New guy here and I'm considering buying a woodstove to heat my house, which is a single story open floor with 1100 sq.ft. I will have propane as a backup but plan to use the wood as the primary heat source. However I'm a firefighter and my work schedule keeps me away for 24 hours at a time so this might cause a problem, not sure. Anyway, just wanting some ideas as to what features to look for, what to maybe stay away from, ect. I'd like to stay in the 3-4000 dollar range as I'm also going to need a double wall pipe about 15 feet or so long. Not opposed to buying a good used higher end stove either, if I could find one. Also, what is the tax credit I've been seeing mentioned on here? Thanks for any and all advice!!
What questions should I ask when shopping for a wood stove?
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Backwoods Savage
Minister of Fire
Welcome to the forum Jaytee.
For the size you mention, may I highly recommend the Woodstock Fireview. Woodstock Stoves
We heat around that size and we purchased our Fireview before the winter of 2007-2008. This is our only source of heat and we did question if it were enough stove for us. For sure it is beautiful, but it also has to produce. Well, produce it has!
Previously we averaged 6 cord of wood per year to heat our home. We did not freeze but the house was not that warm in the dead of winter. Enter the Fireview. We have burned it for 3 winters now and starting on the 4th. In each of the 3 winters we have burned 3 cords. Actually it was a little under 3 last winter but close enough to call it 3 cord.
So this means we are burning only half the amount of wood we used to burn! Not only that but this stove heats our home so much better and we are never cold even in the coldest part of winter. We keep the house warm enough that I walk around with t-shirt for a top and also try to keep it warm enough to keep the ladies removing clothing. Nice thermostat!
Another big advantage is that we used to clean our chimney 3 times per winter. We have cleaned our chimney only one time since getting this stove and then we got maybe a cup of soot and that is all.
The stove is simple and easy to use and my wife can do it all if necessary although I tend to take care of the fires if at all possible. She brings wood in and empties ashes when needed.
Another big factor with Woodstock is their guarantee. Stove not to your liking? Within 6 months, you can return it for a full refund. Best guarantee on the market and this is a company you can depend on. This is run like one of the old companies and they will do much to keep you happy.
Look up their website. They do have a smaller stove but the Fireview is their number 1 stove. They also are building a larger one but it will not be on the market until probably next spring.
Also, there are many happy Woodstock stove owners on this forum. Perhaps some others will chip in. There are also many other stoves that would suit you, so have some fun looking at lots of them.
Only one more thing: If you have to buy your wood, get it now! Get the wood before the stove because wood needs time to dry to burn properly. Do not depend upon a wood seller to sell you dry wood even though they will say it is ready. Experience says it just is not true and we get reports every year of people complaining their stove won't work right and it usually boils down to poor fuel. You won't burn poor fuel in your car so why would you do it in a stove?
Good luck to you.
For the size you mention, may I highly recommend the Woodstock Fireview. Woodstock Stoves
We heat around that size and we purchased our Fireview before the winter of 2007-2008. This is our only source of heat and we did question if it were enough stove for us. For sure it is beautiful, but it also has to produce. Well, produce it has!
Previously we averaged 6 cord of wood per year to heat our home. We did not freeze but the house was not that warm in the dead of winter. Enter the Fireview. We have burned it for 3 winters now and starting on the 4th. In each of the 3 winters we have burned 3 cords. Actually it was a little under 3 last winter but close enough to call it 3 cord.
So this means we are burning only half the amount of wood we used to burn! Not only that but this stove heats our home so much better and we are never cold even in the coldest part of winter. We keep the house warm enough that I walk around with t-shirt for a top and also try to keep it warm enough to keep the ladies removing clothing. Nice thermostat!
Another big advantage is that we used to clean our chimney 3 times per winter. We have cleaned our chimney only one time since getting this stove and then we got maybe a cup of soot and that is all.
The stove is simple and easy to use and my wife can do it all if necessary although I tend to take care of the fires if at all possible. She brings wood in and empties ashes when needed.
Another big factor with Woodstock is their guarantee. Stove not to your liking? Within 6 months, you can return it for a full refund. Best guarantee on the market and this is a company you can depend on. This is run like one of the old companies and they will do much to keep you happy.
Look up their website. They do have a smaller stove but the Fireview is their number 1 stove. They also are building a larger one but it will not be on the market until probably next spring.
Also, there are many happy Woodstock stove owners on this forum. Perhaps some others will chip in. There are also many other stoves that would suit you, so have some fun looking at lots of them.
Only one more thing: If you have to buy your wood, get it now! Get the wood before the stove because wood needs time to dry to burn properly. Do not depend upon a wood seller to sell you dry wood even though they will say it is ready. Experience says it just is not true and we get reports every year of people complaining their stove won't work right and it usually boils down to poor fuel. You won't burn poor fuel in your car so why would you do it in a stove?
Good luck to you.
I just finished looking at the woodstocks, seem like a pretty good stove. Anybody else got any advice, please chime in.
SolarAndWood
Minister of Fire
Welcome to the forum. If your goal is to keep the home fire going while you are at work, I would also look at the Blaze King line. It has a big firebox but burns low enough that it won't overheat the house. It has an automatic thermostat that takes care of the fire while you are away. My wife and I both work and we heat exclusively with wood 24/7/180+.
If keeping the fire going isn't necessarily the goal, there are a lot of nice stoves out there.
If keeping the fire going isn't necessarily the goal, there are a lot of nice stoves out there.
Depends on your climate. If you are going to be away for up to 24 hours at a time I would recommend looking into a large stove with a catalytic. Like Dennis mentioned The Woodstocks are very popular on this site. Blaze Kings are another popular stove that are known for long burn times.
I have Country Flame BBF insert with a catalytic that suits me fine. The Buck 91's are another large catalytic.
I have Country Flame BBF insert with a catalytic that suits me fine. The Buck 91's are another large catalytic.
The only thing I need to ask the dealer is "what is your best price" If I like a stove, I'd rather hear the opinions of the folks on this site than those of a person trying to make a sale. It doesn't hurt to ask about replacement parts / long term costs but just always remember, their main goal is a sale.
pen
pen
If you plan on having a dealer do your install, pick his brain to find out if he's going to work with you or just do it his way. If you are doing your own install, you will find all the info you need right here on stoves, venting and installation. Just keep asking questions - start a new thread if you need a new answer. But definitely visit as many shops/websites and look at as many stoves as you need to in order to find the right one.
You probably want to narrow your search based on the space you'll be heating, so I'd look for a firebox around 2 cu ft or less. Anything more would likely be overkill for 1100 sq ft. I agree with the guys above that a catalytic stove is a good idea, but maybe a smaller one like the Woodstock Keystone or the Buck 20. As for the tax credit, which expires this year, it offer 30% back on new stove/venting (among other things) up to $5000 for a $1500 credit.
You probably want to narrow your search based on the space you'll be heating, so I'd look for a firebox around 2 cu ft or less. Anything more would likely be overkill for 1100 sq ft. I agree with the guys above that a catalytic stove is a good idea, but maybe a smaller one like the Woodstock Keystone or the Buck 20. As for the tax credit, which expires this year, it offer 30% back on new stove/venting (among other things) up to $5000 for a $1500 credit.
Use it for 6 months, dont like send it back, hard to not take advantage of the return policy if needed, wished I would have tried one out. A while back they had a sale going on is that still in place?jaytee said:
What is your climate?
For 1100 square feet, single story open floor plan in a mild climate (i.e. gets down to 20-30 but not really down to 0 or sub-zero)....you really have some very nice cost effective options.
Here's the things you need to discuss:
1. Do you want to keep the house cozy while you are there with wood burning and slightly heated with propane (i.e. 50 degrees) when you are gone?
2. Do you want to keep the house warm all the time with wood heat and only use propane as a total back-up?
3. How much wood do you have readily available, is it free, do you have the time to cut and stack it yourself for free or do you need to pay for cord wood to be delivered?
If #1 is accurate, consider a non-catalytic stove like (for example) the Lopi Endeavor or Republic 1750 (I have the insert version of this). It has a 2.2 cubic foot firebox and is rated to heat 1200-2000 square feet....but that rating is assuming a jam packed full firebox with cord wood running at optimal temperatures with a blower. You can easily use that to run a more medium-sized fire, get 8-10 hour burns out of it, and be satisfied. And that stove should be around $1500-1600 (for the unit).
If #2, look into getting a catalytic stove. These will let you burn for 24+ hours straight without reloading (some have reported up to 40 hours of burning on a single load by members on here). More expensive, though fitting in your budget. To me, its alot of extra money to spend to get a stove that can provide mild heating when you are not home. I don't think the investment would be worth it in your case vs. propane use, but it's also a matter of #3 (wood availability) and how long you plan on staying in the home, and general desire.
If #3 says you need to pay for wood, look for the most efficient ~2.0 cubic foot firebox you can find with good quality workmanship and a low price, and use it only when you are home with propane as that back-up. If you have free wood, then you have alot more options that are cost efficient.
For 1100 square feet, single story open floor plan in a mild climate (i.e. gets down to 20-30 but not really down to 0 or sub-zero)....you really have some very nice cost effective options.
Here's the things you need to discuss:
1. Do you want to keep the house cozy while you are there with wood burning and slightly heated with propane (i.e. 50 degrees) when you are gone?
2. Do you want to keep the house warm all the time with wood heat and only use propane as a total back-up?
3. How much wood do you have readily available, is it free, do you have the time to cut and stack it yourself for free or do you need to pay for cord wood to be delivered?
If #1 is accurate, consider a non-catalytic stove like (for example) the Lopi Endeavor or Republic 1750 (I have the insert version of this). It has a 2.2 cubic foot firebox and is rated to heat 1200-2000 square feet....but that rating is assuming a jam packed full firebox with cord wood running at optimal temperatures with a blower. You can easily use that to run a more medium-sized fire, get 8-10 hour burns out of it, and be satisfied. And that stove should be around $1500-1600 (for the unit).
If #2, look into getting a catalytic stove. These will let you burn for 24+ hours straight without reloading (some have reported up to 40 hours of burning on a single load by members on here). More expensive, though fitting in your budget. To me, its alot of extra money to spend to get a stove that can provide mild heating when you are not home. I don't think the investment would be worth it in your case vs. propane use, but it's also a matter of #3 (wood availability) and how long you plan on staying in the home, and general desire.
If #3 says you need to pay for wood, look for the most efficient ~2.0 cubic foot firebox you can find with good quality workmanship and a low price, and use it only when you are home with propane as that back-up. If you have free wood, then you have alot more options that are cost efficient.
This is such good advice. When I was initially looking I would ask the people in the stove store about cat/non-cat and they NEVER had anything helpful to say about long burn times or anything, they were just like "well, whatever you prefer... but you have to replace the Cat so it's higher maintenance." It's only after reading on here for a long time that I understand the benefits of a Cat stove. (though for my particular application it's not a frequent option as it turns out anyway)
Let's not get carried away with the largest Woodstock or a Blaze King here folks. We are talking about heating 1100 sq. feet. The OP is looking for heat, not a spare bedroom.
BrotherBart said:
Yeah, I didn't notice that until after I posted before. I was thinking split level for some reason. I suppose he could just add on to the house instead of buying a smaller stove.
Thanks for the replies. The climate here in SW MO is on the edge of getting pretty danged cold to sometimes not so bad.............if that makes any sense at all. I'd say that our lowest temps of the winter will be in the 0 range, sometimes we can get a cold spell that will dip those temps down into the sub zero area but usually not for more then a few days at a time. But we have lots of nights down in the low teens so take that for what its worth. As for install, I'll probably just do it myself. I'll have to use double wall pipe and I know that it can get pretty pricey, haven't checked in some time though about it. And I live on 70 acres of farmland and have all the oak, hickory, hedge/osage and locust that I'll ever need so wood availability is not an issue. This would also be my primary source of heat too with propane as a backup. Keep the info coming, its been a great help!!
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
jaytee said:
If you truly want to burn wood as your main heat source and you have 24-hour shifts . . . could be tough . . . I know the folks with the cats say their stoves can go low and long . . . but many of these folks also have stoves that hold a decent amount of wood (i.e. the Blaze Kings get very long burn times according to owners, but they're also designed to put out a lot of heat and hold a lot of wood.) I mean to say . . . you want a stove that will comfortably heat up a small area with a very long burn . . . but not heat you out of home and hearth.
Maybe the cat owners could tell you how large a space they're heating . . . and what a typical "burn time" is . . . say using the definition of "burn time" as the time from when the fire is lit or reloaded to the time when you have to reload the stove as the temps in the home are decreasing to the point where you want to add more wood.
Depending on their answers . . . you may not find a stove that will heat the house without overheating it and give you the ability to burn for several hours without a reload . . . this may be a case where a pelletstove may make more sense . . . or you may have to sacrifice a few hours (and dollars) on working days and realize the woodstove you get (whether cat or non-cat) will help make a dent in the heating bill, but will not replace it . . . or I may be pleasantly surprised and someone will come along and say "I have a similar sized home, heat my stove with Brand X Model Y and can get 24+ hours of burn time before reloading."
firefighterjake
Minister of Fire
jaytee said:
Ah ha . . . now I realize why you're looking at a woodstove vs. pelletstove . . . I'm guessing you don't have any of those Magical Wood Pellet Trees growing on the property, huh?
Any of your brother firefighters work on the side as sweeps? We have several up here . . . and when it came time to do the install one of them did it for me at a very affordable price.
BrotherBart said:
I'd also agree that trying to heat a small place on one load of wood every 24 hrs is impractical. There are several stoves on the market that will heat the place comfortably with wood when you are in the home or away for part of the day. I'd focus more on what you would like in a stove while you are in the house, not out of it. For this task I would be looking at stoves in the 1.5 to 2.0 cu ft range.
Here are some articles that should be helpful:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Wood_Stove_buying_Primer/
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/choosing_a_wood_stove
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/wood_stove_intro
Questions to ask the dealer:
References?
Do they use their own installers or sub-contract this work out?
How long have they been in business?
How do they handle warranty issues?
jaytee said:
Sounds like you're a great candidate for something like the "Hill boiler" of the late '70s. Short, hot, clean fire with gases going to heat-exchanger to heat water stored in 1000 gal tank. Draw from tank a/r. Fire maybe 1 hr/day, when it's convenient. I suspect we'll see them coming back.
Problem with woodstoves is that long (smoldering) burn is dirty, because of low firebox temps. Even catalysts need to be in suitable temp range; catalysts have their own expense factors.
What might work for you is to run a woodstove in a space where you can accommodate relatively high temps, that's well insulated from outdoors. So it stores heat. Other options include free-standing block walls wrapped around stove for storage. Articles have been written on such. It helps to be able to allow/block heated airflow to specific rooms.
About the energy efficiency tax credit, see http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index
If it was me, I'd get a medium sized stove (read: 2.0-2.4 cubic feet) with 8-10 burn times, set my propane heater at 50 degrees, and get some super cedars or something similar and get used to setting up the next fire in advance after a 24 hour run.
A cat stove would definitely keep your house warm for 24 hours, but I don't think the additional $2k in upfront costs (I think that's right) is worth it compared to simply letting your propane keep the house warm between 10 hours after you leave (how long the wood would burn in a non-cat stove) and 14 hours later when you return.
How many days are you away from home a year for 24 hours in the winter? During those times, expect your propane to need to heat your home to maybe 55-60 degrees for the time between when you leave and when you return, subtracting 8-10 hours from the warmth your wood stoove will give when you load it up right before leaving.
To me, the economical choice is to get a medium sized wood stove (which, by the way, tend to have alot of the features of the LARGE stoves while running more efficiently, providing more capacity, and being fairly inexpensive). Small stoves often carry less of the core features that are really nice and you may occasionally run into capacity issues, as well as shorter overall burn times. You'll pay probably a $200-300 premium up front for a "medium" stove over a "small" stove.
Small = 1.5-1.9 cubic foot box (often rated to heat up to 1200-1500 square feet)
Medium = 2.0 - 2.4 cubic foot box (often rated to heat 1000-2000 square feet)
A cat stove would definitely keep your house warm for 24 hours, but I don't think the additional $2k in upfront costs (I think that's right) is worth it compared to simply letting your propane keep the house warm between 10 hours after you leave (how long the wood would burn in a non-cat stove) and 14 hours later when you return.
How many days are you away from home a year for 24 hours in the winter? During those times, expect your propane to need to heat your home to maybe 55-60 degrees for the time between when you leave and when you return, subtracting 8-10 hours from the warmth your wood stoove will give when you load it up right before leaving.
To me, the economical choice is to get a medium sized wood stove (which, by the way, tend to have alot of the features of the LARGE stoves while running more efficiently, providing more capacity, and being fairly inexpensive). Small stoves often carry less of the core features that are really nice and you may occasionally run into capacity issues, as well as shorter overall burn times. You'll pay probably a $200-300 premium up front for a "medium" stove over a "small" stove.
Small = 1.5-1.9 cubic foot box (often rated to heat up to 1200-1500 square feet)
Medium = 2.0 - 2.4 cubic foot box (often rated to heat 1000-2000 square feet)
We work 24 hrs. on duty and 48 off so I'm definately home more then I'm not. I dont expect to find a stove that will do the job for the 24 hrs that I'm away, but I'd like one to use while I'm home. I can keep the gas furnace set at 50 or so and when I get home in the mornings I can bump it up a tad till the wood stove gets going good. Right now I'm using a vent free gas furnace which is fine but I'd like something better and I think wood is the way I want to go. 'Course when you talk to different folks about using wood heat seems they always complain about the mess that they make and all. The house I live in is was built by my grandpa back in the 40's and they used wood heat alot. Cant really remember the mess involved other then the bark and other stuff that tends to fall off the wood as its being moved around. I'm sure that the stoves of today are much more clean then the old pot belley stove that grandma and grandpa used for years so that ought to cut down on the soot and other mess. I appreciate all the info so far.
Here's some to look at. This list will keep you looking for a while. As you can see there are a lot of stoves to choose from. And there are many more. Find out what local dealers carry what brands and see them in person. Before you go to the store. Let us know more about the location where the stove will be put. Is there a hearth already in place? Are there clearance issues?
Woodstock Palladian or Keystone (catalytic)
Pacific Energy Alderlea T5 or Spectrum
Napoleon 1400
Hearthstone Shelburne
Hearthstone Heritage
Jotul F400 Castine
Hampton H300
Avalon Rainier
Englander 13NC
Osburn 1600
Country ST210
Buck Model 20 (catalytic)
Buck Model 21 (non-cat)
Woodstock Palladian or Keystone (catalytic)
Pacific Energy Alderlea T5 or Spectrum
Napoleon 1400
Hearthstone Shelburne
Hearthstone Heritage
Jotul F400 Castine
Hampton H300
Avalon Rainier
Englander 13NC
Osburn 1600
Country ST210
Buck Model 20 (catalytic)
Buck Model 21 (non-cat)
The stove will be located near the center of the house in the dining/family room. There is no hearth in place, and no chimney thats usable, the old one is just to old and to small to have relined. As far as clearance issues, I dont forsee any. Yes on the detector, no on the drafty house, use a dehumidifier, 1.69 per gallon on propane.
Sounds good. Take a look at the whole collection there and let us know which ones appeal to you. The Englander and Napoleon stoves will be on the low end of cost. The Hearthstone, PE Alderlea, Jotul and Woodstock will be on the higher end. But this is before the tax credit. Your budget is realistic, so get the stove you like. This website has some pricing and good installation (hearth) dimensions: www.chimneysweeponline.com.
Man that is unreal. I haven't seen that propane price this decade. $3.49/gal here.
Man that is unreal. I haven't seen that propane price this decade. $3.49/gal here.
i also have a 1100sqft ranch and in the process of getting a stove. Check out these:
PE super 27/ super step top
Regency F2400
Napoleon 1400 & 1450
Timberwolf 2200
Quad 3100
Lopi republic 1750
Avalon rainier
their all about +/- 2.0cuft firebox and span the low to middle price range,. BTW i picked the PE super step top.
PE super 27/ super step top
Regency F2400
Napoleon 1400 & 1450
Timberwolf 2200
Quad 3100
Lopi republic 1750
Avalon rainier
their all about +/- 2.0cuft firebox and span the low to middle price range,. BTW i picked the PE super step top.
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