I'm New Here...and a question.

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Northern Flame

New Member
Aug 25, 2020
11
PA
Hello Everyone!

I'm one of the new kids on the block in here. My wife and I bought our first home (which we are still in) 5 years ago. It's a small Cape Cod style home built in 1947. It has a fireplace that we have used on the weekends in the fall and winter months. I have never really burned it much during the week. I have wanted to get a wood stove for a long time. I was raised with them and wanted to put one in, but she prefers the fireplace. However, I just had a chimney sweep come out and do a cleaning and inspection. Which was the first one I've had done since we've been here. After it all, he recommends that we not use it. He said that we should do a...I think he said sleeve (?) or something like that to repair the chimney (lots of cracks) in order to have to fireplace usable. But he said the work to put in an insert or a woodstove would not be as much price wise and easier work. All that to say, I've been doing a lot of research and I think I have it narrowed down to the Jotul brand (I need rear-venting) and I'm looking at the Greenville or the Carrabasett.
My main question is...what is the most effective way of heating an old Cape Cod style house. The stairway to the upstairs is in the living room so I figured that the heat would go up there fairly easily. But the down stairs is not really and open floor plan. It seems doubtful that the heat would make it through the dining room into the kitchen or the other first floor bed room and bathroom. So I just wanted to tap into the wisdom here and see what you guys thought. Our home is 1,375 sq ft. Should I go for the Carabassett in the hopes it will pump out more heat? Or will that just end up blowing us out of the living room.

Any insight is appreciated. Thanks so much!
 
[Hearth.com] I'm New Here...and a question.
I use this small fan to move heated air (convection) from my basement staircase doorway to the main floor. I'm really impressed with how well it works for the size of it, very quiet too. Greenville with a blower kit should do well for you.

And welcome!
 
Welcome!
 
Post a rough sketch of the main floorplan including the fireplace locations. Sometimes convection can be assisted by an appropriately placed fan.
 
I have a very old cape and have a wood burning cook stove in the kitchen. I put a box fan on floor of living room doorway and blow cold air into the hot kitchen. It moves a ton of warm air out the top of door way, into living room and rest of house. My stairway is Behind a closed door which keeps heat downstairs. Best of luck, and you cannot go wrong with a Jotul!,
 
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