Stove is new to me...just getting the hang of how it works and its "appetite". During the middle of winter, lets say 20 degrees... How much or how often do you have to keep feeding the stove to maintain a cozy temp(75 degrees)? I know there are variables...size of house, insulation, type of stove, on and on. Generally speaking are you in the stove every two hours? something like that? is this just the nature of the game?
Feeding the stove during mid winter
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75F is like friggin Jamaica or something. Maybe it's my Irish heritage, but I might spontaneously combust in those temps all day. They'd find a pile of ash with a 6-axis PS3 controler on top.
That said- it depends (it always does). Stoves with a large firebox, a catalytic combustor, or soapstone will heat for longer. Mine will heat for maybe 6 hours on a full load of hardwood. I tend to let it die back, then load up- use less wood that way.
That said- it depends (it always does). Stoves with a large firebox, a catalytic combustor, or soapstone will heat for longer. Mine will heat for maybe 6 hours on a full load of hardwood. I tend to let it die back, then load up- use less wood that way.
Thanks for response. I guess the key word in my question is "maintain" 75 degrees. I realize you can load and walk away. This will lead to a spike in temp and then taper down to X degrees. My question is how often do you need to toss another log in?
Again, thanks.
Again, thanks.
Heh, 75 is just gettin' in my wheelhouse. 80+ is a travashamamockery but anything below that rocks.
As far as feeding...there's a lot of variables but If I hadda guess...i'd say on average I'm throwing wood in every 2-4 hours. I don't like to let it burn down so I throw on wood more frequently to keep an even burn.
For nighttime if it's not super cold out I "may" feed it once but doubtful. If it's officially cold and windy out I'll feed it twice a night and get it crankin' before I head out the door at 5:30am then it's up to the wife from there on.
As far as feeding...there's a lot of variables but If I hadda guess...i'd say on average I'm throwing wood in every 2-4 hours. I don't like to let it burn down so I throw on wood more frequently to keep an even burn.
For nighttime if it's not super cold out I "may" feed it once but doubtful. If it's officially cold and windy out I'll feed it twice a night and get it crankin' before I head out the door at 5:30am then it's up to the wife from there on.
"maintaining 75 F" is easy because every molecule in the place has reached that temperature. Warming the furniture, walls, air etc. is what takes much doing.
Thanks Chettt, but you didn't answer the question. You merely said its easy to maintain. You didn't tell me how much work is required to stay there. Thats what I've been asking.
Don't take any offense. Just looking for feedback.
Don't take any offense. Just looking for feedback.
To maintain my stove with very minimal temp swings, I would say ~4 hour load intervals. As an example, last night I had intentions to hold the stove at ~500F. Ran the stove on the first load of the evening for 4 hours. Loaded up for bedtime, brought the temp up to ~550F - good char - tamed it back. Held around 550 and settled at about 525. 9 hours later - 350F on the thermo. Hope that gives an idea of how if properly loaded and attended a stove can actually maintain a pretty steady temp - even over the long haul (4 hours or more).
If your there with your stove all day you won't be able to keep away from it anyway so don't worry. I would say if I'm home to tend it I'll throw a piece or 2 in every 2-3 hours and try to keep the box 3/4 full all the time.. For me a full box is 4-5 big splits and I can count on that for 8 hours. Not sure if this is the most efficient way to burn though, might be better to burn full box, then start over fresh.
Like everyone said there are alot of variables, But i was i the spirit to try this once and i found out that i was about a log per hour. A bigger log went for about 1-1/2 hours. And doing this should keep my house 1800 sqft at 75. Oh this year i'm burning alot of cherry so it should be close to 2 hours. Hope i was some help.
I tossed 2 pieces in the stove just after dinner, say about 6:30 or so. Its 10:00 now and the living room is still in the 80's. Snowing outside with maybe 1.5-2" on the ground and very, very windy right now. House is comfy and I'll be loading the firebox up in the next hour.
So I'd say you're gonna be feeding it a 1-3 splits every 2-3 hours to maintain temps...probably not doing a full long term load and slow burn.
So I'd say you're gonna be feeding it a 1-3 splits every 2-3 hours to maintain temps...probably not doing a full long term load and slow burn.
I getter going on sunday..check it mid week..if it still hot ,,ill fill on saterday :shut: ( jk) may im doing something wrong...
Only been burning since last Feb, with nice dry wood I will put 3 splits on in the morning (6-7 am) come home for lunch and repeat, then around 5-6 pm fill the box with 4 or 5 splits and then refill 4 or 5 at 10:30 or 11 pm. Our furnace kicks on at 5-6 a.m. We are running the mid size 'Pacific Insert' on the main floor of our house which is 1750 excluding the finished basement and the main floor has large cathedral ceilings (26' high). If my fireplace would have taken a bigger stove I may have gone that route 'Summit' for the longer burn time but really the mid size does a great job heating the main and upper level of our house. I do not work for nor sell P.E. products, just a happy customer.
P.S. Since no one is home during the day I suppose we don't maintian 75 degrees, so I would add one more split to the morning and lunch time loads to help out with more even heat.
Kirk
P.S. Since no one is home during the day I suppose we don't maintian 75 degrees, so I would add one more split to the morning and lunch time loads to help out with more even heat.
Kirk
We've burned wood since youth (we're retired) and never have we put wood in a stove every couple of hours! Anything that needs that sort of attention has something wrong with it, including a wood stove.
In mid winter, we add wood in the morning, but usually not a full firebox. Then we'll add some mid-day and again in the evening. Later we load it up for the night. In the coldest part of winter, especially if below zero, we may put some in during the night.
Mid-day is when we usually burn the junk wood, like odd shaped pieces, knotty, short stuff, etc.
Spring and fall is much different as we then put in 3 small pieces per load and then usually let it go out. When the house gets chilly, we start another fire, although during spring we usually have to keep the fire going all night.
In mid winter, we add wood in the morning, but usually not a full firebox. Then we'll add some mid-day and again in the evening. Later we load it up for the night. In the coldest part of winter, especially if below zero, we may put some in during the night.
Mid-day is when we usually burn the junk wood, like odd shaped pieces, knotty, short stuff, etc.
Spring and fall is much different as we then put in 3 small pieces per load and then usually let it go out. When the house gets chilly, we start another fire, although during spring we usually have to keep the fire going all night.
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