The new guy with a question....

[Joe in MI]

Well, I've skulked around long enough - I finally joined the forum today. This looks like a great place with a lot of really nice folks.

I'm putting an addition on my house - more than doubling the square footage. Total will be roughly 2500 square feet. I'm putting a wood stove in the addition - most likely a PE Summit - there's a dealer near me that's been selling them for a long time. (I am open to suggestions, though) I grew up with a Conestoga wood stove - A big steel beast. Nice looking, but I have a feeling a modern stove might work a little better. I'm curious if any of you have heard of or seen one of these stoves. I've only seen them mentioned on the web a few times. (The Conestoga - not the Summit)

I'm hoping this forum will help me with the learning curve that is apparently present with the newer EPA stoves.

My question is about the cultured stone I plan on putting behind the stove. As long as I stay beyond the clearances listed for the stove, I don't think I need an air gap behind the stone. Is this correct?

I'm spacing my joists and rafters to accommodate the placement of the stove, so it should be a straight-forward (or should I say "straight up") install. I'm really looking forward to this winter - I've been out of mom and dad's house for almost 10 years. I really miss the wood heat.

Thanks for any advice - I've already gotten a ton of information from the archives.

Joe

 

[fossil]

My question is about the cultured stone I plan on putting behind the stove. As long as I stay beyond the clearances listed for the stove, I don't think I need an air gap behind the stone. Is this correct?

Yes, that's correct. And welcome to the forums. Rick

 

[Hiram Maxim]

Joe,

Where are you in MI?

Just make sure your stove is going to be large enough to heat your given sqft....

My $.02 If at all possible make sure you go with a larger than you need for your home.

Also this time of year the forums are a little slow so if you don't get a ton of responses, don't be surprised

And welcome to the forum.... :cheese:

I'm down here near Detroit....

Cheers,Hiram

 

[begreen]

Welcome Joe. It sounds like you are doing your homework and off to a good start.

 

[rdust]

Fossil has you covered on your question. I'll just add the summit is a nice looking stove, if I ever step up my stove size and stay with a non cat the summit will be my stove.

 

[Joe in MI]

Thanks for the quick replies, guys!

Hiram - I'm located near Chase, Michigan, which is a mapdot along US-10 about 50 miles north of Grand Rapids, and about 50 miles east of Lake Michigan. I think I'm actually in the minority up here in that I don't currently have a stove - unless you count the rusty homemade monster in my pole barn. Wood is big business up here.

 

['bert]

Welcome to the forum, you will want to start getting your wood split and stacked ASAP so it can dry some this summer. Look for a local wood that will dry out this summer. :coolsmile:

 

[Joe in MI]

I've already started on my wood. I had to take down a couple pretty big cherry trees, and a decent sized oak, to make room for the addition. The biggest cherry was a double, with one stump being 16" across and the other slightly smaller - about 60 feet tall. I've already got about a cord and a half (full cords, not face cords) stacked up and drying. I don't know if the oak will be dry enough, but the cherry was already dying and looks like it might dry out enough. From what I've read it seems tot be a fast drying wood.

I've been walking around my property - I've got 20 acres of woods. I've got a lot of standing dead wood - a lot of cherry and a few dead oaks. Some of the oak looks a little punky, so I guess we'll have to see what the center looks like.

I just told my wife today we need to start trying to put up a lawnmower-trailer or two of wood whenever we get the chance. There's no excuse not to - it's literally just outside our door.

I also picked up a 20LPX chain for my saw. I grew up running my dad's Homelite XL12. I remember what a real saw chain will do. I'm looking forward to running the saw again with the new chain, vs the safety chain that my friend so graciously nicked a steel wedge with. Oops. The help he's given me is still worth a lot more than a nicked safety chain, though.

 

[Hiram Maxim]

I've been walking around my property - I've got 20 acres of woods. I've got a lot of standing dead wood - a lot of cherry and a few dead oaks. Some of the oak looks a little punky, so I guess we'll have to see what the center looks like.

Sounds like your wood supply should be sustainable. :cheese:

And unfortunately some dead Ash trees as well, I would imagine?

My area has just been decimated. Ended up with a lot of free wood from neighbors & tree services.

Bad part is that I personally lost 27 large Ash trees on our 3 acres! >:-( And because of it erosion is getting bad!!

 

[Dix]

It sounds like you've done your homework, Joe. Welcome to the forums !!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I've already started on my wood. I had to take down a couple pretty big cherry trees, and a decent sized oak, to make room for the addition. The biggest cherry was a double, with one stump being 16" across and the other slightly smaller - about 60 feet tall. I've already got about a cord and a half (full cords, not face cords) stacked up and drying. I don't know if the oak will be dry enough, but the cherry was already dying and looks like it might dry out enough. From what I've read it seems tot be a fast drying wood.

I've been walking around my property - I've got 20 acres of woods. I've got a lot of standing dead wood - a lot of cherry and a few dead oaks. Some of the oak looks a little punky, so I guess we'll have to see what the center looks like.

I just told my wife today we need to start trying to put up a lawnmower-trailer or two of wood whenever we get the chance. There's no excuse not to - it's literally just outside our door.

I also picked up a 20LPX chain for my saw. I grew up running my dad's Homelite XL12. I remember what a real saw chain will do. I'm looking forward to running the saw again with the new chain, vs the safety chain that my friend so graciously nicked a steel wedge with. Oops. The help he's given me is still worth a lot more than a nicked safety chain, though.

Welcome to the forum Joe. It sounds like you have your head on straight. lol

On that oak, I would expect the outside inch or so to be punky but that will not do any harm as it is normal. Still, with it being dead, don't expect it to be dry! Cherry does dry quite fast and you'll probably be able to burn that next winter. You have the right idea of putting up some wood whenever you get the chance. Especially with the newer stoves, you need dry wood; not marginal. When you get 2-3 years ahead on your wood supply, then you can rest a bit more; just cut as much as you burn and all will be well. Good luck to you.

btw, yes, I've been through (all the way through) Chase, MI a time or two.