how to tell if your stove is too small?

[jj3500]

New to burning wood for heat. First stove, ever...Lopi Endeavor, Middle size model from Lopi. It hasn't been really cold here in N.Y., not yet. I have been using my stove to get some of the chill out and to get more familiar with its operation. "I think", i needed a larger one. I thought this model would kick ass with heat. It does but I guess I was expecting more.

House can get warm(80 degrees) with the outside at just about 30 degrees. Upstairs to house is at 72 ish. still comfy.
~ 2500 square feet. two floors and then the basement. 1st floor is open, studio style set up. This is where the stove is. Large staircase to 2nd flr.

in the A.M., there are ambers and still chunks of unburned wood. This is at the slowest burn setting. temp...70ish.

is this what to expect from this unit? should i expect more?

wood is seasoned properly. at least two years old...hardwoods.

any help would be appreciated.

 

[burntime]

Your warm and can start a fire with the coals in the morning. What more could you want? I think you accomplished the mission!

 

[fossil]

It's a space heater, and that's a big house. Sounds like it's doing its job. Don't write it off or expect too much out of it. Burn in it and get to know it for a few seasons, and experiment with ways of moving the heat around your house (fans). Rick

 

[jj3500]

i just have a memory from years ago. I was at one of those "weekend mtn. gettaways". it had a small wood stove, smaller than what I have now. That little guy rocked. Standing still in the condo, i was in shorts and tshirt and had windows open. I was still getting sticky(starting to sweat). I was expecting at least this. I was hoping. But then again, I don't know what is the norm.

 

[Rapid River]

I used to think my stove was too small until I added more insulation to the attic.

 

[ansehnlich1]

Website says that Lopi stove has a 2.2 cu. ft. firebox. Sounds to me like asking a lot for it to heat 2500 sq. ft.

If ya give it a winters use you'll know for sure, if ya got plenty of $$$ ya can trade it out on a 3.0 or larger cu. ft. firebox.

Our home is one floor of 1800 sq. ft. and the Oslo heats that pretty good, we have a bonus room above the garage and thats about 300 or so sq. ft. and it stays nice up there too. The layout of our place makes for a cool master bedroom/bath as it is around a corner from the main part of the house. On coldest nights we fire the heat pump back there, or an electric radiator type heater.

I think the Oslo is a bit bigger than 2.2 cu. ft. I know there was a thread about it's firebox size, can't remember what was decided upon, don't think it was much bigger than 2.2.....

So, if I was to want a bigger stove I'd surely go with a 3.0+ cu. ft. but I know I don't need it for our home, though the overnight load would be nicer with the bigger box.

 

[paulie]

if you got it on it's lowest burn setting and you are getting 80* and a comfortable 70* and you can still start in the morning with hot coals....?? whats the problem? wait until it gets cold and fire that puppy up! I think your'll be fine. and with that sq ft you most be well insulated. be patiant! give it a year sounds to me you are doing fine

 

[jj3500]

I am just thinking that in the middle of January when is 15 degrees out that the stove loaded up the night before and on slow burn won't be enough for a comfy night sleep. I'll get up in the morning and come downstairs to see coals and the temp will be like 60 degrees. (i think i'll have the primary heat set at 60....baseboard) This is expected? the norm for most you guys out there?

 

[sly22guy]

Im new here but not totally new to wood burning. it seems to me alot of you guys expect alot out of a single "area" heater. i would think that if you want a more even dispersted heat you would look for something along the lines of the wood burning furnaces. A wood stove is only going to heat a certain area and radiate out from there getting colder the farther you go.

I would say that you need to circulate your air around the house better that would probly help even things out.

My house is well insulated (approx. 2100sqft) and i have yet to have any heat in it (ran out of propane & havent gotten the wood stove installed yet) My avg temp is 65 and the lowest it has gotten so far was 60. it was up to 75 in here the other day. and temps around here drop down to high 30-mid 40's @ night.

 

[Rapid River]

Im new here but not totally new to wood burning. it seems to me alot of you guys expect alot out of a single "area" heater. i would think that if you want a more even dispersted heat you would look for something along the lines of the wood burning furnaces. A wood stove is only going to heat a certain area and radiate out from there getting colder the farther you go.

I would say that you need to circulate your air around the house better that would probly help even things out.

My house is well insulated (approx. 2100sqft) and i have yet to have any heat in it (ran out of propane & havent gotten the wood stove installed yet) My avg temp is 65 and the lowest it has gotten so far was 60. it was up to 75 in here the other day. and temps around here drop down to high 30-mid 40's @ night.

I agree. Most of my friends here heat their homes with indoor/outdoor wood furnaces. Insulation is key, because we have to plan for 40 below cold snaps.

 

[jj3500]

a little more info...

i am only owner. my house is 4 years young. double paned thermal windows.

 

[Rapid River]

a little more info...

i am only owner. my house is 4 years young. double paned thermal windows.

So, I'm assuming you have a minimum of R-38 (13 inches) in the attic with perhaps R-20 in the walls?

 

[bfunk13]

I am just thinking that in the middle of January when is 15 degrees out that the stove loaded up the night before and on slow burn won't be enough for a comfy night sleep. I'll get up in the morning and come downstairs to see coals and the temp will be like 60 degrees. (i think i'll have the primary heat set at 60....baseboard) This is expected? the norm for most you guys out there?

Man, i think i would be more than satisfied with 60 degrees after an all night burn.
And coals left to start a new fire with no problem.
I have a new insert and hope to get that kind of performance this winter.
What kind of wood are you burning? Maybe a different wood will give more heat.

Brad

 

[jj3500]

wood is all seasoned(two years at least some older). oak, maple varioius other hardwoods.

insulation up in the attic could be stepped up. walls are up to snuff. thanks for the reminder. Maybe I'll get up there before the real chill sets in.

 

[RedRanger]

If it won`t give an overnite burn using hardwood. Yes it is too small. Unless, of course ya don`t mind waking up to cold floors and a cold house. You need minimum--2.0 cu.ft. firebox..

 

[Rapid River]

If it won`t give an overnite burn using hardwood. Yes it is too small. Unless, of course ya don`t mind waking up to cold floors and a cold house. You need minimum--2.0 cu.ft. firebox..

The Lopi Endeavor has a 2.2 cu.ft. firebox.

 

[mayhem]

You're probably fine with the stove you have. As you mentioned, add some insulation in the attic and learn the airflow in your house so you can optimize the distribution of heat from your stove. For the best long term results you'll want to position small fans near the floor in the coolest areas and direct the cool airflow towards the stove...the heat will return along the ceiling to take the place of the cold air you've evacuated from those rooms...it takes time to do this, but its a better long term airflow solution.

If you're getting the temp delta you've posted when its 30 outside you're doing just fine.

Remember, this is NOT going to allow you to shut your furnace down for the year. You are not heating your entire house with wood, you are however making a significant reduction in the amount of oil (or gas, electricity or whatever) that you normally use to heat your house. I added a stove of roughly comparable size to my log cabin (comparably sized to your house) last winter and cut my oil consumption by a solid 50% from the prior year, while being able to maintain significantly higher indoor temperatures...took my great room (basically half of my entire house, 28x25 with a 26' cathedral ceiling) from the coldest room in the house to the warmest.

 

[Jags]

That Lopi is a nice stove, sure enough, but heating a 2500 sqft house with a 2.2 cu ft stove is gonna push it pretty darn hard in the middle of winter. I'm afraid thats the reality of it. Will it do it? Maybe. Are you gonna be running it hard? Probably. Is it gonna maintain 75F through the house during an overnight burn? Probably not. Just my take on it. I could be wrong, but that very rarely happens. ;-)

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Attic insulation is easy, relatively cheap, and makes one of the biggest differences from what I read. Don't expect as much heat on the second floor. The stove will burn faster/hotter in colder weather because of more draft. If you want this to supplement the heat- it will cut your fuel bills. If you want that firebox (same size as mine, but I'm heating like 1600 sq ft) to heat 2500 sq ft, it may need a little help in the dead of winter.

 

[jqgs214]

Wood it 2yrs old? was it split 2 years ago? if yes your ok if not when was it split? Unburned wood in AM with embers?? how much unburned wood, my overnights leave nothing but ashes and red burning coals.

 

[jj3500]

wood is split and sitting dry for over two years. nice "ping" sound. unburned embers wood with embers, Yes. How much, just little pieces. size of softballs. majority is ash.

 

[sly22guy]

"Size of softballs"? That seems huge! i think maybe you might have a draft problem or something going on here, did you check your door seal? put a straight edge on it and make sure its not warped. does your chimney have alot of bends? how is it run? You have to have some other issues going on here.

 

[jj3500]

Entire set up in brand new. Chimney has two bends. Stove...up to bend(2')...across, through wall(3'),..up to top(35' straight). When i close the air control....it shuts down air to almost nothing(similar to choking fire).

 

[jqgs214]

How do I know if my stove is too small? I ask my wife if she's satisfied after I fire her up

 

[jj3500]

ta dum taaa!