Wood stove purchase question

[MVB]

This is my first time posting here and I’m hoping to get some advice. I’ve been researching different stoves and I think I’m more confused than before I started. I’m looking for something efficient with good burn times.
My house is about 1200 sq ft, not an open floor plan. It was built late 1800’s to early 1900’s. I was looking at BK, Kuma, Drolet, just about everything. My main issue is that in my area we only have pine, no hard wood. Any recommendations?

 

[edyit]

there is nothing wrong with burning pine, just season it like any other wood and you'll be fine, the whole burning pine is bad is a terrible myth

 

[bholler]

there is nothing wrong with burning pine, just season it like any other wood and you'll be fine, the whole burning pine is bad is a terrible myth

Yes it is fine to burn but it burns fast and hot.

 

[bholler]

This is my first time posting here and I’m hoping to get some advice. I’ve been researching different stoves and I think I’m more confused than before I started. I’m looking for something efficient with good burn times.
My house is about 1200 sq ft, not an open floor plan. It was built late 1800’s to early 1900’s. I was looking at BK, Kuma, Drolet, just about everything. My main issue is that in my area we only have pine, no hard wood. Any recommendations?

With only soft woods i would lean towards a bk because of the ammount of control they give you.

 

[MVB]

Yes it is fine to burn but it burns fast and hot.

This was my concern... it would affect burn times and most times are based on hard woods.

 

[bholler]

This was my concern... it would affect burn times and most times are based on hard woods.

Yes youbare right. That is why i recomended a bk. Woodstocks hybrids would work well to.

 

[begreen]

I burn softwood (doug fir) by choice most of the time. It does not burn up too quickly. With a full load I go 12 hrs between refills during milder weather burning down to 8-9 hrs when pushing the stove for more heat. Thicker splits and/or dense packing helps keep the fire from burning too hot and fast.

 

[MVB]

I burn softwood (doug fir) by choice most of the time. It does not burn up too quickly. With a full load I go 12 hrs between refills during milder weather burning down to 8-9 hrs when pushing the stove for more heat. Thicker splits and/or dense packing helps keep the fire from burning too hot and fast.

Ok great and what kind of stove are you burning?

 

[begreen]

Pacific Energy T6 (same firebox as the Summit). Other stoves like the Jotul F55, Enviro Kodiak or Boston 2500 should have reasonable burn times too. This is not to dissuade one from looking at catalytic stoves. BK and Kuma are good brands. Just saying that there are alternatives. For your sq ftg the PE T5 (or Super 27) is notable for good long burn times too. Both PE and Enviro are northwest stoves designed to burn softwood. Part of the decision depends on what climate zone you are in, what are the average winter temps (day and night) and how often one expects to be burning.

 

[jetsam]

I burn softwood (doug fir) by choice most of the time. It does not burn up too quickly. With a full load I go 12 hrs between refills during milder weather burning down to 8-9 hrs when pushing the stove for more heat. Thicker splits and/or dense packing helps keep the fire from burning too hot and fast.

Even with a BK, split size makes a noticeable difference in burn times, especially with pine. You can still get long burn times (20+ hours in a princess, probably a lot more in a king) with pine on low thermostat setings.

I prefer pine to oak in the cold part of the winter.

 

[begreen]

Even with a BK, split size makes a noticeable difference in burn times, especially with pine. You can still get long burn times (20+ hours in a princess, probably a lot more in a king) with pine on low thermostat setings.

I prefer pine to oak in the cold part of the winter.

Agreed. Over the years I have gotten burning in this stove down to a science. I like doug fir a lot for it's predictable burn, good heat and low ash content.

 

[jetsam]

Agreed. Over the years I have gotten burning in this stove down to a science. I like doug fir a lot for it's predictable burn, good heat and low ash content.

I actually decided last year that split size wouldn't matter because the thermostat dictates intake air and thus burn rate, right? So I split my pine stack much smaller, which is convenient and wife-friendly.

Well, nothing in life is as simple as you think it is. All those tiny splits do in fact burn faster than a few big ones, even under the care of the magic thermostat.

 

[MVB]

Pacific Energy T6 (same firebox as the Summit). Other stoves like the Jotul F55, Enviro Kodiak or Boston 2500 should have reasonable burn times too. This is not to dissuade one from looking at catalytic stoves. BK and Kuma are good brands. Just saying that there are alternatives. For your sq ftg the PE T5 (or Super 27) is notable for good long burn times too. Both PE and Enviro are northwest stoves designed to burn softwood. Part of the decision depends on what climate zone you are in, what are the average winter temps (day and night) and how often one expects to be burning.

I’m on the westcoast, N. Ca. The winter hasn’t been bad this year but typically winters get pretty cold. Average low 30s with nights in the teens. Usually we see a lot more snow so I figure in the next year or two we’ll get hit again.