Where do I start? New stove?

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gioiamt

New Member
Nov 7, 2010
3
W Mt
OK.... I am by no means very knowledgable when it comes to this subject so bear with me.

I have a rather drafty log home, about 1200 sq ft on the main living level with a semi-finished basement of about 600 sq ft (the rest is garage). 1/2 of main living area (kitchen, LR, DR) has cathedral ceiling (roof-pitch not too steep), other 1/2 has a loft room over it... used mostly for storage. It can get pretty cold here in the winter, but I would put average winter nighttime temps at 0-15F and daytime as 15-25F. Can get a few nights up to 30-40 below.

About 3 years ago I bought a blaze-King Princess and installed it in my basement (inside wall) and was so frustrated with it I ended up abandoning it and using my only other source of heat... a Monitor fuel oil unit in the basement with a small freestanding electric unit upstairs. This allowed me to keep the main living area of my house at between 58-64 at a cost of about $300/month. Fun.

The main problem i had with the stove was back-drafting. Tried everything. I think the main issue was the installation. main pipe came up about two feet then a 90 deg angle through the wall (concrete block that supported rock fireplace above) and into the chimney. The horizontal run is about 4 feet and does not have ANY incline. There is a cleanout door at the bottom of the main chimney, and if I light a piece of newspaper there it drafts like nobody's business.

I also was never able to get 12 hour burn-time like I was told I could (pine). Don't know if this was exacerbated by the installation problem or what. I really need a 12 hour burn-time as I am gone from teh house most days for that length of time and don't have the time or inclination to start a new fire whenever I get home.

In retrospect, i should have installed a stove in my main living- area. I don't spend time in my basement and it doesn't make sense to heat an area you don't use and then try to move that air to an area you do...... pretty inefficient concept. I was initially against the idea of the stove upstairs because of the space it would take up. Now that I am over the "taking-up-space" idea and really just want a warm house, I think I have decided to install a stove upstairs (corner of LR so will go straight up to ceiling/roof). Here's where I am hoping someone might be able to help out:

1) I could move my Princess upstairs. Upside.... obviously the cheapest option. Downside..... I wish I had an idea that if it were moved upstairs and installed properly, could I get that 12-hour burn-time from it? From reviews I have read, it gets very high ratings. Also, have to admit the Princess is pretty ugly... o.k. for my basement but my LR is a nice space and I don't really like the idea of that cast-iron blob in the corner. I was considering setting up the Princess with an 8" pipe (in case I decided on the Equinox... see below) and see how it went. Thing is, if I do want a new stove, i want to get it before 12/31 for tax rebate.

2) I have looked at the Hearthstone Equinox..... huge box, very beautiful. Downside... $$$$$ and can't find reviews. Also, maybe more than I really need.

3) I have looked at the Lopi Leyden...... smaller box, nice-looking, less expensive than Hearthstone. Was told by dealer (this is someone I would trust) that it would heat my spcae and I could get the 12-hour burn-time from it. I don't think he's being misleading, but I'm just skeptical. Also, read some "so-so" reviews.

Any ideas or opinions? Any other options to look into for a nice-looking stove that would heat about 2000 sq ft and definitely give a 12-hour burn-time with pine?

Sorry this was so lengthy..... Help is much appreciated!
 
You appear to have a series of issues associated with heating your place.

Drafty - should be on the list to fix, but I know how that goes. Understand the drafty defeats the heat from whichever system you use.

Stove Placement - it sounds like you have accepted the need for the stove in the main living area, which is the best location for a radiant heater.

Stove selection. With you on the looks! I would have a hard time putting a BK anywhere in my house, but it would start to look pretty darn good at $300/mo for the fuel heater. I'll defer to others' experience on the burn times, but I understand it's a good long-burning stove, however not sure how many BTUs that is over the 12 hours and if the house is drafty it may not be enough (back to #1). Please pay zero attention to the square footage numbers offered by the manufacturers, especially in your situation. They assume an 8' ceiling, well-insulated home in a variety of climates depending on mfr. If you calculate the volume you're trying to heat, not the square footage, I expect you come close to a 2000 sq ft house or larger. I also looked at the leyden, and the best feature appeared to be salesman enthusiasm - he told me it would heat a convention cented where it was on display. I think, given your desire to come home to a stove still going, the amount of volume you are trying to heat, the cumulative effects of draft and air infiltration, and your fuel of choice (pine) you need to be looking at at least a 3+ cubic foot stove. Jotul F600 is pretty easy on the eyes, as is the PE Alderlea T6, Quadrafire 5700, and definitely the Equinox. The Englander 30 would work, but you have concerns about the aesthetics of the BK so I don't know if that's any better. You're looking at a large investment of time and money to get this set up, if you get a smaller stove I think you may be a bit frustrated when it either doesn't put out the heat, or is always cold when you come home, and thus doesn't get used. Regardless, because of the ceilign height you may also want to consider a stove with a blower to keep the heat from sitting on your ceiling all day. We have 9' ceilings and it made a big difference, I expect that would apply more to higher ones. So it sounds like you have concluded you need the stove, and where you're putting it so the decision is shich stove, and therefore should you install a 6 or 8 inch chimney system. The Equinox is the only one mentioned that needs the 8", unless you consider a Blaze King King which would probably meet your needs but has the same appearance as the Princess only bigger.

Good luck and keep us posted; anything beats that fuel bill!
 
Thanks for the help.

I may have overstated a bit the draftiness of my house. I do have new doors/windows and had the entire outside rechinked. It's a lot better than it was a few years ago, but it's still a log house. I would certainly get a blower and I do have a ceiling fan also. Would also want to install a fan down my hall somewhere to suck air to the bedrooms.

I looked at all the stoves you mentioned. Had prevously looked at the Jotul... like the aesthetics best on that one. Am thinking that with the federal and state rebate (we get 20%), the difference between any of those and the Equinox will be about $700. May be worth it to get a LR worthy appearance and a huge loading capacity. Might want to add that I don't mind getting up to a house that needs some warming (or coming home to one)... this house heats pretty quickly. It's just starting new fires I want to avoid.

I'm a bit curious as to how these companies come up with their burn-times. The brochure for the BK Princess says up to 20 hours on low. The Eqionox, with a loading capacity more than 50% greater than the princess says "up to 12". Can the Princess really burn at such a substantially lower level than the Equinox to suitably explain these numbers?
 
First thing I would try is to get that BK in the basement working correctly. That 4' of horizontal is too much especially with no rise. Can you shorten it in half and use 2 ea 45 elbows instead of 1 90 elbow? This will improve draft and performance. You also need to seal that clean out, stuff some insulation in there or silicone the door shut. Sounds llike your chimney is sucking as good as a straw with a hole in it. Did you try an outside combustion air kit to hook up to the stove? This may help with the backdrafting as well since basements tend to have a negative pressure.
 
There are two 45s to get to the 90. Unfortunatley, can't get that horizontal any shorter, just due to the set-up. I probably didn't explain too well about the clean-out. It's a very tightly sealed door. I meant when i open it and burn something at the very bottom of the chimney (inside the door) it drafts just fine. The outside air intake would no doubt help. Thanks.
 
gioiamt, it does sound like a problem. With the stove in the basement you would have to always go down to check on the stove. If the basement is not insulated, the walls and floors will soak up a big portion of that heat and you won't get the benefit upstairs. The horizontal section is long for sure. Remember that horizontal pipe needs a minimum of 1/4" rise per foot of horizontal. For that long of a section I would go more and not less. We used about 1/2" rise per foot.

For your sized cabin, I would still highly recommend the Woodstock stoves. You will even get a 6 month guarantee that it will work. If they don't think it would work for you, then they will tell you and discourage you from buying the stove. They sell only direct but that is nothing to back away from as many of us on this forum truely love these stoves. The Fireview is our favorite.

Look at www.woodstove.com or call 800-866-4344. If you call, tell them Dennis sent you. No, I do not sell the stoves nor receive a kickback. I just happen to love the stoves and the company.
 
I would definitely try the Princess upstairs. If it is not satisfactory, then at least the flue piping is in. But I think it will work. Make sure the cat is in good shape and the stove is run per mfg. directions.
 
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