Lopi Endeavor or Liberty?

[justbloom]

HELP!
I am moving back into my 2000 sf. A-Frame wood house in the forest in Occidental, CA, next month and need to replace the wood stove (freestanding). The bottom floor is a cement/wood basement/garage. The second (main floor) is 1230 sf. and about 40% of it is "open"; it has a pitched ceiling going all the way up to the peak of the A-Frame, 21 ft. high. The 3rd floor is actually an open loft of 728 sf. containing a sitting area of 200+ sq ft, and a master bed + bath and it gets quite warm in the summer upstairs. The existing stove (and where the new stove will go) is at the front of the house, furthest away from the loft, and is between 2 sliding glass doors, and there is a fan 21 ft above it. There are a lot of windows, which were dual pane, but they are semi-failing and need to be replaced. The winters only go down to the mid-20's (at worst) through the 50's. In Fall and Spring, the temperature may vary between 30-80 degrees in one day!
In the first picture below, you can make out the existing stove (barely) just to the right of the slider. In the 2nd pic, taken from the loft, you can just make out the top of the pipe as it goes up to the ceiling. There is a ceiling fan right at the top that blows air down. On the scan of the floor plan, the main floor is the upper left sketch, with the stove at the bottom, where it "angles." The loft area is depicted in the upper right sketch.
I am buying a stove this week--but I am stuck between the Lopi Endeavor ("heats up to 2000 sf") or the Liberty ("heats 1500-2500 sf"). I am worried about buying not enough stove vs too much stove...I guess you could say that I don't want to sit there going 'why didn't I get (the other one) because I either am just not warm enough--- or I'm too hot and have to open windows.
I have spoken to 3 dealers and they all give me conflicting advice. The manufacturer refers me back to the dealer.
HELP!!

 

[BrotherBart]

Place needs a Liberty like Moderator fossil has in his place in Bend Oregon.

 

[justbloom]

Place needs a Liberty like Moderator fossil has in his place in Bend Oregon.

View attachment 144458 View attachment 144459

so at first I thought you were teasing me...but then I realized that I need the Liberty, right? I confess that it is easy to pull my leg...
Here's another question: should I get a blower or do you think the fan at the top blowing air down is sufficient

 

[BrotherBart]

No teasing. Just a similar house in a similar climate and he loves the stove. Don't know about the blower. Easy to wait to buy it until you see how it goes.

 

[fossil]

Get the blower.

 

[justbloom]

Get the blower.

ah...you're the fossil!! I don't know why, but the dealer said the Endeavor was just fine...and "forget the blower...it only blows air out 6 feet!" jeez, what's a girl to do but turn to the REAL experts haha

 

[begreen]

Occidental is a bit north of San Fransisco, right? FWIW, a friend had a similar A frame locally in a cooler climate here. We installed a 2 cu ft Alderlea T5 and it did the job of heating under all sorts of weather very well. Personally I think the Endeavor would do the job fine in your milder climate.

Suggestion: Unless you like a 90F sleeping loft also install a ceiling fan to break up the heat that stratifies at the ceiling peak of the A frame.

 

[lopiliberty]

I have a liberty and love it. Its cranking away on the night load at 700 degrees and its 85 in the living room. I'm heating 2300 sqft 2 story house. I think I could have gotten away with the endeavor but after last winters cold I was glad I went bigger. You can always build a smaller fire in the liberty when you don't need much heat. I do have the blower on mine but barely use it. If you do go with the liberty make sure you wood is under 16in so you can load front to back. Much more easier and you can get more wood in it that way

 

[begreen]

I don't think Occidental has ever seen near that kind of cold. An Endeavor seems more correctly sized for their average temps. Currently your area of W VA is around 26F. Occidental, CA is 53F or double that temperature.

FWIW 85F in the living room would have most turning on the A/C just a few months ago.

 

[fossil]

Liberty and Endeavor are both fine stoves. Endeavor's advantage is in the depth of the firebox, which makes N-S loading (placing splits straight in versus sideways) easier. This, of course, depends on how long your splits are. The Liberty's firebox is bigger, but the Endeavor's might actually be more easily useful. I love my Liberty, but then my cousin and my nephew (both neighbors) are very pleased with their Endeavors. I think the Endeavor would serve you quite well. Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

Do we have you sufficiently confused yet?

Kinda sounds like you will be happy either way you go.

 

[isipwater]

I love my Endeavor

I easily heat my 1500 sqft ranch in mid winter with one fire in the morning and one in the evening.

I am in Massachusetts which is a lot colder.

My house is well insulated.

 

[justbloom]

oh wow! now i AM confused...this is what the dealers are doing to me. So there IS a ceiling fan installed exactly above the stove, at the peak. And the stove is on the opposite side of the house that the sleeping loft. By the way, the temperatures at my property in the winter go down into the high 20's--low 30's at night. The day warms up into the 50's though. I normally wake up to ice on the deck. Now it's nowhere near the freezing temperatures elsewhere, true. But those 50's are not really normal for the night time at all. I do not want to get overheated; I am worried about it, actually. But I can afford to buy the bigger model, but just want to make the right decision...
Did any of you look at the schematic and pics? Pretty please? haha
I have to order this soon, too, cause I will be moving in next month...

 

[justbloom]

Occidental is a bit north of San Fransisco, right? FWIW, a friend had a similar A frame locally in a cooler climate here. We installed a 2 cu ft Alderlea T5 and it did the job of heating under all sorts of weather very well. Personally I think the Endeavor would do the job fine in your milder climate.

Suggestion: Unless you like a 90F sleeping loft also install a ceiling fan to break up the heat that stratifies at the ceiling peak of the A frame.

OMG! I would actually HATE even being in the 80's--I think the high 60's low 70s is just fine in the winter...I am so confused now..

 

[justbloom]

Do we have you sufficiently confused yet?

Kinda sounds like you will be happy either way you go.

ah yes, I am horribly confused...the last dealer said to just get the Endeavor, and no blower...But then I even read stuff on this website that said to get a 3 cf box for a house of that size and shape--and so full of windows, etc. But I do hang around upstairs a lot and would hate to be sweating up there.

 

[justbloom]

Liberty and Endeavor are both fine stoves. Endeavor's advantage is in the depth of the firebox, which makes N-S loading (placing splits straight in versus sideways) easier. This, of course, depends on how long your splits are. The Liberty's firebox is bigger, but the Endeavor's might actually be more easily useful. I love my Liberty, but then my cousin and my nephew (both neighbors) are very pleased with their Endeavors. I think the Endeavor would serve you quite well. Rick

Yes, I did notice that the firebox was deeper...So Rick, can you look at my pics and the schematic and tell me what you would do? It seems like our homes are a bit similar-
Thanks!

 

[aansorge]

Blaze king chinook 30...

 

[aansorge]

You said you move there in a month...are you anywhere near here now....(broken link removed to http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/hsh/4763005108.html)

 

[fossil]

Yes, I did notice that the firebox was deeper...So Rick, can you look at my pics and the schematic and tell me what you would do? It seems like our homes are a bit similar-
Thanks!

I'd buy the Endeavor with a blower kit installed. You can turn the blower off if you don't want it running, you can adjust the speed (thus the noise) continuously over a nice range, and it does a whole lot to move heated air out away from the stove. If you decide you want one later on, it can be installed...but it's a pain. Rick

 

[fossil]

So, have you thought about the flue system above the stove and the hearth beneath the stove and some stove tools and, most importantly...a supply of dry wood?

 

[justbloom]

Good Morning boys!! Thanks so much for all the above

Blaze king chinook 30...

So I went out on the internet last night and I found the Blaze King...is it really that wonderful? And, coincidentally, I loved the Chinook A LOT...
Should I forget about the struggle with the Lopi E vs. L and settle on a Blaze King?

 

[justbloom]

So, have you thought about the flue system above the stove and the hearth beneath the stove and some stove tools and, most importantly...a supply of dry wood?

Rick, that is so funny!! I think you didn't look at my pictures...I am replacing a stove, not putting in one where there never was one haha, so all that is taken care of I will be replacing the hearth, tho, cause it's super ugly. And wood? I have 8 acres of woods, so every year I pull some down (like to make the road in my picture) and I don't think I will live long enough to use it all. Right now, I will be using wood from 2 years ago. Trees coming down right now are for 1-2 years from now, etc.
The 2 factors I thought of that made me settle on the Lopi was that I had one in another house and loved it and I can get it with an electronic ignition (green start). When I move back, I will be living alone and it really appealed to me
Bloom

 

[fossil]

You should buy the stove that fits your requirements and that you like the most.

 

[justbloom]

Blaze king chinook 30...

Is this a better stove than the Lopi? In your opinion? I found that last night and loved it...plus it seems to be the perfect size--also, if you really "know" this brand, what about the "princess" or whatever it's called?

 

[fossil]

I think you didn't look at my pictures..

My mistake. I was concentrating my attention on your floor plan.