Hi All, new to Hearth and never owned a wood stove either! We have a masonry fireplace that I would like to install an insert. The room is about 15 by 15. It’s a somewhat open floor plan. This is for comfort / supplemental heat and in case the power goes out. House is about 3,000sq finished , two story. TMI yet? I am looking at a Quadrafire Voyager Grand and a Vermont Castings Montpelier. Any words of wisdom? Other things to consider? I’m in Vermont and have access to somewhat seasoned (<6 mo) birch, maple and ash. Appreciate the help in advanced.
Recommendations on a wood stove insert
- Thread starter Ontap
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If this area is open to the rest of the house then consider getting the largest insert that fits, something in the 3 cu ft range.
No such thing as to much information. A 3000 sq. foot house - I'd get the biggest insert that would fit inside the firebox. You'll also need to have the chimney lined with a stainless liner so don't forget to factor that into the cost.
Any wood is fine to burn as long as you've had it cut, split and dried for a minimum of 12 months, even pine. You just won't get the same amount of heat and burn time from less dense wood. If you try to burn wood that has been sitting for only 6 months you'll be back on here in a few weeks trying to figure out why you can't get any heat out of your expensive new stove.
Welcome to hearth.com! A couple of considerations:
1. The most important thing you can do right now is figure out your plan for obtaining and seasoning wood. If you try to burn unseasoned/marginally seasoned wood in a modern EPA stove, you will be miserable. Sounds like you have access to a supply of at least partially seasoned wood. Is this wood already split? If not, many people on hearth.com don't consider wood to start seasoning until it has been split. Also, many find that hard woods won't season fully (<20ish % moisture) until 2 years have passed. For some (me included), it takes 3 years. This depends on a lot of factors, but the bottom line is, if you don't focus right now on getting a supply of seasoned wood, your first year or two with the stove could be frustrating. If you have not had experience with modern stoves, you may find that what you are used to or what you have heard about seasoning wood (from those with older stoves) does not apply to seasoning wood for modern stoves. Lots of good info and tips on hearth.com about seasoning wood.
2. Think long and hard about whether you want a "North/South" loader or an "East/West" loader. N/S loaders have a deeper firebox, and so you can load the wood in perpendicular to the front of the stove. In an E/W loader, you load the wood in parallel to the door. In general, people find that it is easier to fill the firebox (take full advantage of the size of the stove) in a N/S loader. Also, people find that they are simply easier to load. However, N/S inserts are harder to find.
3. Two large-ish N/S inserts that have not been mentioned: PE Summit (3 cuft firebox) and Enviro Boston (2.5 cu ft firebox). Both put out a lot of heat and get really good burn times (maximum of 12 hrs for Boston, longer for Summit) for non-cat stoves.
4. Consider whether super long burn times (20+ hrs) are important to you. If that is the case, you will want to look at cat stoves.
1. The most important thing you can do right now is figure out your plan for obtaining and seasoning wood. If you try to burn unseasoned/marginally seasoned wood in a modern EPA stove, you will be miserable. Sounds like you have access to a supply of at least partially seasoned wood. Is this wood already split? If not, many people on hearth.com don't consider wood to start seasoning until it has been split. Also, many find that hard woods won't season fully (<20ish % moisture) until 2 years have passed. For some (me included), it takes 3 years. This depends on a lot of factors, but the bottom line is, if you don't focus right now on getting a supply of seasoned wood, your first year or two with the stove could be frustrating. If you have not had experience with modern stoves, you may find that what you are used to or what you have heard about seasoning wood (from those with older stoves) does not apply to seasoning wood for modern stoves. Lots of good info and tips on hearth.com about seasoning wood.
2. Think long and hard about whether you want a "North/South" loader or an "East/West" loader. N/S loaders have a deeper firebox, and so you can load the wood in perpendicular to the front of the stove. In an E/W loader, you load the wood in parallel to the door. In general, people find that it is easier to fill the firebox (take full advantage of the size of the stove) in a N/S loader. Also, people find that they are simply easier to load. However, N/S inserts are harder to find.
3. Two large-ish N/S inserts that have not been mentioned: PE Summit (3 cuft firebox) and Enviro Boston (2.5 cu ft firebox). Both put out a lot of heat and get really good burn times (maximum of 12 hrs for Boston, longer for Summit) for non-cat stoves.
4. Consider whether super long burn times (20+ hrs) are important to you. If that is the case, you will want to look at cat stoves.
EbS-P
Minister of Fire
If you don’t have really dry wood you should consider saw dust bricks or logs. I paid for a whole cord of firewood in December that was to wet to burn and trying to keep the stove going took all the fun out of it. Especially the 30 times my wife told me “I didn’t know it took this much work to burn wood”. I went out and picked up some eco bricks and mix them in or burn them by themselves and we are all much happier and warmer. I just added it to the cost of the new stove in my mind and what’s another 100$ on my 5000$ install.
Evan
Evan
How high/deep is your hearth extension? I recommend an insert that sticks out as opposed to flush. I have a flush insert and may have chosen a different stove if I could've had one that sticks out. You're looking for words of wisdom? Get attic insulation to R-49 or greater, and research how to do a blockoff plate. Tons of posts that go over this.
Jan Pijpelink
Minister of Fire
Keep in mind that most inserts require a blower for optimum performance. Without power you can't use the blower. Have you considered a free standing stove that fits in the fireplace?
That is true for flush inserts, but inserts that project out on the hearth can do a reasonably good job of heating in an outage.
Jan Pijpelink
Minister of Fire
I agree. That's what I do, but I do not know what the OP has planned, so just making him aware.
The fireplace opening faces the exterior of the house unfortunately. however I do have a ceiling fan that I assume could push air around (assuming we have power).
It’s about 15 inches. I’ve read that as well but have to sell the boss on it (she prefers the looks of the flush mount!).
I am biased, but the Regency CI2600/Hampton HI400 is the best performing and looking flush insert.
Even so, you need 16 inches of depth from the door to the end of the hearth extension.Similar threads
