Hearthstone Homestead not generating enought heat

[shieneehead]

Gentlemen,

We just moved into our home this July. We have a Hearthstone Homestead in the partially finished basement. I've never had a woodstove before so I am learning the ropes. I have been told by many people how well this should heat the house. Right now I have about 3 inches of coals and a steady burn. The baby is hot...on the inside. Its not really throwing much heat into the room. I've got a thermometer on the flue pipe coming off the back of the stove and I can seem to get it above 300. I don't know if my expectations are off, if I am doing something wrong or if the thermometer is broken...the room is warmer for sure but it seems to me it should be TOASTY.

 

[Todd]

Move your thermometer to the center top stone on the stove. Max temp for the Homestead is 600, I use to run mine around 450-550.

You said the basement is partialy finished, so maybe the concrete is soaking up some of the heat.

 

[Creek-Chub]

1) How's your wood? What is it, and how well seasoned?
2) How are you burning it? Sounds like a dumb question, but what is your process from start to finish of lighting the fire, dampering down, etc.

 

[jbroich]

....Grew up in a house heated by a soapstone stove...and it was massive TANK of a stove, which the Homestead is not...and our mighty soapstone stove would never have heated the house _from the basement_. Whoever told you a Homestead would heat the house from the basement was incorrect.

(By the way, plenty of gentlewomen on this site.)

 

[shieneehead]

Firefolk - Thanks for your replies. I did have the thermometer in the middle of the center stone. It read basically the same temp. I moved it to the pipe to see if that was any hotter. The wood has seasoned for at least a year but was recently split. When starting the fire, I've been trying to get it going fast and hot. I'll keep the door open just a hair to get it a draft stoking it. Once the fire seems to have taken hold, I'll close the door and keep the air control open all the way. Once a bed of coals has been established I'll feed logs a few at time to keep it flaming. I've been told this stove will heat 1800 sq feet. While I don't think it will heat the whole house, I do intend to put a vent in the ceiling above it to get some of it upstairs. I appreciate everyones expertise.

 

[tutu_sue]

Keeping the air vent open all the way will lose a lot of heat up the chimney. After you have had the wood char 15 mins or so turn the air down down in 25% increments every few minutes. The object is to have just enough air to keep light flames across the firebox, but not have it go out. If you have a single wall stove pipe you can put a magnetic thermometer on it and when it gets about 400F you will have reached the setting where the stove is hot enough to burn cleanly but you will be getting the most usable heat staying in the stove and not going up and out. You can read up on stove operations at www.hearthstonestoves.com and www.woodheat.org.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Firefolk - Thanks for your replies. I did have the thermometer in the middle of the center stone. It read basically the same temp. I moved it to the pipe to see if that was any hotter. The wood has seasoned for at least a year but was recently split. When starting the fire, I've been trying to get it going fast and hot. I'll keep the door open just a hair to get it a draft stoking it. Once the fire seems to have taken hold, I'll close the door and keep the air control open all the way. Once a bed of coals has been established I'll feed logs a few at time to keep it flaming. I've been told this stove will heat 1800 sq feet. While I don't think it will heat the whole house, I do intend to put a vent in the ceiling above it to get some of it upstairs. I appreciate everyones expertise.

In bold above is a big part of your problem. Instead of feeding a few at a time, put in 3 or 4 logs, or splits, shut the door and let that thing heat!

However, like Todd said, in an unfinished basement, you will lose a lot of heat. Concrete will soak up a lot of heat for sure. Now if you can insulate the walls, you will notice a big difference, especially come winter time. Good luck.

 

[savageactor7]

Wood doesn't start really seasoning until its split... the problem is your wood.

 

[bartlett7516]

My friend just got a Mansfield and the easiest way to get a fire going and quick char on the wood is to open the ash drawer a crack and let it burn then start shutting it down a little at a time then leave it alone it will do its job as long as you have done yours ie..seasoned wood,proper installation,and good technique.

 

[Todd]

The wood has seasoned for at least a year but was recently split.

Like Savagactor7 says, wood doesn't start to season til it's split. You need good dry firewood in these EPA stoves or you will be disappointed. If all you have is less than seasoned wood try smaller splits and after you establish a good coal bed reload, burn on high for about 20-30 minutes to burn off the excess moisture, then turn the stove down to a slower burn. Also check your chimney a few times this winter for creosote build up.

 

[Ithaca]

Hello shieneehead,

I own a Homestead also and installed it in July. We are in the same boat. I will share what I have learned about this stove.

I had the same problem early on. Not getting the stove up to temp and stalling out around 300. I can now get it up to 600 if I want (I stop at 575 as >600 is overfiring).

After much trial and error, I now have 3 'mode's that I run the stove. Max heat output, 450 cruise, and 'Atmosphere' or Low heat.

Max

From a cold stove, create a 'starter fire'. Light a small kindling fire with a few small splits. This will create a good bed of coals and a stove top temp around 200 - 300. Don't pack the stove for your starter fire. It will take too long to burn down. The goal of this step is to develop the bed of coals and to warm up the stove.

Once bed is established, rake the coals forward but leave a channel in front of the air doghouse so air can circulate to the back of the stove. Pack the stove with small splits on coals and larger ones in back and on top. Don't use anything too big. In general the more smaller splits you can pack in the faster the heat buildup.

Leave the air intake 100% open for 5 - 10 mins to char the wood and to build the fire. Then close down the air intake until you see the following conditions: full primary flames along the entire firebox. If you cut off too much air some of the primary flames will go out. Keep these flames a bright white. Another sign of starving the fire is that the flames will elongate with blue bottoms and pumpkin orange tips. The bright white flame tips will put out the most heat radiation. Each draft setup will be different, but for my stove the air control is ~ 60% to achieve these conditions. The trick is to provide enough oxygen to support a full flaming firebox without providing excess air which cools the firebox. (this excess air is why you get stuck at 300) or to starve the fire reducing heat output. Try closing the air until you see signs of starvation, then bring it back up until you see the bright full flaming firebox.

WATCH THE STOVE! Your temps will climb quickly and within 1/2 hour be over 500. To stop the temps from rising, cut back air control. I turn it all the way down or just a crack open.

I use this when the house is cold in the morning and I want to put out the heat asap.

450 cruise

Assuming a warm stove and bed of coals. Pack the stove the same way and char. But instead of adjusting for optimum combustion, close air supply all the way off or just a crack open. With a fully (or nearly full) packed stove the fire will draw from the secondary burn tubes to support both primary and secondary burning. With the low air setting the heat is kept in the stove and not sent out the chimney. This also creates the longest burn. I found this out by accident expecting to see a 300 or less temp. The stove climbs to 450 within an hour.


Atmosphere

No need to describe this too much. I use it for looks or to maintain an already warm house. Use small loads to control lower temp output. Air control is usually 40 - 50% or lower if I want to extend the burn and don't need heat.


It is unclear in your post if you are trying to heat the house or just your basement. I have read that cement basement walls will draw off a lot of heat so you may be asking too much of the homestead if you are trying to heat the house with it. You will cook out the basement room once you get it to 500 though.

Good Luck!

 

[Andy99]

good info