New guy here ready for a stove upgrade and more

[24vcummns98]

Hey guys and gals wanted to introduce myself. Name is Cole. We live an hour or so outside of DC. This will be my 3rd year burning. Really have found a joy in burning, cutting, and splitting.

Current setup- true north TN19 (ready for a bigger unit) I went a little too small

Oregon 22 ton splitter

Husqavarna 346xp with a 16inch sugihara bar

Litis big ox maul

Looking into-

Englander 30ncl

Lopi endeavor

Maybe a jotul 500 or bigger

Vermont castings defiant

Not looking to break the bank on the new stove purchase but wanting something nice and built really well. I'm heating a little over 2000 square feet. Stove is located In unfinished basement.

Thanks for a taking a look and sharing opinions and knowledge!

 

[begreen]

Welcome. If the stove is just a little too small and you want that stove to do the job insulate the basement walls. About a third of its BTU output is getting sucked outdoors. That means burning a third more wood to stay warm.

Otherwise for a good bargain stove look at the Englander 30NC, Drolet Austral II/Legend II, Drolet HT2000. They are all well built.

 

[jatoxico]

No chance to move the stove where you can see the fire? Big part of the payoff and no heat losses into those basement walls.

 

[24vcummns98]

No chance to move the stove where you can see the fire? Big part of the payoff and no heat losses into those basement walls.

No chance to move the stove where you can see the fire? Big part of the payoff and no heat losses into those basement walls.

I agree it would be totally different if the stove was on the main level. I went with a basement install to minimize dust and dirt on the main level. We have a walkout with French doors which makes loading the stove super easy.

I would prefer to keep it in the basement. I did just build a heat shield with a 240 cfm inline fan ducted into my return on hvac unit to assist with getting some hot air upstairs.

That englander 30 is looking better and better just due to size and heat output. I'm burning pretty seasoned hardwoods. Oak maple cherry and locust. Moisture content is sitting right around 20%.

I'm just flat out fighting to keep Temps up in the main level. 67 or so is about as warm as I can go maybe 68. Of course this is on the cold days and nights. The heat shield will be a new upgrade for this year. Hoping it will help!

 

[begreen]

I'm just flat out fighting to keep Temps up in the main level. 67 or so is about as warm as I can go maybe 68. Of course this is on the cold days and nights. The heat shield will be a new upgrade for this year. Hoping it will help!

That is not too bad. Insulating the basement will change the balance nicely.

I would prefer to keep it in the basement. I did just build a heat shield with a 240 cfm inline fan ducted into my return on hvac unit to assist with getting some hot air upstairs.

Picture?

 

[JA600L]

The basement is killing any progress you make. My Woodstock Soapstone Ideal Steel is in the basement.
My basement was partially finished. The stove room was drylock block walls. I really struggled with retaining heat upstairs.
So I got Owens corning insul pink foam board with furring strips. The drywall attaches to the furring strips. It doesn't get any easier. I also air sealed and re insulated the header or rim joists. At the same time I air sealed and added attic insulation. I also blew cellulose into the joist bays between my garage and bedroom floors. New windows as well. Now heating and cooling is a breeze.
Buying a larger stove will help, but your money is better spent sealing and insulating. Then you can really appreciate wood heat.

 

[24vcummns98]

3/4 of the walls are insulated. Now could it be better absolutely. I do believe I could improve on some areas. I will make that priority 1. Now the slab wall behind the stove is not insulated. How would you guys tackle that?

 

[kennyp2339]

Welcome. If the stove is just a little too small and you want that stove to do the job insulate the basement walls. About a third of its BTU output is getting sucked outdoors. That means burning a third more wood to stay warm.

Its so easy to agree that a 1/3 of the heat that is produced gets absorbed into the cement block walls, its so hard to realize that if your burning 3 cords of wood (1) whole cord gets wasted to the great outdoors.
My basement is not insulated (I know what I got to do) but I look at my wood pile and I cant believe how much I'm wasting.

 

[JA600L]

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It's really a pretty easy task. This probably is not the most effective way, but it is a thin profile so it takes less space from the room. With an r value of 7.5 + 1/2 drywall it's not a bad improvement. I did it myself very easily and picked everything up at Home Depot.

 

[24vcummns98]

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It's really a pretty easy task. This probably is not the most effective way, but it is a thin profile so it takes less space from the room. With an r value of 7.5 + 1/2 drywall it's not a bad improvement. I did it myself very easily and picked everything up at Home Depot.

What about directly behind the stove? I'm running double wall through the slab. Will I run into any troubles running this around the piping? How about directly behind the stove? Fire hazard?

 

[Ashful]

Not looking to break the bank on the new stove purchase but wanting something nice and built really well.

Then you better take that Vermont Castings stove off your list.

 

[JA600L]

What about directly behind the stove? I'm running double wall through the slab. Will I run into any troubles running this around the piping? How about directly behind the stove? Fire hazard?

It is a combustible material, so like anything else you need to maintain clearances. Where the pipe passes through the wall you need to avoid putting it in that area. I used metal studs and Durrock cement board behind the stove with some roxul insulation.

 

[begreen]

3/4 of the walls are insulated. Now could it be better absolutely. I do believe I could improve on some areas. I will make that priority 1. Now the slab wall behind the stove is not insulated. How would you guys tackle that?

OK 3/4's is quite different from uninsulated. If only the area behind the stove is uninsulated then you have addressed a lot of the heat loss. If you want some insulation for there you can double or triple up some sheets of Durock Nex Gen, then tile, brick or stone clad. If you want a better non-combustible thermal break you can metal stud the area and use Roxul batt insulation or put up a 1" layer of Micore with a sheet of cement board over it as a backer board for the final finish.

 

[24vcummns98]

I'm liking the idea of doubling up durock. Simple easy and should help. I think I still will be struggling to get the heat output of the tn19 I'm looking for. We have central air just trying to keep the heat pump off and run the stove as our primary source.

I've got a good line on a new Englander 30 with a small discount. I would want to sell the current stove then. I just replaced the firebrick and baffle boards. Anyone got an idea on a value for it? 2 seasons old.

I really want something that will give me a solid overnight burn. From what I'm reading the 30 will and will really move some heat.

 

[JA600L]

Have you considered any catalytic stoves? Such as Blaze King, Woodstock Soapstone, or Buck?
Are you biased to tube stoves or are you open to catalytic technology?

 

[24vcummns98]

Very open to catalytic technology. I was actually browsing through the blaze kings early today.

 

[JA600L]

The Blaze Kings are great. Take a look at the Ideal Steel from Woodstock Soapstone. I think you will like the price.

By the way I'm a Cummins guy too. I just overhauled a 12v 8.3 liter in a Case IH tractor.

 

[24vcummns98]

The Blaze Kings are great. Take a look at the Ideal Steel from Woodstock Soapstone. I think you will like the price.

By the way I'm a Cummins guy too. I just overhauled a 12v 8.3 liter in a Case IH tractor.

Great, thanks! Will do. Any model in paticular?

That's awesome you saw that. I'm sure that was fun project. I was big into racing them from a long time. I had a 4wd street truck running low 10.4s and a tube truck I sold after mostly finishing the chassis. Currently that little ride is running 8.7s

 

[24vcummns98]

http://store.woodstove.com/home.php?cat=331

The hybrid?

 

[begreen]

I'm liking the idea of doubling up durock. Simple easy and should help. I think I still will be struggling to get the heat output of the tn19 I'm looking for. We have central air just trying to keep the heat pump off and run the stove as our primary source.

I've got a good line on a new Englander 30 with a small discount. I would want to sell the current stove then. I just replaced the firebrick and baffle boards. Anyone got an idea on a value for it? 2 seasons old.

I really want something that will give me a solid overnight burn. From what I'm reading the 30 will and will really move some heat.

The 30NC is a great value. There are lots of happy owners here.

 

[JA600L]

Yeah the Hybrid. Just an option. All of the Blaze Kings are good too. The 30NC is good as well.

I'm a diesel technician by trade so I get to do all kinds of fun engine stuff.

 

[Ashful]

The cat stoves are superior at running very low and slow, which is great for shoulder-season burning, and anyone who doesn't want to have to modify their work and sleep schedule to be loading a stove 3x per day. However, in your case, of trying to heat a house from an unfinished basement, I'm guessing "low and slow" doesn't cut it.

Cat stoves can also burn hot and fast, as much as any non-cat, but if you're running that mode then it's hard to justify the higher cost of most cat stoves. If I were trying to heat a house from an unfinished basement, I'd be looking at an Englander 30NC, and lining up a guy to deliver logs by the truckload.

 

[JA600L]

The Hybrid gives you a good mix of both technologies. You can still burn it at a very low output or full blast secondaries. Think of the Ideal Steel as a 24v cummins in a Prius haha.

Another thought for you. A cat or hybrid stove starts burning smoke at 500 degrees where a secondary stove needs 1000 degrees internal.

I'm not trying to persuade you either way. I just want to help you understand your options. If you want to spend less than $1000 get the NC30.

 

[Ashful]

All reports I've seen actually indicate the Hybrid can NOT burn very low. With a firebox that size, it should do 35 hour burn times, if it could.

 

[24vcummns98]

It sounds like that hybrid may fit the bill. I don't mind spending the money if it's the right stove. I want something that will move heat but can allow for some long burn times at night.