Is a Hearthstone Homestead the right stove for me.

[wvredxj]

Hello, i have been reading some on your site and i cant quite make up my mind if this would be the right choice for me. I live in a three story 3400 sq ft house but keep the attic closed off. So this would put me around 2000 sq ft. The stove i have now is a quadra fire 4100i insert. The insert does ok but heating the upstairs requires the furnace to cycle all the time. It will keep the downstairs warm without any furnace heat. The reason i ask about the homestead is because i own one at my camp and I am wandering about switching stoves. Would this stove be better suited to head the whole house than an insert. Here are some pics of my setup.:

 

[begreen]

Welcome and thanks for the floorplan and picture. I suspect the Homestead would not be an improvement here. The 4100 is a pretty serious stove with a 25% larger firebox.

The question I have is whether you are getting the full heating capacity of the Quad. The wood doesn't look that well seasoned, but it's hard to tell from a picture. If it is not, you are only getting part of the heat potential of the stove. These stoves like dry, well seasoned wood. The other place you may be losing heat capacity is up the chimney. Is there a damper sealing block off plate installed?

 

[wvredxj]

Good eye on the wood. The wood on the left is 2 year seasoned oak and the wood on the right is 2 month green oak. We have had two catastrophic storms this year that put trees down all over the yard, so i am just mixing in some green wood to dispose of the smaller pieces. I am not sure what a damper sealing block off plate is. Where would it be located? Thanks so much for the help.

 

[begreen]

I hate to tell you this but burning green oak could be a disaster. It's really cooling down the fire and flue gases. With an exterior chimney this spells creosote. Keep a very close eye on that chimney and don't burn more than a cord of that green wood before a thorough cleaning.

Can you beg borrow or steal some more dry wood? Maybe do an exchange? The difference in heat output from the stove will be major.

A damper seal plate goes in around the liner at the damper level. It keeps the heat radiated from the stove in the fireplace instead of trying to heat the masonry of the entire chimney. Here's an article that goes into a bit more detail. If you click on the links at the end you'll see some installations. https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Why_damper_seal_is_needed/

 

[jdp1152]

Listen to begreen...very valid points.

What type of heat do you have? Forced air or radiant? If it's forced air, you should just cycle the fan every so often provided your system isn't zoned (even if it is, it will draw the heat up and circulate it, but not as efficiently). Wouldn't even need the heat on...assuming your insert is even throwing out quality heat with the green wood.

 

[wvredxj]

I have a forced air system, with the return in the dining room. I have been using the fan circulation mode on my honeywell th8320 which runs the fan 20 mins every hour to try and get a uniform temperature through the house. The problem being the return is kinda far from the stove and i either loose some heat to get that room warm and let the return have hot air, or close the room off and let the hot air try and go up stairs. I will try the fan mode to see if it helps.

I know wet wood isn't a good idea. It was abundant this year, and i am just trying to get us through the season.

Another question: I am burning that wood box in 24 hours. Is that normal? Just like you see pictured, i have to fill it like that everyday. I usually get a hot bed of coals and then turn the draft down low.

 

[begreen]

Using the furnace fan system can often be counterproductive unless all the ductwork is very well insulated. Otherwise heat loss can actually cool down the air too much.

As a test, try this. Take the temp upstairs in the hallway. Turn off the furnace fan. Take that grey fan on the hearth and put it at the top of the upstairs staircase on the floor. Point it down the stairs and put it on low speed. Let it run for about an hour. Take the upstairs hallway temp again.

Also, go to the store or find a friend and borrow or buy a full day's load of truly dry wood. You should be able to turn down the stove's air after the wood is fully aflame, or roughly about 30 minutes. At that point the stove temp should rise and stay around 650F for an hour or so.

Where are you located? I am suspecting the 4100 is too small a stove for the house too.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

We have a 2 story, 2100sqft over 1000sqft of basement (basement not insulated). The Homestead would keep us in the high 60's, but only if fed every 4 hours, and run hard. We did not use near as much wood as you are saying you are using now. Our indoor wood rack is 12" x 24" and we cut to 18". We used about that rack full (3cuft +/-) every 24 hours when it is cold out, like last night, single digits, with wind chill in the negatives. 36 hours or more when we are at more "average" temps for our area. Remember the Homestead is "rated" for 1800sqft. (I figure that Hearthstone is being as generous as they can with that number...)

But there is no way to know if what you have can or will heat your home satisfactorily if you are using marginal wood. You HAVE to have good wood to know if the stove can/will do the job you are asking it to do.

OH, and welcome to the board

Also, red tractors are better.

 

[wvredxj]

Using the furnace fan system can often be counterproductive unless all the ductwork is very well insulated. Otherwise heat loss can actually cool down the air too much.

As a test, try this. Take the temp upstairs in the hallway. Turn off the furnace fan. Take that grey fan on the hearth and put it at the top of the upstairs staircase on the floor. Point it down the stairs and put it on low speed. Let it run for about an hour. Take the upstairs hallway temp again.

Also, go to the store or find a friend and borrow or buy a full day's load of truly dry wood. You should be able to turn down the stove's air after the wood is fully aflame, or roughly about 30 minutes. At that point the stove temp should rise and stay around 650F for an hour or so.

Where are you located? I am suspecting the 4100 is too small a stove for the house too.

Yes i agree the fan circulation is not helping, and heating that extra room is hurting me.

I will try the upstairs heat this evening. The downstairs was 62 this morning, i have to shut off the upstairs completely to get the downstairs back to temperature. It is 7* F out right now, we are located in WV.

I ordered a inferno stove thermometer as per this site suggestion on other threads. What temp should I see on the top/sides of stove?

Here is a picture of the outside of the house from a few years ago, some things have changed:

 

[wvredxj]

We have a 2 story, 2100sqft over 1000sqft of basement (basement not insulated). The Homestead would keep us in the high 60's, but only if fed every 4 hours, and run hard. We did not use near as much wood as you are saying you are using now. Our indoor wood rack is 12" x 24" and we cut to 18". We used about that rack full (3cuft +/-) every 24 hours when it is cold out, like last night, single digits, with wind chill in the negatives. 36 hours or more when we are at more "average" temps for our area. Remember the Homestead is "rated" for 1800sqft. (I figure that Hearthstone is being as generous as they can with that number...)

But there is no way to know if what you have can or will heat your home satisfactorily if you are using marginal wood. You HAVE to have good wood to know if the stove can/will do the job you are asking it to do.

OH, and welcome to the board

Also, red tractors are better.

It sure does seem like that is a lot of wood i am burning. The wood is marginal. Next year i will have better wood and supply. I do all my own cutting/splitting. I will have a good bit of seasoned oak next year.

We have had this stove for 5 years. The stove has always been hungry. And does a good job for the whole house till the temp drops below 40*F. Then you have to start running the furnace upstairs.

I agree on tractors. That is my wife's. She was always a fan and uninformed on JD. I have an older red, a big blue, and two new orange tractors.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Welcome to the forum wvredxj.


Good advice already given so I'll just add something about that oak. In our house, oak will not be put into the stove until it has been split, then stacked out in the wind....for 3 years. Oak is indeed one of the best firewoods available but it gives up its moisture very reluctantly. Good luck and keep an eye on that chimney. I'd check it monthly and clean as needed.

 

[wvredxj]

thanks alot for the advice. Is there a good article on this site about seasoning fire wood, or storing oak?

I put a thermometer on the stove today. With a good hot bed of coals and the seasoned wood i have i can reach and maintain 550-600, but that is with the primary air control half way in. Is this about right. I am also trying the fan deal at the top of the steps. It is currently 15* F out side and i am keeping it 70* F on the bottom floor.

 

[begreen]

550-600 is ok, but with nice dry wood you should be able to push it more. If you close the air control to about 1/4 do the temps go up?

 

[wvredxj]

this is about as hot as it gets. Seems like 1/2 on the primary is the sweet spot for hot. Should the stove be getting hotter as you close the air off?

 

[begreen]

Yes, sounds like either the draft or the wood is not ideal.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

thanks alot for the advice. Is there a good article on this site about seasoning fire wood, or storing oak?

I put a thermometer on the stove today. With a good hot bed of coals and the seasoned wood i have i can reach and maintain 550-600, but that is with the primary air control half way in. Is this about right. I am also trying the fan deal at the top of the steps. It is currently 15* F out side and i am keeping it 70* F on the bottom floor.

Sure is. Part of heart.com is the Wood Shed. That forum is all about wood from cutting, splitting, stacking and storing. Be sure you visit there and I'd suggest making a new thread and asking that very question.

 

[PapaDave]

Is there a good article on this site about seasoning fire wood, or storing oak?

I was going to just suggest he read all of your posts re:firewood.
That should cover it.
Seriously.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Thanks PapaDave.