Napoleon 1402 impressions in bitter cold

[Pierre902]

So I have a 1500 square foot 2nd story gambrel home and this will be the first real test of the Napoleons ability to maintain heat since I've owned it. The temp got down to 2 degrees last night with more low temps on the way. My house was built in 1964 and has decent insulation, however, I've noticed there are some drafty vinyl replacement windows in areas of the house. Basement has no heat, but is well insulated with an oil burner that still kicks on ocassionally to heat hot water. No worries on pipes freezing down there.

My overall impression of the stove so far has been very good. I loaded the stove last night at about 10:30pm with 6 splits of seasoned oak and gradually shut the air down until it was cruising at 550. Temp in the upstairs bedroom at bedtime was about 70 and woke up around 3am put a new load in the stove. At that time temps felt like they dropped down to 60s. Upstairs is noticeably cooler for obvious reasons. Downstairs has been maintaining in the mid 60s and pushing into the 70s when the stove is cranking along. So far with the cool temps I'm happy with the stove, but I have noticed that I can't load up before bed and wait until 6am to reload. Even though there's still coals in the morning, the stove just isn't keeping the temps up in the house. At least for the wifes liking.

When temps are more seasonal in the 20s and 30s which is the majority of the time, this stove heats my house optimally. But even at colder temps it's cranking right along and keeping everywhere in the house comfortable. I agree with everyone on this forum that seasoned wood is key!

 

[pen]

Sounds like it's working just as it should. Glad to hear it!

As far as the wife being cold at 6am w/out a 3am reload, that's simply the nature of this wood burning game since a stove is not a furnace.

I bought my wife a new set of fuzzy slippers

pen

 

[Pierre902]

Sounds like it's working just as it should. Glad to hear it!

As far as the wife being cold at 6am w/out a 3am reload, that's simply the nature of this wood burning game since a stove is not a furnace.

I bought my wife a new set of fuzzy slippers

pen

Good advice on the fuzzy slippers. Maybe I'll order some fuzzy pink bunny ones for her, come to think of it I need a new pair too..hehe.

 

[begreen]

Very cold weather often points out how leaky these sieves we call houses really are.

 

[tbuff]

You're 100% correct begreen, as I walked around my house last night it felt like cold air was pouring in all over my feet! Guess it doesn't help that my house is insulated with balled up newspaper from the 40's...

 

[Burd]

I own the 1402 and heat a house that was built in the 30's with out any insulation in most of the down stairs ( the basement and first floor was built with the old cinder block/ plaster walls so its hard to keep temps with out it
running hard. one day I'll gut the down stairs and Insulate)
Anyway I love that stove as it heats up the house very quickly and Im getting long burn time on mild winter days.10+hrs On days and nights that are in the 20s I really have to gett her crusing trying to keep temps in the 600 to 700 and this really eat up the wood. These Napoleans are heating machines burn clean and really easy to control.
Glad to hear theres another Napolean fan out there

 

[begreen]

You're 100% correct begreen, as I walked around my house last night it felt like cold air was pouring in all over my feet! Guess it doesn't help that my house is insulated with balled up newspaper from the 40's...

Yes, get some newspaper from the 80's in there. It was much better at protecting us from the cold (truth).