Advice on a stove for heating a 2,500-square-foot single-story house

[fefe78]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for opinions from people who have a situation similar to mine, to get a better idea of how well a high-output wood stove, such as a Regency, Blaze King, Pacific Energy, Jotul, can actually heat my home. I’d rather hear from people with real-world experience than rely on the optimistic claims of stove dealers, which may not always match reality.

My house is about 2,500 square feet, all on one level, divided into a living area and a sleeping area, separated by an entrance hall. In both the living and sleeping areas, you have to go through a hallway to reach the other rooms. The stove would be located in the open-plan living room/kitchen area of about 750 square feet.

You can also find the floor plan of the house attached.

The house is moderately insulated, with insulation in the attic, and the windows will be replaced, but it is still a house that was built in 1970.

What are the main limitations or deal-breakers with a layout like this? I understand that the sleeping area will definitely be cooler, but I’d like to get a better idea of whether the heat would barely reach it at all or whether some heat would still make its way through.

Are there any techniques or solutions for moving heat away from the area where the stove is located? Do these stoves tend to create a “bubble” of heat around them?

I also have the option of supplementing the heat with my natural-gas boiler in the cooler areas if necessary.

I live in North Italy, and winters in my area are not particularly harsh. On the coldest days, temperatures typically range from around 23°F to 41°F (-5°C to 5°C).

Do you have any suggestions? Could the stoves mentioned above, in the right models, be a good option, or would it be better to take a different approach?

Thanks to all.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Can you put a red X where you plan on putting the stove? What altitude are you at and how tall is your chimney?

 

[NickW]

Wood stoves are space heaters. Moving the warm air to cold rooms is most effective by pushing the coldest air in the farthest reaches along the floor with a fan on low creating a convective loop. It's a so-so proposition, but most people prefer their sleeping areas cooler than living areas. Some of us have run ductwork with duct fans from the ceiling in the stove room through the attic to other areas with some success, but it needs to be insulated or you lose the heat. Stoves that can be dialed down "low and slow" (catalyst stoves) should give the most even heat. Secondary combustion stoves give a big bloom of heat then an increasingly less amount.