Hi Everyone, long-time watcher, first time poster here, as I am about to make the plunge into my first wood stove purchase. It's to heat a 900SF cottage outside of Dorset, Ontario (Algonquin Highlands). The cottage that is currently heated by a "Little House on the Prarie" style Vogelzang parlor stove. The cottage is a 30' x 30' square, built in the mid 1980s, with 1980's standard insulation.
The current stove heats up everything in front of it, but it has a tough time heating the bedrooms, which are behind it (there is only a 30" door for the heat to go to the bedroom hallway, in the third of the cabin behind the stove).
We are thinking the BK Sirocco/Ashford 20 or 30 if we go with catalyic, or the PE T4/T5 Alderlea for non-cat. We aren't sure if the cast iron is worth it for our use, or if all steel might be better at transferring heat behnd it and through the door space. We only will be using the heater in May, September and October for weekends and weeklong trips, since there is no winter access to the cabin. As we get older, we are leaning towards the catalytic, but with such a small space, we are told that the PE will be able to give us overnoght burns and there is quite a cost savings.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. Especially on whether or not cast iron or a cat is warranted for this set-up. I appreciate any help!
The current stove heats up everything in front of it, but it has a tough time heating the bedrooms, which are behind it (there is only a 30" door for the heat to go to the bedroom hallway, in the third of the cabin behind the stove).
We are thinking the BK Sirocco/Ashford 20 or 30 if we go with catalyic, or the PE T4/T5 Alderlea for non-cat. We aren't sure if the cast iron is worth it for our use, or if all steel might be better at transferring heat behnd it and through the door space. We only will be using the heater in May, September and October for weekends and weeklong trips, since there is no winter access to the cabin. As we get older, we are leaning towards the catalytic, but with such a small space, we are told that the PE will be able to give us overnoght burns and there is quite a cost savings.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated. Especially on whether or not cast iron or a cat is warranted for this set-up. I appreciate any help!
