? for the experts!

[NewburnerID]

I've been lurking here for a few weeks trying to learn what I can about saws and stoves! You all seem like a very knowledgeable and kind group willing to help out a newbie.

Here is what we are going for. We live in SW Idaho, winters are mild to cold. Most days are in the 30s with lows in the teens. We will go weeks, or months like this year with highs in the teens to single digits to lows below zero. We have a 2300 sq/ft house (not to scale floor plan attached) that was built in 2008 that is pretty tight except for a little draft around the front door.

We want a wood stove to help our heat pump during the winter. It wont be our main source of heat, but I wouldn't mind if the heat pump rarely turned on!!

After reading through the posts, I narrowed our search down to the Englander NC30. It's listed at 2400 sq/ft, and isn't to bad to look at. The problem is, it wont fit where we want to put it. The hearth will extend way beyond the path to the laundry room. So, we are thinking about the Englander 13-NCH that's listed to heat 1800 sq/ft.

So, my question to the experts is this: After looking at our floor plan, do you think the Englander 13-NCH would be a good pick? We wont be trying to heat the very back bedroom, as its occupant married and moved out!

Any suggestions to stoves or ways to move heat would be taken to heart. Also, one of the return air vents for the heat pump is about 15' to 20' away in the same room (marked on the floor plan). I have read that some folks say it works to run the fan of the furnace to move heat, and some say it doesn't.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and offer help.

 

[begreen]

Welcome. If possible it would be better to locate the stove more centrally and run the chimney straight up through the house. That will heat the best and will make the chimney warmer, but more pleasing on the outside. I see a couple other locations that might be better. Any room on the wall dividing the kitchen from the living room?

With a heat pump system you may be able to use the fan to circulate heat if the ductwork is well sealed and insulated.

 

[NewburnerID]

Welcome. If possible it would be better to locate the stove more centrally and run the chimney straight up through the house. That will heat the best and will make the chimney warmer, but more pleasing on the outside. I see a couple other locations that might be better. Any room on the wall dividing the kitchen from the living room?

With a heat pump system you may be able to use the fan to circulate heat if the ductwork is well sealed and insulated.

Thanks! I still plan to run the pipe straight up through the roof even if the stove stays in the corner.
The floor plan is not to scale, so while the location on the wall between the kitchen and living room would work, the hearth would protrude out into the living room (wife inst so sure about that!). What makes that a good spot for the stove? Is it that its a straight shot to the air return?

 

[rwhite]

I got a cardboard box similar in size to the stove and cut a piece of cardboard the size of the hearth requirements. Just move it around and see where it may fit best. The 13 may claim to heat a bit less space but it holds considerably less wood and I think you'd be loading constantly.

 

[Woody Stover]

Floor protection requirements vary between stoves. Some need R-value insulation from combustible flooring, some only need ember protection.
Go big on the stove firebox. "up to xxxx ft." is usually based on a best-case scenario. What is the budget?

 

[begreen]

Thanks! I still plan to run the pipe straight up through the roof even if the stove stays in the corner.
The floor plan is not to scale, so while the location on the wall between the kitchen and living room would work, the hearth would protrude out into the living room (wife inst so sure about that!). What makes that a good spot for the stove? Is it that its a straight shot to the air return?

A centrally located the stove will be better for more even heat distribution throughout the house, even without the hvac fan. Depending on the roof layout and pitch it will probably look much better from outside too. The more of the flue that you can keep in the warm building envelope the better it is for draft and keeping the flue gases hotter. This can reduce creosote buildup.

The stove should be located at least 10 ft from the return air intake.

A couple alternatives to the 30NC are its cousin, the Englander 50 SSW02 and the Drolet HT2000. Both of these stoves just need an ember protection hearth.

 

[rwhite]

Hit the woods as soon as they open for wood down there. I just moved from that area and the commercial cutters hit it pretty hard when the season opens. I never had trouble getting enough just had to travel. In that climate if you cut, split and stack dead or dead standing by end of May, lodgepole and fir will be ready to burn by Oct.

 

[NewburnerID]

Hit the woods as soon as they open for wood down there. I just moved from that area and the commercial cutters hit it pretty hard when the season opens. I never had trouble getting enough just had to travel. In that climate if you cut, split and stack dead or dead standing by end of May, lodgepole and fir will be ready to burn by Oct.

Thanks for all the reply everyone.

We will probably get wood from around the Cascade area.

I would like to put the stove near the center of the house, but the only room I can think it will go in is the living room. The TV room is to isolated with only one opening to the rest of the home. We will try the cardboard idea! And I'll look at the other stoves suggested.

With the stove in the corner like it's laid out now, do you think with the fan running it will push heat through the kitchen, down the hall to the bedrooms?

 

[NewburnerID]

Thanks! I still plan to run the pipe straight up through the roof even if the stove stays in the corner.
The floor plan is not to scale, so while the location on the wall between the kitchen and living room would work, the hearth would protrude out into the living room (wife inst so sure about that!). What makes that a good spot for the stove? Is it that its a straight shot to the air return?

The position of the stove now is on the back of the house, won't be an eye sore from the road.

 

[NewburnerID]

Floor protection requirements vary between stoves. Some need R-value insulation from combustible flooring, some only need ember protection.
Go big on the stove firebox. "up to xxxx ft." is usually based on a best-case scenario. What is the budget?

The budget is 2K or so all in. Doing the install myself. Might be able to go up some if the right stove came along.

 

[blacktail]

I would go with a bigger stove for 2300sf in Idaho. I have a 1.6cf insert heating less than 1200sf in a milder climate and it does ok but struggles when we get unusually cold. When it was in the teens here in December I was wishing I had a bigger stove.

 

[lsucet]

With the stove in the corner like it's laid out now, do you think with the fan running it will push heat through the kitchen, down the hall to the bedrooms?

It will be hard to tell if you are talking about the fan that will come with the stove ( Englander ). those fan help to move heat from the stove area but not near like a more convective stoves. Plus i have to tell you they are noisy and more if you run it on high.

 

[begreen]

With the stove in the corner like it's laid out now, do you think with the fan running it will push heat through the kitchen, down the hall to the bedrooms?

It will help a bit to have the stove pointing that direction, but the long hallway will cutoff heat going to the bedrooms.

 

[begreen]

The budget is 2K or so all in. Doing the install myself. Might be able to go up some if the right stove came along.

You are looking at the right size stoves in the 30NC, 50 SSW02 and HT2000. The Englanders both are under $1000, the HT 2000 a little above. Now is the time to be on the lookout for sales. The 50 SSW02 may be under the Summer's Heat brand at Lowes.

 

[rwhite]

Where abouts in SW Idaho did you land?

 

[kennyp2339]

We're almost into the stove sale season, the NC30 will drop down to 599.99 in a few weeks at homedepot. As far as the 13 vs 30 I would go with the 30, the 13 in your climate will be frustrating to run with coal build up and such.
As far as placement I would shoot for to the left of the window if you can, also I would stay away from window areas due to blinds and curtains (potential fire hazard) for the hearth I think the 13 needs a thicker one than the 30.

 

[NewburnerID]

Where abouts in SW Idaho did you land?

We are close to the OR boarder, Fruitland, New Plymouth.

 

[NewburnerID]

You are looking at the right size stoves in the 30NC, 50 SSW02 and HT2000. The Englanders both are under $1000, the HT 2000 a little above. Now is the time to be on the lookout for sales. The 50 SSW02 may be under the Summer's Heat brand at Lowes.

I did find the Summers Heat 50 SSWO2 at Lowes. Looks like a good stove for a decent price.

 

[NewburnerID]

It will be hard to tell if you are talking about the fan that will come with the stove ( Englander ). those fan help to move heat from the stove area but not near like a more convective stoves. Plus i have to tell you they are noisy and more if you run it on high.

Talking about the fan with/on the stove. And I have read a lot of reviews on these stoves, and the main negative is the fan noise Anyone put a different fan on the Englanders, Summers Heat??

 

[lsucet]

Talking about the fan with/on the stove. And I have read a lot of reviews on these stoves, and the main negative is the fan noise Anyone put a different fan on the Englanders, Summers Heat??

I actually never look into if different fans are available but i am sure somebody else will guide you in the right direction if possible.

 

[NewburnerID]

We're almost into the stove sale season, the NC30 will drop down to 599.99 in a few weeks at homedepot. As far as the 13 vs 30 I would go with the 30, the 13 in your climate will be frustrating to run with coal build up and such.
As far as placement I would shoot for to the left of the window if you can, also I would stay away from window areas due to blinds and curtains (potential fire hazard) for the hearth I think the 13 needs a thicker one than the 30.

Thanks for the heads up about the sales!! We did decide to move the stove over to the left of the window on the back wall. The corner just didn't work.

 

[woodfreak666]

How is the United States stove company stoves? I'm from Canada and I see we carry them here but don't see Englanders ?


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[rwhite]

We are close to the OR boarder, Fruitland, New Plymouth.

Great area, I was in Payette for 10 years. Just headed further north to Cottonwood last year.

 

[rwhite]

Talking about the fan with/on the stove. And I have read a lot of reviews on these stoves, and the main negative is the fan noise Anyone put a different fan on the Englanders, Summers Heat??

Funny you should ask... @Highbeam post just came to the top a few days ago discussing his mod to the NC30.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/blower-for-nc30-upgrade-options.139673/

 

[begreen]

How is the United States stove company stoves? I'm from Canada and I see we carry them here but don't see Englanders ?

I'd go for an Englander. Canadian Tire carries them under the Timber Ridge brand (same thing).