Help My Dad Choose a Stove

[Berner]

Growing up as a little kid I watched my Dad harvest the forest behind our house to heat our home. By the time I was old enough to appreciate it or help at it we had moved and the wood stove was an afterthought. Once I bought a house something in my blood told me to heat with wood. Now my Dad has gotten back into it and is trying to convert his fireplace to a wood stove fireplace.

The house he is trying to heat is big. It's a 5000 sqr ft, open floor plan, 3 floor, colonial built in 1990's so it's fairly well insulated. I know it is impossible to heat this home with a wood stove but the hope is to get some comfort heat in the common rooms and help out with the oil bill. The 1st floor fireplace is in an interior chimney. I love my Progress Hybrid and though it is great for my home, I think it might be a bit small for his needs. The other stove that I know of is the Hearthstone Equinox. It claims it can heat 3500 sqr ft but that seems high to me. Does anyone have any big stoves recommendations similar to the Equinox?

Pretty cool watching the burn cycle, Dad to son back to Dad. Happy Burning.

 

[begreen]

For a stone stove the Progress is worth considering. It won't heat the whole place, especially in MA, but then no stove will. It should however take the chill off the stove room area nicely. 5000 sq ft is definitely multiple stove territory or a large wood furnace or boiler.

 

[quotejso]

The progress puts out more heat then the Equinox.

 

[BrotherBart]

The progress puts out more heat then the Equinox.

Based on what?

 

[Dairyman]

Based on what?

You must've missed the graph.

 

[BrotherBart]

Nah. I missed the part where the EPA tests have never tested BTU outputs. Tom makes a cute marketing graph.

 

[quotejso]

Nah. I missed the part where the EPA tests have never tested BTU outputs. Tom makes a cute marketing graph.

Apparently the 30 also does while being more efficient

 

[blades]

About the biggest stove out there would be the Blazeking King- even that one isn't going to cover 5k sq ft by it's self. as far as wood furnace KUMA comes to mind for an indoor unit.

 

[Woody Stover]

Nah. I missed the part where the EPA tests have never tested BTU outputs.

So where do they come up with the "Heat Output" numbers? http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2013-08/documents/certifiedwood.pdf
Back to the OP's question; I assume there are multiple heating zones in a house that big? If so, a stove in a zone may reduce total heating costs even though it won't heat the entire house. OTOH, if there are no zones, only a thermostat near the stove, the rest of the house will be cold.

Tom makes a cute marketing graph.

Gee, the only cat stoves on the graph seem to be Woodstocks...

 

[BrotherBart]

So where do they come up with the "Heat Output" numbers?

(broken link removed)

 

[droppinloads]

I'd definitely look into Woodstock stoves. Being in E. MA you're not too far away from them & they're a great company with great stoves

 

[Berner]

I'd definitely look into Woodstock stoves. Being in E. MA you're not too far away from them & they're a great company with great stoves

I love everything about my PH. Their shop was well worth the two hour drive. Even got invited into the back room to check out their then new model (IS) during one of its tests. I know that the PH cranks I just wonder if the larger firebox would be better for my fathers larger house?

 

[begreen]

No single stove is going to heat the whole place well. Put the stove where they like to hang out the most. One big question is the style they want. There are many larger stoves. If they like a cast iron stove the Jotul F600, Hearthstone Manchester, Quadrafire Explorer, PE Alderlea T6, BK Ashford30, etc. are all worth considering. In steel consider the Enerzone 3.4, Quad 5700, PE Summit, Osburn 2400 or Drolet 2000HT. If they want larger and steel + an 8" vent is ok there are the Regency 5100 and Kuma Sequoia. And then of course there's the 8" vent, big rock Equinox.

 

[Dairyman]

Another thing to consider is split length. If you're processing the wood together or for him it might be easier to have a stove that takes longer splits like the PH.

 

[JA600L]

What are the restrictions for venting? Will a top vent work in his fireplace or does he need a rear vent?

 

[Berner]

So where do they come up with the "Heat Output" numbers? http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2013-08/documents/certifiedwood.pdf
Back to the OP's question; I assume there are multiple heating zones in a house that big? If so, a stove in a zone may reduce total heating costs even though it won't heat the entire house. OTOH, if there are no zones, only a thermostat near the stove, the rest of the house will be cold.
Gee, the only cat stoves on the graph seem to be Woodstocks...

Yes there are four or five zones, so I think he will be ok. My thermostat is in the abutting stove room and I am constantly jacking it up so the other end of the house ins't freezing in the morning.

 

[begreen]

How tall is the lintel in the fireplace?

 

[Berner]

No single stove is going to heat the whole place well. Put the stove where they like to hang out the most. One big question is the style they want. There are many larger stoves. If they like a cast iron stove the Jotul F600, Hearthstone Manchester, Quadrafire Explorer, PE Alderlea T6, BK Ashford30, etc. are all worth considering. In steel consider the Enerzone 3.4, Quad 5700, PE Summit, Osburn 2400 or Drolet 2000HT. If they want larger and steel + an 8" vent is ok there are the Regency 5100 and Kuma Sequoia. And then of course there's the 8" vent, big rock Equinox.

The fireplace where the stove is going is centrally located in the room that they spend most of their time in. I think cast iron or soapstone will be the top choice over steel. When purchasing my stove I originally decided on the Jotul Oslo. However their lack of customer service persuaded me away from the company. I like the looks of the F600 and who knows maybe in a more typical install it would be ok. I had a lot of questions on clearances to combustibles that Jotul could not answer. I think he is leaning towards the Equinox. Anyone know how Hearthstone's customer service is?

 

[Berner]

How tall is the lintel in the fireplace?

Off the top of my head it's at least 36" tall. It's a massive Rumford fireplace. I will get the exact dimensions next time I'm over.

 

[Berner]

What are the restrictions for venting? Will a top vent work in his fireplace or does he need a rear vent?

He is going to have to do some work on his damper but once that is changed I think he will have the space to do either top or rear vent.

 

[begreen]

That sounds like it could handle the top vent PE Alderlea T6 or a Jotul F55 as well. The Equinox is a beautiful (and heavy) hunk of stone as long as the stove and an 8" liner will fit.

 

[Smoked]

I have been happy with Hearthstone tech support via email but have not need much.

 

[Berner]

Ok the fireplace is larger than I thought. The lintle measures 44-1/2 inches tall. The front to back measures 44 inches deep. Pretty sure it will fit most larger stoves.

 

[quotejso]

Ok the fireplace is larger than I thought. The lintle measures 44-1/2 inches tall. The front to back measures 44 inches deep. Pretty sure it will fit most larger stoves.

DId you guys order the progress yet?

 

[begreen]

Ok the fireplace is larger than I thought. The lintle measures 44-1/2 inches tall. The front to back measures 44 inches deep. Pretty sure it will fit most larger stoves.

That's pretty tall. It sounds like he can have whatever he wants and can afford in there. It should be a stove that gives him great pleasure as well as heat. Just get a big stove 3 cu ft or larger and insist on an insulated block-off plate at the damper area.