Is there such a thing as "too big of a stove?"

[GeorgeF]

Hello everyone,

I'm in the process of deciding on fireplace insert. It is to heat about 1500sq ft house in California's Sierra Foothills. The place is very well insulated and our winters are not that cold. At 4000ft it usually gets down to 30s, rarely we get 20s at night.

Based on this forum and local dealers I've narrowed down my decision to these four inserts:
Lopi Republic 1750i or PE Super (about the same size and price)
Lopi Freedom or PE Summit (about the same size and price)

My question: is there such a thing as too big of a stove? (I know... I may sounds silly here but please bear with me) As I said, the place holds temperature very well and I'm worried if I get the big insert (Freedom or Summit) I would have to burn at low temperatures.

Thank you in advance for your advice!

- George

 

[HotCoals]

Get a cat stove then.at least I would..but that might just be me.

 

[begreen]

The stove is going to be an area heater so the size is relative to the area size and heat losses of this area. Tell us a bit more about the size of the space you are heating and ceiling heights, glass area etc..

 

[dafattkidd]

Hey George

Sounds like a 2.25 cf or so firebox is a perfect fit for what you're describing. With that being said, there is a thread with almost exactly the same title if you do a search you'll find it. Good luck!

 

[GeorgeF]

hmmm. the downstairs area is about (guess) 700 sq ft. The upstairs is another 700 but those are bedrooms. It's an open floor plan. There are three windows.

Let me put it this way: we currently use QuadraFire propane insert. Once the place is up to 69*F the propane insert can keep it warm while set at low. According to the manual that's about 20k BTUs.

 

[HotCoals]

Yep..cat stove,you can burn even lower then 20k btu..easy.
Or turn up the air and crank 40k or more!

 

[Adabiviak]

You know, I think there is, but only have the following thoughts to back this up. If you want your stove to work best, it needs to run at a given operating temperature. If you consider a super large stove, when you get it up to operating temperature, it will push way more heat into your house than a tiny stove at the same temperature. If the stove is too big for the house, this normal operating temperature will produce more heat than the house may be able to absorb/dissipate, and you may wind up doing less-than-optimal burns to compensate (smaller, cooler fires, allowing fires to burn out more often requiring more dirty restarts, opening windows to let excess heat out, etc.) If the fireplace is perfectly suited to your home, you should be able to fire it at optimum operating temperature fairly constantly and have the house stay within living temperatures. Alternately, if it's too small, you may wind up running it exceedingly hot in attempts to warm the house.

Note that this implies some variables that are daunting at best to control: wood type and quality, how airtight your home is, how insulated your home is, the actual operating heat output from the stove, your skill in maintaining optimum burning temperatures, how easily heat transfers within your home, etc. I want to say that the square footage that the stoves are rated at make some average assumptions about these variables to make a ball park estimate about stove selection, but don't have anything with which to back that up.

May I ask about where in Cali you're living? By your description, you could live up the street from me.

 

[Trktrd]

I have a cat stove and think it is too big (thank God for the window fan) In my opinion when 400 lbs of steel heats up there's no "turning it down". Even a minimal fire is still going to heat all that mass. I am not complaining by any means, "Better looking at it than looking for it".

 

[begreen]

Sounds like the PE Super 27 would do the job for you. If you want a bit softer heat with better mass retention, get the Alderlea T5.

 

[MrWhoopee]

I live at 4000 ft. in the north Sierra Foothills, my house is 60-70s vintage 2x4 stud, R-11 in the walls, mostly single pane aluminum frame sliding windows. I have a Buck model 81 with secondary air reburn. It is rated for 1400-2500 sq. ft., I have 1800. If I run the stove efficiently (secondaries lit-up), the living room and bedroom on the ground floor become unbearable. Don't get carried away, you can have too much stove.