Are there any efficient high btu LP stoves? Looking online at different brands and finding the efficiencies is difficult on some of the websites. I just built a 1200 sq ft cabin on piers insulated with mineral wool and now that I'm getting older wood and pellets are less likely candidates especially since I plan on travelling a few days at a time. After this winter mini splits weren't worth a darn.
New Efficient LP stove
- Thread starter kodadog
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Most of the gas burning units that I’m familiar with all have an efficiency rating in the low to mid 70 percentile, as are most pellet stoves. The reason for the ratings being in this range is due to the fact that some heat is always lost thru the vent pipes, or chimney. You can get “vent-free” or more accurately “household-vented” appliances up into the higher 90 percentile, as EVERY byproduct of the combustion process - heat, water vapor & carbon monoxide - remain in your home. The highest-rated gas appliances are rated in the 40K BTU range, which can be only 50% of what you can get from burning wood in an airtight appliance. That being said, 40K BTU - at 75% efficiency (30K) - MIGHT be enough to heat your space. Hope this helps…
Thank you. I appreciate that.
Anyone have any recommendations on a larger (higher btu) freestanding stove?
Anyone have any recommendations on a larger (higher btu) freestanding stove?
If high efficiency is a priority, you'll be best off looking for a furnace. Could be a non ducted wall furnace like a rinnai. They are efficient because they have a blower and heat exchanger that can extract more heat than the natural convection of a stove. However you sacrifice the aesthetic and fire view that you'd get from a free standing stove so it depends what you want more.
very good point. I forgot about those Rinnai wall heaters. I forget if they still heat if the power goes out. I'll have to look at them or one of them at one part of the house and the stove in the great room.
Typically they do not run without power again because of the blower, draft fan, etc.
However most that I've seen are cord and plug so fairly easy to plug into a generator or battery inverter if you have a power outage.
For Decorative FS stoves, 40K BTUs is usually largest made. At approaching 80% efficient, that puts 32000 BTUs per hour in a home, thats pretty significant. Wood and pellet can be higher BTUs at about the same eff as others have said. If non decorative flame is ok, then utilitarian heaters like the Empire room heaters (B-vent exhaust) are available up to 65K, with the blower, that is huge heat output. For decorative heaters, the Kozy Heat Lakefield XL is 40000 BTUs, its a direct vent heater. The Jotul Sebago (B-vent model) is 40000 BTUs also. Gas is nice due to constant output if needed, thermostatically controlled, so one doesn't need to be home for it. Rinnai wall DV heaters are very nice, electronically ran. Empire wall heaters are DV too, and are standing pilot (MV), so they will operate without AC power, but their blower does need AC.
Similar threads
