I am purchasing a home (1295 sq ft) that already has a spot for a wood stove and have had interest in the idea of attempting to heat with one for years so I figure this is the time. The house is two stories but fairly small. The placement of the stove is in the living room. I have no idea where to start. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks
I'm new and ignorant... Help
- Thread starter ChasingChaos
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Walk in to the living room kitchen (one big room) stairs to the right (master bedroom and bath upstairs about 400 sq ft) past stairs to the right is two bedrooms and one bath. The current placement setup for the stove is in the living room on the outside wall.
I think that's what you were asking for but if not let me know.
Thank you!
I think that's what you were asking for but if not let me know.
Thank you!
ChasingChaos said:
Hey CC,
Welcome!
I guess it depends on what your goal is--getting a decent setup and learning to burn right with minimal effort, or immersing yourself in the hobby. Of course many start with the former, and end with the latter.
Anyway, you can start nosing around these links, get a feel for the lay of the land, and see what you think:
https://www.hearth.com/what/faq.html
https://www.hearth.com/what/specific.php
Careful--it's addictive!
Welcome to the forum. This is a great resource, really helped me when I was buying a new stove last year. Are you looking for an insert or a freestanding woodstove? I am assuming you are thinking of putting the stove in a fireplace? Where is the fireplace located, same room as your stairs to the second floor?
My first tip is to take your time and don't jump at the first stove you see. Don't assume that the salesmen at the stove shops know alot more than you do. Looking back at some of the salesmen I talked to it is scary how little they knew about their products and heating with wood in general. Spend some time looking at alot of stoves. And spend some time reading about wood heating here. It's hard to become educated about something you don't have experience with, but you are going to spend a good chunk of money on a new stove so you want to do your best to become an educated customer.
Another reason not to rush is that even if you get a stove you likely won't be able to get seasoned wood for this winter. Do not underestimate the importance of having seasoned wood. So whether you are scrounging wood or buying it, start working on building your wood supply now, even before you have a stove. Good luck in your search and know that this forum is full of people that are happy to help.
My first tip is to take your time and don't jump at the first stove you see. Don't assume that the salesmen at the stove shops know alot more than you do. Looking back at some of the salesmen I talked to it is scary how little they knew about their products and heating with wood in general. Spend some time looking at alot of stoves. And spend some time reading about wood heating here. It's hard to become educated about something you don't have experience with, but you are going to spend a good chunk of money on a new stove so you want to do your best to become an educated customer.
Another reason not to rush is that even if you get a stove you likely won't be able to get seasoned wood for this winter. Do not underestimate the importance of having seasoned wood. So whether you are scrounging wood or buying it, start working on building your wood supply now, even before you have a stove. Good luck in your search and know that this forum is full of people that are happy to help.
Thanks for the reply's.
The stove will be free standing. There is a brick pad already in place and the chimney is a wood stove chimney just no wood stove currently. In other words a round hole in the wall. And yes the wood stove is in the same room as the stairs.
The stove will be free standing. There is a brick pad already in place and the chimney is a wood stove chimney just no wood stove currently. In other words a round hole in the wall. And yes the wood stove is in the same room as the stairs.
Get a sweep to check out the chimney and make sure its in good condition before you start shopping.
Ok nice, so I guess the previous owners took their stove with them! So there are a few things you will have to look at when choosing your stove. When looking at each stove look at the Clearance to combustible requirements for each stove, since you want to use the existing pad this will narrow the list of stoves you can choose. You also want to make sure you get a properly sized stove. Being in nc I am guessing your winters are not to cold, unless you are up in the mountains, so I would think a stove with around a 2 cu ft firebox will give you plenty of heat and the option of some longer burn times without being overkill. What is your budget?
Here is a good place to start reading to understand the choices and installation requirements:
https://www.hearth.com/what/specific.php
https://www.hearth.com/what/specific.php
Any chance you can ask the sellers what kind of stove they had and how did it work out for them? Was it a modern E
PA stove or an older smoke dragon? Maybe they will sell it back to you.
PA stove or an older smoke dragon? Maybe they will sell it back to you.
Welcome to the forum ChasingChaos and congratulations to you in wanting to heat with wood. It is wonderful and saves dollars.
Some good posts so far and I have to agree with Eileen that the first order of business is getting your fuel around....NOW. The reason is that wood is not like oil or gas; it needs time to dry before putting into the stoves. And do not believe wood sellers when they say the wood is seasoned. It won't be.
krex1010 has some good points especially in knowledge, or lack thereof, with salesmen. I well remember when we last shopped for a new stove. Most of them only knew bull or very, very limited knowledge. A lot of them thought that quoting the efficiency of the stove was the biggest selling point. To be honest, only one place did I find knowledgeable people and that was at the Woodstock factory. You will not find any Woodstock stoves in a showroom in your area so don't look for them. They are sold direct only.....and come with a 6 month guarantee; use it for up to 6 months and if it does not meet your needs, send it back for a full refund. I'll bet you can't find that guarantee anywhere else. You can call them at 800-866-4344 or look up their web site at Link to Woodstock
Stoves One of their stoves might work out really nice for you.
In your home you will need to find a way to move the heat a little bit but this is done rather easily. A small desktop fan is all you need. You simply move the cold air with it! Here is how we do it. A small fan, set on low speed in the hallway blowing the cooler air into the stove room. This will circulate the air better than trying to more the warm air. You will find the further rooms can heat rather nicely this way. Ceiling fan in the stove room is good to and set it so it blows up rather than down.
Good luck.
Some good posts so far and I have to agree with Eileen that the first order of business is getting your fuel around....NOW. The reason is that wood is not like oil or gas; it needs time to dry before putting into the stoves. And do not believe wood sellers when they say the wood is seasoned. It won't be.
krex1010 has some good points especially in knowledge, or lack thereof, with salesmen. I well remember when we last shopped for a new stove. Most of them only knew bull or very, very limited knowledge. A lot of them thought that quoting the efficiency of the stove was the biggest selling point. To be honest, only one place did I find knowledgeable people and that was at the Woodstock factory. You will not find any Woodstock stoves in a showroom in your area so don't look for them. They are sold direct only.....and come with a 6 month guarantee; use it for up to 6 months and if it does not meet your needs, send it back for a full refund. I'll bet you can't find that guarantee anywhere else. You can call them at 800-866-4344 or look up their web site at Link to Woodstock
Stoves One of their stoves might work out really nice for you.
In your home you will need to find a way to move the heat a little bit but this is done rather easily. A small desktop fan is all you need. You simply move the cold air with it! Here is how we do it. A small fan, set on low speed in the hallway blowing the cooler air into the stove room. This will circulate the air better than trying to more the warm air. You will find the further rooms can heat rather nicely this way. Ceiling fan in the stove room is good to and set it so it blows up rather than down.
Good luck.
If you can post some pictures of what is there, we may be able to offer some better information about what you are starting out with.
Was the flue system for this stove inspected carefully and cleaned as part of the purchase of the house? If not, this should be done by a certified sweep before planning the rest of the installation.
Was the flue system for this stove inspected carefully and cleaned as part of the purchase of the house? If not, this should be done by a certified sweep before planning the rest of the installation.
We are in the Central/Eastern part of the state so fairly mild winters but we still see spells of lows in the 20's but not long. As far as budget I'm open to spending what I need to, to do it right but am not into just spending for spending sake. The house is/was a foreclosure so I don't have access to info on the previous setup but the house was built in 1979. Here is a picture. Thanks for all the reply's.
![[Hearth.com] I'm new and ignorant... Help](https://www.hearth.com/talk/attachments/2010-10-29_10-43-43_160-webp.214268/ "[Hearth.com] I'm new and ignorant... Help")
I am not an expert on installs or anything, so I could be wrong, but I think the one issue you may have is that wood panelling behind the stove. Some stove may require more distance to combustibles behind the stove. Some stoves have tighter requirements than others, also could get rid of a section of the paneling and replace with a non combustible material. Stove brochures and websites all list the distances required so it's an easy thing to check out.
And as others have said be sure to get the existing chimney cleaned and inspected by a certified sweep.
Looks like you have the makings of a killer man cave there!
And as others have said be sure to get the existing chimney cleaned and inspected by a certified sweep.
Looks like you have the makings of a killer man cave there!
Is that brick behind the paneling? If it is then it should be really easy to just remove the paneling behind the stove and clearances should be easy.
I saw the brick inside that square where the chimney will go throughout the wall, I was curious if that brick was behind the paneling. If it is a brick wall and you rn into clearance issues you could just remove the paneling behind the stove, would probably look nice if you had exposed brick from floor to ceiling behind the stove and for like the width of the hearth pad. I'm not trying to tell you what to do with your new home, if you like me then your wife probably does enough of that, but if that's brick behind the paneling it will make any clearance issues a really easy fix.ChasingChaos said:
C.C.:
I agree that you might have a rear clearance issue. The only way to know for sure is to research the specifications for the particular stove you want. Fire protection codes, which manufacturers cover in their owner's manuals, allow for two different clearances from the back/sides/top of the stove and connector pipe to whatever vertical surface like that paneled/brick wall. (Ceilings must also have sufficient clearance for the connector pipe's horizontal run, although it looks like that won't be a problem in your case.) If that is "combustible" (i.e., wood or sheetrock) a further distance required. Brick would be non-combustible, and you can put it closer. Some maufacturers provide heat shields that would reduce that clearance number. If there is brick behind that paneling, you'll probably want to expose it if there are any clearnace issues otherwise.
A good starting point for you would be the building inspector's office if you are within a municipality that requires inspections and permits. Even if that is not required, you would want to install the stove under those guidelines. It has been my limited experience that B.I's will require you to conform to the requirements of the manufacturer and will want to verify that yours is a "listed" stove.
And yes, get that flue inspected before doing anything.
I agree that you might have a rear clearance issue. The only way to know for sure is to research the specifications for the particular stove you want. Fire protection codes, which manufacturers cover in their owner's manuals, allow for two different clearances from the back/sides/top of the stove and connector pipe to whatever vertical surface like that paneled/brick wall. (Ceilings must also have sufficient clearance for the connector pipe's horizontal run, although it looks like that won't be a problem in your case.) If that is "combustible" (i.e., wood or sheetrock) a further distance required. Brick would be non-combustible, and you can put it closer. Some maufacturers provide heat shields that would reduce that clearance number. If there is brick behind that paneling, you'll probably want to expose it if there are any clearnace issues otherwise.
A good starting point for you would be the building inspector's office if you are within a municipality that requires inspections and permits. Even if that is not required, you would want to install the stove under those guidelines. It has been my limited experience that B.I's will require you to conform to the requirements of the manufacturer and will want to verify that yours is a "listed" stove.
And yes, get that flue inspected before doing anything.
P.S. too:
Looks like you also might have a hearth depth and/or width issue too. Stove hearths are required to have sufficient space in front and sides, and that one looks sort of shallow and narrow, depending. Again, a stove's requirements will be set out by the manufacturer. Of course, the size of the stove you choose will determine how big that hearth needs to be. And.....you're also going to have to account for the insulating abilities of the hearth. Each stove will have a requirement for sufficient insulating ability, or R value. Any idea what is directly under that brick pad? Wooden sub-floor = not good. Concrete foundation/slab/footer = life got easier!
Looks like you also might have a hearth depth and/or width issue too. Stove hearths are required to have sufficient space in front and sides, and that one looks sort of shallow and narrow, depending. Again, a stove's requirements will be set out by the manufacturer. Of course, the size of the stove you choose will determine how big that hearth needs to be. And.....you're also going to have to account for the insulating abilities of the hearth. Each stove will have a requirement for sufficient insulating ability, or R value. Any idea what is directly under that brick pad? Wooden sub-floor = not good. Concrete foundation/slab/footer = life got easier!
1. Start cutting/buying your wood now . . . for use next year. Biggest mistake of folks new to burning wood is not realizing that seasoned wood makes all the difference in igniting the wood and getting the most heat out of the wood.
2. Start perusing the various woodstove shops and/or websites . . . find the stoves that are sized to your house . . . and then forget those and look at the next size up with stoves. More folks complain about under-sized stoves and being too cold vs. complaining about stoves that are too hot. You can always build smaller fires in a large stove vs. building bigger fires in a stove that is already filled to capacity.
3. Don't get hung up on the numbers . . . to some degree . . . in other words, forget about burn times. Folks get all excited picturing a woodstove burning for 6 or 8 hours . . . and don't realize that no one really knows what the definition of burn time is . . . as for spacing numbers -- these figures are based on lab tests in a controlled environment and don't take into consideration your home's insulation, home layout, climate, etc. . . . as for efficiency you will find most stoves are pretty close -- don't worry if one stove is 2% less efficient than another . . . really . . . as long as the stove is sized right perhaps the most important consideration is what you and your significant other thinks about the stove and its looks.
4. Which brings me to folks who get hung up on the construction of the stove -- steel, cast iron or soapstone. Each type has its proponents and supporters . . . and there may be some slight advantages to some of the various stove materials in terms of how long the heat is retained, how the heat is radiated, price point, maintenance, etc. . . . but in the end it all stoves pretty much do the same thing -- they safely contain a fire and heat up you and your house which is the end goal . . . don't get too hung up on what the stove is made out of . . . unless you're looking at some guy in a local welding shop who is making woodstoves out of old hot water heaters.
5. And of course this brings me to folks who get hung up on the tech of these efficient burners . . . again there are proponents who will tell you that secondary burning is better than catalytic combustors because they're more forgiving with less than optimal wood or they deliver a better light show and then the cat proponents will tell you that their stoves are the cat's meow as they can burn low and slow for really long burn times . . . quite honestly this topic is a hot potato with folks on both sides having reasonably good arguments why their tech is better . . . again, it boils down to this . . . either tech will result in a cleaner burn and a more efficient burn which translates into less wood used and more heat in the home. For the record I have a secondary burner . . . but I could just as easily go with a cat.
6. Finally, pay attention to the details. Make sure the stove you select will not only do the job, but can also be installed. Based on your pic it looks like you may end up having to modify the hearth a bit (don't worry though -- it's an easy job) . . . and depending on the make/model stove you buy you may have to beef up the hearth to meet any hearth requirements . . . or clearance requirements . . . this is the important thing though . . . don't skimp here . . . do it by the book, make it legal . . . sleep easily at night knowing you didn't do a hack job and could end up burning the place down . . . while you're sleeping.
Oh yeah, one final thing . . . and then I'll be quiet . . . and this one is a real doozy . . . ask questions . . . if you have questions . . . ask . . . folks here are very smart . . . and we love to answer questions . . . it makes us feel even smarter than we look . . . so ask away. Good luck.
2. Start perusing the various woodstove shops and/or websites . . . find the stoves that are sized to your house . . . and then forget those and look at the next size up with stoves. More folks complain about under-sized stoves and being too cold vs. complaining about stoves that are too hot. You can always build smaller fires in a large stove vs. building bigger fires in a stove that is already filled to capacity.
3. Don't get hung up on the numbers . . . to some degree . . . in other words, forget about burn times. Folks get all excited picturing a woodstove burning for 6 or 8 hours . . . and don't realize that no one really knows what the definition of burn time is . . . as for spacing numbers -- these figures are based on lab tests in a controlled environment and don't take into consideration your home's insulation, home layout, climate, etc. . . . as for efficiency you will find most stoves are pretty close -- don't worry if one stove is 2% less efficient than another . . . really . . . as long as the stove is sized right perhaps the most important consideration is what you and your significant other thinks about the stove and its looks.
4. Which brings me to folks who get hung up on the construction of the stove -- steel, cast iron or soapstone. Each type has its proponents and supporters . . . and there may be some slight advantages to some of the various stove materials in terms of how long the heat is retained, how the heat is radiated, price point, maintenance, etc. . . . but in the end it all stoves pretty much do the same thing -- they safely contain a fire and heat up you and your house which is the end goal . . . don't get too hung up on what the stove is made out of . . . unless you're looking at some guy in a local welding shop who is making woodstoves out of old hot water heaters.
5. And of course this brings me to folks who get hung up on the tech of these efficient burners . . . again there are proponents who will tell you that secondary burning is better than catalytic combustors because they're more forgiving with less than optimal wood or they deliver a better light show and then the cat proponents will tell you that their stoves are the cat's meow as they can burn low and slow for really long burn times . . . quite honestly this topic is a hot potato with folks on both sides having reasonably good arguments why their tech is better . . . again, it boils down to this . . . either tech will result in a cleaner burn and a more efficient burn which translates into less wood used and more heat in the home. For the record I have a secondary burner . . . but I could just as easily go with a cat.
6. Finally, pay attention to the details. Make sure the stove you select will not only do the job, but can also be installed. Based on your pic it looks like you may end up having to modify the hearth a bit (don't worry though -- it's an easy job) . . . and depending on the make/model stove you buy you may have to beef up the hearth to meet any hearth requirements . . . or clearance requirements . . . this is the important thing though . . . don't skimp here . . . do it by the book, make it legal . . . sleep easily at night knowing you didn't do a hack job and could end up burning the place down . . . while you're sleeping.
Oh yeah, one final thing . . . and then I'll be quiet . . . and this one is a real doozy . . . ask questions . . . if you have questions . . . ask . . . folks here are very smart . . . and we love to answer questions . . . it makes us feel even smarter than we look
. . . so ask away. Good luck.
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