Back loading stove

[EatenByLimestone]

Somebody should develop one.

You would have a great seal around the glass so you would never have dirty glass. The airwash system could always operate at it's best.

Coals would automatically be pushed toward the glass and the airwash system. No pulling them up to the front only to push them back when loading a large split.

No ash mess in front of the stove.

Doors would be cheaper also since they could simply be a plate of steel without a window. No expensive castings required.

The only downside I can see would be the room behind the stove needed to load it. This may be somewhat fixed since they could offset the flue opening. An EW loaded stove shouldn't need more than 18" to swing the door open completely. I have that behind my stove anyway. You could toss splits in from the side.


What says the collective woodburning wisdom? ESW guys?

Matt

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Hearth requirements would change also since you would no longer need 18" in front of the stove for spark protection.

 

[firefighterjake]

I'm thinking not a lot of folks would be lining up to buy one . . . it would require the stove be located in middle of the room or far enough away from the wall to access the wood door in the back . . . and for many folks placing the woodstove in the center of the room or even giving up several feet of living space just to access the woodstove would not be popular . . . heck, how many folks buy a particular woodstove model just because it has a few inches less clearance . . . I would suspect more than one person has chosen Brand X over Brand Y simply because it sat closer to the wall or neatly fit into the existing fireplace opening.

 

[tiber]

If we redefine "back" as "side" then "yes".

 

[Slow1]

If we redefine "back" as "side" then "yes".

+1

I believe virtually all those benefits outlined in the initial post are there with a side loading stove. Many good examples exist out there - one is sitting in my home right now in fact