubic feet box in my house.

 

[begreen]

The PH is about $1000 more. Not sure it is justified here given the parameters. If the room is connected to the rest of the house via very wide openings then a larger stove could fit in there. It depends on the budget and usage.

 

[bigpig]

Sorry to be clear - the rest of the house does have wide openings (that cannot be shut) so the heat will travel.

 

[begreen]

Ok, good info. The large openings will help with airflow. A larger stove may work out ok without overheating the room. There are several options ranging from inexpensive steel stoves, to more expensive models, and then on to cast iron stoves, soapstone stoves, and catalytic stoves. Have you read this sticky note thread?
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/read-before-posting-or-answering-which-new-stove-to-buy.115094/

 

[Destructor]

That is a beautiful fireplace. Whether you install the stove yourself or have someone else install it I suggest you don’t modify anything that can’t be easily reversed.

 

[yooper08]

Just going on aesthetics, soapstone stoves are like the granite or marble of wood stoves. If you like intricate designs, cast iron may be the way to go. If you like clean lines but want a little bit of flair, a steel stove with some embellishments (nickle plated door, etched glass, etc.) would be the way to go.

Given that room and the fireplace, my vote would be a soapstone stove if the budget allows for it. In particular, one that has blueish-grayish charcoal colored stone, which would go well with the stone blocks surrounding the fireplace and the deep colored wood. Just my opinion.

 

[begreen]

Yes, I was thinking the Castine in blue-black enamel for just a room heater with a nice fire view, but an Enviro Boston in mahogany enamel would also look sharp there as would a soapstone Hearthstone Mansfield. It cat, a Blaze King Ashford 30.1 or the PH would work.

 

[bigpig]

This thread has been incredibly informative for freestanding stoves; but what about inserts - what would you opt for there?

Dimensions of the fireplace are : 48" height to mantel, 58" wide, 30" deep until 24", then curves up to 15" deep at mantel height.

 

[begreen]

For aesthetic reasons I don't think I would put an insert there. It would require a very large custom surround that would block off all the nice old brick. The insert would look disproportionately small in the large field of black surrounding it.

 

[bigpig]

Thanks; went to two dealers today who both agreed on the freestanding. They were selling me the Quadrafire Explorer II or III in a porcelain white or black, then the other was selling me the Vermont Defiant.


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[begreen]

@webfish just got a new Quad Explorer III. It's a great looking stove with a lot less moving parts than the Defiant. It also comes in porcelain mahogany which would look good in that location.

 

[bigpig]

Yes, closing in on the porcelain mahogany. I have two ceiling fans in that room; is a blower kit worthwhile given the fans?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

In such a large room, the blower could really help move the heat.

 

[JA600L]

I agree with others on the Progress Hybrid. It would fit so well there. Also, the soapstone would give off a more gentle heat that would not be so intense for that room. Soapstone has a lot of mass so it usually stays warm for a long time after the fire goes out.

 

[begreen]

Yes, closing in on the porcelain mahogany. I have two ceiling fans in that room; is a blower kit worthwhile given the fans?

Yes, I'd get the blower kit for any stove in a fireplace. It helps move heat in a hurry when you are trying to raise the room temp by several degrees and gives you a method for cooling down the stove top about 100F if you get it too hot.