Hearthstone Equinox, Could you guys look at my floor plan.

[Matt93eg]

Hello guys,

My Wife and I are going to be building a house. Hoping it will be done Spring of 2017. My dilemma is heating it. The house has a living space of 3,331 Sq/Ft. A somewhat open plan with mostly arched doorways through out the main living area. I had thought of a Wood boiler but that takes me away from the "simplistic" nature of a wood stove. Power goes out with a wood stove and I can still heat. Will need back up solar panels or generator to run the boiler pumps, and fans.

My worry is that the Equinox will not be enough, We have wood C/S/S 2 years ahead. Could you guys look at my floor plan below and help give me insight on whether or not you think the Equinox could handle the job? In the picture you will see there are two built in shelves next to the fireplace location(living room). These will not be there, also it was designed for a prefab insert but obviously we will not be going with that, so the equinox will sit in that same location just farther forward. The stove pipe will then if all works out run straight off the top and through the roof. House is single story.

We currently live in a 1,600 Sq/Ft house and heat it completely with a Drolet 1800i Wood stove insert. That stove has a 1.8 cubic feet firebox compared to the 4 cubic feet box on the Nox so its possible it can do the job with good fuel at the new place. Live in NC so winters are not normally super harsh, but I love wood heat, grew up with it and I can't let it go. Any advice would be great. Thank you all in advance. Floor plan is attached.

 

[MaintenanceMan]

Ceiling height? Vaulted ceilings? Your not going to find much bigger that 4 cu.ft. I think a large castiron or soapstone stove would be the right direction if you wanted to heat with one stove.

 

[webby3650]

Is there some reason that you've decided on the equinox? It's a big stove for sure, but there's been reports of it being underpowered for its size. Partly because of the nature of the stone, and the wasted heat up the flue would be my guess.

 

[Matt93eg]

It has 10ft ceilings. I was looking at the equinox because I didn't see another stove that was bigger. Do you guys have some other free standing stoves you could point me to? Pardon my ignorance, I thought the Equinox was basically the biggest stove you could buy.

 

[webby3650]

It has 10ft ceilings. I was looking at the equinox because I didn't see another stove that was bigger. Do you guys have some other free standing stoves you could point me to? Pardon my ignorance, I thought the Equinox was basically the biggest stove you could buy.

Be careful going by manufacturers stated sizes, some can be deceiving. I've even heard some count the area above the baffle in this measurement. Also keep in mind that a 24" wide firebox is only usable if all your wood is cut to fit. So if you have 16" wood in the shed, the wider box isn't really utilized.

Have you looked at the Blaze King Ultra? It's box is "huge", and way more usable than the equinox. It will burn about 3x longer on a load of wood and come in about $1K cheaper.

 

[webby3650]

I work in the woodstove industry, as an installer and technician. Most Hearthstone stoves I see are cracked somewhere. We even replaced a 1 year old equinox recently because the iron frame cracked. It was replaced under warranty, but only because it was so new.

 

[Matt93eg]

Be careful going by manufacturers stated sizes, some can be deceiving. I've even heard some count the area above the baffle in this measurement. Also keep in mind that a 24" wide firebox is only usable if all your wood is cut to fit. So if you have 16" wood in the shed, the wider box isn't really utilized.

Have you looked at the Blaze King Ultra? It's box is "huge", and way more usable than the equinox. It will burn about 3x longer on a load of wood and come in about $1K cheaper.

Yeah I knew that you have to take the sq/ft of heating with a grain of salt. Plus they always say "Can heat up to X number of sq/ft". Up to are the keywords there. I did not know about the Blaze King Ultra, I will go look it up right now and check it out. Thank you for letting me know. Much appreciated.

 

[begreen]

The Equinox would heat the place in your climate zone, particularly if the house is insulated and sealed well. Some extremities like the guest area wouldn't get the full benefit, but the core of the house would be heated well.

 

[Woody Stover]

Have you looked at the Blaze King Ultra?

Hasn't been established weather he has a preference for non-cat, or if he is willing to go cat. In cat (or hybrid) there are the Woodstocks. While they don't have 4 cu.ft. boxes, I think they will throw more heat when called upon.

 

[Matt93eg]

The Equinox would heat the place in your climate zone, particularly if the house is insulated and sealed well. Some extremities like the guest area wouldn't get the full benefit, but the core of the house would be heated well.

That is what I was thinking, I just didn't know exactly how slow the soapstone is to heat up. The Drolet 1800i we have now in our current home is a steel stove and what I like about it is on those days where house temp drags down in the shoulder season I can light a fire with 1/2 a box load of wood and have a shorter fire but the stove heats up quick and completely knocks the chill off the house. I like being able to do this and not sure if soapstone would tend to be friendly for that or not.

Also, the house should be insulated very well, of course I will be walking through as it is being built making sure it looks like they are insulating properly.

 

[Matt93eg]

Hasn't been established weather he has a preference for non-cat, or if he is willing to go cat. In cat (or hybrid) there are the Woodstocks. While they don't have 4 cu.ft. boxes, I think they will throw more heat when called upon.

I looked at the Blaze King Ultra and saw that it was a Cat stove. This has been a turn off in the past, before i settled on our current stove(NON cat) years ago I was against a Cat stove. I just look at it as one more thing to get plugged up and or go bad. I like to keep things simple and easy. After looking at the Blaze King Ultra though, and watching some videos on it, I am not opposed at this time to going to a cat stove. With the wood supply I have ready being 2 years ahead it should be fine. The Blaze King looked to be a Steel stove, correct me if I am wrong. Seeing as how I have a steel stove now and how fast I can get it hot, I tend to like steel. Current stove is pretty thick and with the fire brick inside holds heat for quite a long time as well.

 

[webby3650]

Nothing will out perform a Blaze King. Don't let cat stoves from the past deter you from checking into BK. All cat stoves are not created equal.

 

[heavy hammer]

Check out the Kuma sequoia. A big stove very good burn times, puts out a lot of heat. I have only had mine burning for a little over a month so I'm no expert with it, but it heats almost 4000 sq feet by itself with temps in the high twenties low thirties at night. Pacific energy's summit free standing stove also puts out some pretty good heat. I have the insert, but I believe the stove and insert are rated for 3000 plus sq feet with very high btu ratings. Jotul is also another one that has a few larger stoves that can crank out some heat.

 

[Woody Stover]

Seeing as how I have a steel stove now and how fast I can get it hot, I tend to like steel. Current stove is pretty thick and with the fire brick inside holds heat for quite a long time as well.

I'll go steel next time as well, but probably a Woodstock. I'm impressed with what I've seen so far in their products. If you're thinking about a BK, you can read up on them here. There are probably several different brands and models of stove that would work well in a tight, well-insulated new house.

Nothing will out perform a Blaze King.....All cat stoves are not created equal.

Suitably vague...you're not a BK dealer, are you?

Check out the Kuma sequoia. A big stove very good burn times, puts out a lot of heat....Pacific energy's summit free standing stove also puts out some pretty good heat. I have the insert, but I believe the stove and insert are rated for 3000 plus sq feet with very high btu ratings.

The Sequoia's natural convection looks impressive; I've never been a fan of fan noise.

 

[mol1jb]

If you currently have a steel stove and like how it heats I think you should stick with steel.

 

[Matt93eg]

; I've never been a fan of fan noise.

You and me both. The house we currently live in I have to have 4 door way fans to distribute heat into the outer extremities as the house is not very friendly as far as heating with wood due to the layout. So I have 4 fans plus the blower on the insert. Its quite annoying but its what I have to do to move the heat so it is what it is. Hoping in the new house with the more open layout and a free standing stove I can get away without a fan at all. I will probably have a blower on the stove just in case but if I need a fan I hope the stove blower would be the only one.

 

[Matt93eg]

If you currently have a steel stove and like how it heats I think you should stick with steel.

I think I am going to for sure. I have gotten use to how the steel reacts. Was 31 degrees out last night. Woke up this morning and was down to coals from my last load last night. Threw in some wood, in no time I had our steel stove cranking out the heat with a load of white oak in it. Scared the soap stones will just take to long and frustrate me.

 

[Mike M.]

If you are looking for a large steel stove check out the 30 NCH from Home Depot. It is a great value, typically around $650 late winter. I would recommend a good variable speed blower for any stove in that space.

 

[Matt93eg]

Check out the Kuma sequoia. A big stove very good burn times, puts out a lot of heat. I have only had mine burning for a little over a month so I'm no expert with it, but it heats almost 4000 sq feet by itself with temps in the high twenties low thirties at night. Pacific energy's summit free standing stove also puts out some pretty good heat. I have the insert, but I believe the stove and insert are rated for 3000 plus sq feet with very high btu ratings. Jotul is also another one that has a few larger stoves that can crank out some heat.

I just checked out that Kuma Sequoia, WOW! Im impressed. Watched some vids where they demonstrated the natural convection of the stove.

 

[MaintenanceMan]

If steel no-cat is the way your looking to go then check out Buck Stoves. The 94NC is a monster, built like a tank, made in America and 4.4 cu.ft.

But personally, I wouldn't discount a castiron or soapstone stove yet. Just my opinion...

(broken link removed to http://www.buckstove.com/model-94nc.html)

 

[webby3650]

I'll go steel next time as well, but probably a Woodstock. I'm impressed with what I've seen so far in their products. If you're thinking about a BK, you can read up on them here. There are probably several different brands and models of stove that would work well in a tight, well-insulated new house.Suitably vague...you're not a BK dealer, are you?
The Sequoia's natural convection looks impressive; I've never been a fan of fan noise.

Yes, also Hearthstone and Kuma

 

[Woody Stover]

have 4 door way fans to distribute heat into the outer extremities as the house is not very friendly as far as heating with wood due to the layout. So I have 4 fans plus the blower on the insert. Its quite annoying

They have a Lopi Liberty running sometimes in one of the stove shops here. I could barely hear the fan. I'll have to play with it next time and see if it stays pretty quiet when it's turned up.
Reading here, people seem to have success using fans on the floor, blowing dense cool air back to the stove room, which displaces the lighter hot air out of the stove room. This method seems to set up a strong convection loop.

Threw in some wood, in no time I had our steel stove cranking out the heat with a load of white oak in it. Scared the soap stones will just take to long and frustrate me.

If you are starting with a cold stove, there will be a bit of lag from the stones, but it's not a real big deal. If you burn 24/7, stone isn't really a factor. Might be less lag from the Hearthstones than the Woodstocks I've used, which have double-layer stone. Looks like the Woodstock PH also has double stone. The reason I will eventually go to a welded steel is to avoid anything with seams that can leak air (stone or cast iron stoves.) Absolute looks like the size I would need in steel...

 

[Woody Stover]

Yes, also Hearthstone and Kuma

Hey, you just picked up the Kuma line...give 'em a chance at least.

 

[webby3650]

Hey, you just picked up the Kuma line...give 'em a chance at least.

Ohh definitely! It won't burn as long as a BK, I already know that. The sequoia is a monster heater, some folks need big heat, not so much long burns.

 

[Woody Stover]

also Hearthstone

So have they got those minor first-run Manchester issues ironed out? Have you got many in the field? One of our shops dropped Hearthstone and now has only Lopi. The other shop picked up the Hearthstones, and has an brown emamel Manchester in stock. Shore is purty! What's your take on the convection system, with those fins on top of the box to extract heat? Seems like it might do pretty well, even if you didn't get the blower. Is the blower pretty quiet?
Hey, no thread-jack here; Matt needs to weigh all the options. This is a choice he'll want to be happy with for many years.