Can an insert/stove be too large?

[esh21167]

I have a two story, not well insulated 1500 SF house and have been insert shopping. I might have a chance to get a Quadrafire 5100 private sale for around $1000. But its firebox is over 3 cubic feet and it's rated for 3000 SF. At first I thought that would be great, large firebox for long burn times, plenty of "power" in reserve. Everyone seems to say bigger is better, but here's the question:

Does anyone have experience using a large insert/stove for smaller areas? Is it possible to just close down the air control to tone down the output if needed and achieve longer burn times. I don't want to get cooked out of the room with the insert. Thanks to all.

Eric

 

[begreen]

If the stove is in great condition, that could be a nice price. How old is it?

Just cause the box is big, it doesn't mean it has to be filled. As long as a hot enough fire can be built to get secondary combustion going, the stove should burn fine. This can be done with just a few splits.

However, it does depend on how large the area that the fireplace is in. Is this a small room? Or is the floorplan pretty open with the fireplace in the largest area?

 

[fossil]

I picked up a Century Hearth FW240007 for my workshop because it was relatively small (small stoves aren't all that easy to find) and it was on the floor at Lowes when my hearth was ready for it. CFM claimed this little stove would heat 1000 square feet of living space. My workshop is only about 340 square feet (with a 4'x7' opening leading to three garages worth of adjacent space). I don't have any problem with the shop becoming uncomfortably hot, in fact it takes a while for the stove to bring the temperature in the shop up starting from cold in the morning. Then I simply adjust how much fuel I load, and how often, during the day. If I kept it roaring, and it wasn't very cold outside, I'd drive myself right out of the shop...when I was becoming familiar with the stove, there were a few times I opened some windows to cool the place back down a bit. I also have a small ceiling fan to better distribute the warm air, which makes a big difference (10' ceilings trap a lot of heat up high). It's simply a process of learning the stove. I'd rather have surplus capacity available to me than too little...you gotta watch the temps and avoid low smoldering fires, but you don't have to burn the stove flat out all the time. Rick

 

[Todd]

The price sounds right. It will work fine as long as you don't fill it to the gills and damper down all the time. Just use half a load or so and it's just like burning an insert half the size.

 

[jadm]

My house is 1800 sq.ft. It is a ranch. The room our insert is in is 11x14 and is open to a kitchen and dining room - combined area probably 500 sq ft. I have a Jotul 550 which is rated for a 2000 sq.ft. house - I think - I was looking at an awful lot of insert specs. in Dec..

It was installed in mid-Jan. and we haven't experienced being too hot yet


Like others have said - temps can be controlled by how much wood is added and how often.

Insert we had previously had a much smaller firebox and one of the reasons I decided to buy another one was it couldn't keep temps. up on our cold days. Worked great when temps were above 40* but any colder and it struggled.

 

[stanleyjohn]

I'm glad this thread popped up!My dad is in the process of getting a wood insert for his rec room in the basement.He saw two dealers who both said a small insert would work fine.He said he would wait until i see him next sun (moms day)before making a decision.I also believe what many are saying here!bigger is better.I plan on printing out many of the replies from here as ammo to convince my dad that the small one is too small.

 

[esh21167]

It's about 3 years old. Seems like a really good buy. Friend of a friend of a friend is giving up wood burning.

The insert would be in a living room 12 x 24. The remainder of the first floor is an adjacent 12 x 14 dining room with a 5 foot wide opening and then a 8 x 12 galley kitchen with two standard doors , one from the LR and one from the DR. The open stairwell is in the LR which leads upstairs.

Seems like building a smaller fire to get adequate heat, then maybe backing it down for overnighters would be a good plan of action.

BeGreen and Todd answered the root of one question: Getting secondary burn with the firebox only, let's say, 1/2 full would be like using a smaller insert.

 

[begreen]

It sounds like the space will handle it. Given the house is not well insulated (gotta work on that one) it should be ok. If it goes below zero, you'll be ready for it!

For the price, if it hasn't been overfired or mistreated, you can sell it if you aren't satisfied.

 

[esh21167]

Found out it's more like 8 or 9 years old. He's getting a pellet install in two weeks so I'm going to see it then since it's about 1 1/2 hour trip one way. That way if it's good, will only make the trip once. Maybe $600-800 would be a better price for that age. Also includes a pickup load of red oak.

BeGreen, how can you tell if it has been overfired?

 

[begreen]

That does make a difference. You'll need to do a closer inspection for age related issues as well. Considering the long drive, will they send you some pictures of the insert? If they will, ask for exterior front and sides as well as interior shots of the firebox.

For overfiring, look for exterior areas of the stove that are light gray, almost whitish. Closely inspect all welds, look for cracks. Examine the burn tubes for signs of deterioration, poke at them with a screwdriver to be sure the metal is still sound. Look at the baffle board and ceramic blanket above the secondaries. Are they there and in good shape? Look at the firebrick, is it badly cracked? Check the door for warpage. Try the blower out to be sure it works.

 

[Hogwildz]

Better too large, than too small.

 

[Todd]

If it's 8-9 years old I wouldn't pay $1000. Maybe $500. You can buy a brand new Englander for less than 1k. And I believe the Lopi Republic stoves go for around 1k.

 

[esh21167]

Thanks to all for the input on what to look for. I have asked for some pictures, so that may shed some light.

 

[esh21167]

Pictures look pretty good, but still unsure about the large size. Makes sense that I don't want to run it dampered down all the time. If I build smaller fires will the stove be able to get up to a proper temp to get secondary burns and run the fan? I know reselling if it doesn't work is an option, but at over 500 pounds, I really don't want to be thinking about that now.

 

[BrotherBart]

It'll get hot. Don't worry about that. Either keep three small splits going or load it up and kick it in the butt and let it burn down and give off heat for hours. Five hundred pounds of steel, bricks and coals gives off heat for a good long time.

At least my 455 pounder does.

 

[RedRanger]

Only problem with "getting cooked out of the room" is that ya get used to it. any thing less than 80 starts to feel too damn cold.and there in lies the problem, toasty and roasty or chilly and whilly %-P