I'm looking for a stove for a 2300 square foot 2 story home. It's well insulated, good windows, somewhat open floor plan, and square in shape. Do you think the Woodstock Fireview would work as a primary heater? We'd be burning softwood. This is a cold (-20 to -30, on occasion) and very windy place. I like the soapstone stoves, and was looking at the Hearthstones (Mansfield and Equinox), but their price went WAY up at the beginning of August, plus, I hear there's a wait to get one. I'd love to hear from people who own the Fireview.
Is Woodstock Fireview Big Enough?
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My soapstone stove is similar in BTU output to the fireview. I would want a larger stove in your environment if you intend to heat the whole home. Doesn't Woodstock rate their stoves for SF anymore?
I heat 1800 sq ft including basement with the Fireview but I burn hardwood. My opinion is any house over 2000 sq ft in a colder climate is pushing this stove to it's max. There are a few on this forum that are heating more than 2000 sq ft with the Fireview, but I think they are out east and burn hardwood. Call Woodstock and see what they have to say, I'm sure they have sold many stoves out west and could give you a good idea of what to expect.
Well insulated, good windows and open floor plan says you might get by with it. However, the softwood might be a problem. In your area, I'm guessing maybe cottonwood? The biggest problem you would have is the shorter burn time with soft wood. I think the Fireview very well might give you plenty of heat for what you need but you would probaby be adding wood much more often and you might not like that on a -30 night having to get up to put more wood in during the night. So much depends upon the home and the wood you are burning...
Montana softwood could be fir, pine, spruce, etc. Which are decent woods. Cottonwood is often listed as a hardwood along with alder and poplar on the basis of having leaves. What kind of softwood are you burning in MT? Big difference between doug fir and cottonwood.
You know, I haven't burned any wood here in Montana (yet) because I don't have a stove. It'll be fir, pine and spruce for the most part, maybe some aspen. I moved here from Flagstaff, where I cut and burned a lot of aspen and oak. I'll miss the oak. How does your sappier wood work in a catalytic stove? Should I avoid stoves with a catalyst?
We had our minds made up to stay away from the cat. stoves. Finally changed our minds on that and are very happy we did.
As for the sappy woods, we have enough on hand (7 year supply) that we don't worry a bit about sappy wood. The cat. can handle it well and will give you much more heat and much better burn, which means much less cleaning the chimney. We haven't cleaned ours yet except for knocking about a cup full of soot from the top. Haven't even cleaned the chimney cap and that is usually the first thing to get clogged.
As for the sappy woods, we have enough on hand (7 year supply) that we don't worry a bit about sappy wood. The cat. can handle it well and will give you much more heat and much better burn, which means much less cleaning the chimney. We haven't cleaned ours yet except for knocking about a cup full of soot from the top. Haven't even cleaned the chimney cap and that is usually the first thing to get clogged.
I doubt the fireview would cover the heat load on your coldest nights. I heat 3,000 sq/ft with mine but am in a much milder climate and use white oak. On a 20 degree, windy night my stove will not keep up and the furnace will come on. I can't imagine and don't want to experience -30 with wind.
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