Good Bye Propane

[POWDR]

Grew up with a HUGE fireplace in the basement, chopping wood and feeding the pig. Moved around a bunch and have had mostly gas or LP with a few wood stoves mixed in for heat.

I have owned my home for a couple of years now and no longer want to pay for propane to heat my home. I currently have plenty of wood fuel as I sell firewood (lodgepole,dogfir) in the area I live. Time to kill the LP bill.

My home is aprx 3300 sqft. I live at 7000ft in the foothills of the Uinta Mountains in Utah. It does not get too cold here for extended periods. I will certainly see negative daytime temps, but not for long. I will see overnight temps in the single digit (more often low teens) to teens for about 3 months. Low 20's to low 30's for another 4 months. Shoulder seasons can even be high 30's to low 40's, but warms up much quicker (obviously)

My box is going to be on the main floor with livable space below (MIL apt) and bedroom above (like to sleep cold). about 12 foot ceilings everywhere. Poor floor insulation in the main floor great room (where the box will be)- decent everywhere else. Windows need replacing but ok and I cover them up. OK afternoon light, but goes quick behind the mountain range and windows could have more surface area. A couple of drafts here and there but not totally thermal draining.

I am looking at the Blaze King King for efficiency and due to the positive reviews I have read. However, it is pretty plain and I will say the lady likes things to be a work of art. We are pretty minimalist, so what we do have adorning our living space- she likes it to look good. I will admit, I prefer aesthetically pieces as well. Especially a focal point in the great room. Now I will not sacrifice function to fashion. However, I can compromise and settle for less than the best for a happy wife and a happy life.

So, I hope this is some decent info on what we are looking for so as not to get "clicky the searchy" as I over-analyze to the point of crippling myself on occasion. I am pretty set on the BKK, but if someone can help me find an efficient 24/7 box that looks good too, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[begreen]

Welcome. Temps are relative, but I would call that climate pretty cold, and the house large. A big stove is going to be necessary. How well insulated is the house?

The BK King Ultra is a good choice. Maybe also consider the Kuma Sequoia. http://kumastoves.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=15

Note that extra chimney will be needed to compensate for the high altitude. It should be at least 22-25ft tall.

 

[POWDR]

Thanks green. I did not know about the chimney height needing to be taller at elevation- thanks for that info. The house is pretty well insulated with some minor drafts due to previous owners craftsmanship on DIY projects. Overall pretty decent. However, floor of main where the stove will be is over an old garage (now my workshop) and the insulation is not the best and the shop will zap the heat from the greatroom.

I will look into Kuma

 

[begreen]

That does complicate things. Moving the heat could be an issue. Are there cathedral ceilings involved too? Can you post a sketch of the floorplan?

 

[POWDR]

Pretty rough drawing as my pinky is broken. Hopefully that gives some idea. I could take actual measurements if that helps, but it is apx 1100 sqft per floor

 

[POWDR]

I can close off the workout room when the sun is not hitting it, but otherwise it provides decent passive solar heat. The downstairs MIL apt actually stays warm really well once warmed up. My mother-in-law literally lives in the MIL apt! She has a small space heater that warms it up extremely quick in the am. From there she is good for the day and she likes to sleep cold so overnight is not a factor as it stays warm enough.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like you are on the right track with a large stove. There is also a new Regency 5100 hybrid stove that might be worth considering.