Old Farmhouse - New Woodstove??? Advice Please!

[freespiritacres]

Hi - bought an 1849 stone farmhouse last September - ran $500/month last year in oil. Cast iron radiators, etc. Newer (1985) addition has a large brick fireplace. Want to use either a wood burning insert or a freestanding woodstove (standing in fireplace area) to "augment" (read replace as much as possible) the oil. 3 story main house downstairs living areas all "flow" really pretty well. Advice from you guys? While I love the ambience of an open fire, I need heat that's affordable!

Thanks in advance from the newbie.

 

[stoveguy2esw]

Hi - bought an 1849 stone farmhouse last September - ran $500/month last year in oil. Cast iron radiators, etc. Newer (1985) addition has a large brick fireplace. Want to use either a wood burning insert or a freestanding woodstove (standing in fireplace area) to "augment" (read replace as much as possible) the oil. 3 story main house downstairs living areas all "flow" really pretty well. Advice from you guys? While I love the ambience of an open fire, I need heat that's affordable!

Thanks in advance from the newbie.

what kind of square footage are we looking at and how well insulated?

there are many options for both inserts and freestanding units out there in various price ranges, but it will help our members to help you if we know how much space we need to heat.

 

[freespiritacres]

well, that would help, wouldn't it? The whole house is about 3500sf - original house is just 2ft thick stone walls with plaster interior finishing. Newer addition was done in 1985 and has insulation, but not really sure just how much. Older double hung windows with storms - need to be replaced, but not in the budget yet.

Sorry I don't have better info on the insulation.

Thanks again!

 

[fossil]

That's a big house. Woodburning appliances are space heaters. Don't expect a miracle. Moving the heat produced from one area of the home to another effectively is a challenge we all face, and each house is unique in that respect. A floorplan would help, as would a detailed description/dimensions of the existing fireplace, hearth, chimney and flue. Pictures would help a whole lot. The possibilities are myriad, but a lot depends on where you're starting and just how far you're willing to go. I'm thinking a big honkin' hearth stove w/blower, but it's premature without more info. Welcome! Rick

 

[stoveguy2esw]

ok, gotcha, thanks. insert, go big , maybe large PE insert. if freestanding and you want to do the heat thing and arent looking for anything dainty , maybe the big Blazeking or our 30-nc or similar 3CF plus firebox. my thinking isnt so much for the gynormous fire for massive output so much as long burn times with higher radient energy, you have a lot of thermal mass with the stone and plaster ,and likely not great insulation. if you were snugly insulated i'd think soapstone or cast , but with the square footage and 500 bucks a month heating with oil you need serious heat output and arent gonna store as much due to lighter insulation and older windows. were it me (and i didnt work for ESW) my first look would be at the monster Blaze king if it would fit the footprint.

stay tuned though , im just the first one to respond , others will be along shortly to offer their thoughts as well, i will stand by the idea to stay with a big firebox, and i do think steel would be a better fit.

 

[freespiritacres]

Thanks so much! We DO have one benefit - zoned heat for the oil furnace - we will have to use some oil because our furnace also heats our hot water - but if I can minimize the oil it would be a blessing.

The fireplace opening is about 36"x36"

The third floor of the house stays fairly warm - heat rising and all that, I guess.

Again, I appreciate your suggestions.

 

[BrotherBart]

Big fireplace, lots of mass to store the heat and radiate it out over time, large space to heat.

Englander 30-NC. Sucker's a heating beast.

 

[freespiritacres]

any thoughts on Harman or Quadrafire (I think there's a 'local' place that carries those & VC - but with the current thread about warranties I'm leery of them...)??? If possible, since it's an old farmhouse, I'd like to go with a "footed" cast iron type stove, I think, unless there's a huge difference in efficiency. I'd also like a long burntime, i.e., stoke at bedtime, have some heat left when I get up to go out to the barn to feed the critters & get the kids off to the bus ... at least enough coal to add a log or two quickly until I have time to "do it right"...

 

[fossil]

I wouldn't immediately dismiss the steel stoves...some are very nice looking and have options like brass doors and legs. Typically a "cleaner" (simpler) look and feel to them as compared to many of the beautiful, more ornate cast iron stoves, but functional and pretty nonetheless. Have fun stove shopping! Rick

 

[BrotherBart]

You should go to the dealer's place and look at Quad and Harman stoves. If you see one that you like to look at, that can be delivered before next summer, then you should buy it.

Both companies make good stoves.

 

[freespiritacres]

before next summer? I'm really that far behind the curve in this? Ouch!

 

[savageactor7]

Welcome Freespirit hell if you have 100 year old radiators you're golden and don't even know it.

They can't even make them anymore...if I were you I look into the outside wood burning boiler forum on this site and seriously think about putting them to good use. Sure you may have to dismantle them and acid dip them but those radiators are worth dieing for. With todays tech with closed systems using a radiator type fluid as a heat source that's what you should be thinking about...

...otherwise get the biggest freestanding stove available.

Also with an outdoor wood boiler there's less than have the dicking around with wood...and that's a big plus too.

 

[fossil]

See? You came here hoping for some help in making your decision simple, and what do you get? More ideas than you can shake a stick at. %-P Stick with us, though, there's a wealth of information, innovative ideas, and great advice available from the folks here. Rick

 

[Dix]

Welcome to the forum. Always nice to see some one else with criiters

Get cranking. You might find something available other than those, that would work

Get some wood, pronto, Tonto. Maybe some already split and semi seasoned?

Your name says "acres" ...got some dead & down trees? Start cutting and bringing up smaller branches for kindling, etc. It can't all be pasture/turn out ;-P

Get the word out to friends & family... you're looking for wood

 

[freespiritacres]

thanks for the input - LOVE the radiators, just can't deal with the oil prices at the moment, and have cords and cords of wood sitting here split and stacked - never burn it because the open fireplace can't be left unattended while we sleep & we don't usually get time to sit and enjoy it long enough before bedtime ... up at (before) dawn late bedtime is 10pm - often not in from the pastures, etc. until 8 or 9 ... really want to get the oil usage down, though, prebuy is 3.90 per gallon this year & I don't see prices going down ... so last year's $500/month will only go up - it's bad when the monthly heating oil bill is more than the payment would be on a new (really nice) truck!

 

[freespiritacres]

oh, and, just to make things really fun with this decision, we have a "Buy American" policy on this farmstead, too ... local place opens at 10 - maybe I should ride on over & "pre-sort" before I drag the man of the house over...


:smirk:

 

[Dix]

Git 'er dun, and go for the truck !! Pics of new truck a must !

The $$$$'s you save in oil will help pay for it. It's a

Heck, you have the wood just sitting there begging to be used !

 

[Dix]

oh, and, just to make things really fun with this decision, we have a “Buy American” policy on this farmstead, too ... local place opens at 10 - maybe I should ride on over & “pre-sort” before I drag the man of the house over…

I knew SHE was a she

 

[freespiritacres]

hey, Eileen - one of my horses is named Dixie...

Lynn

 

[badger1968]

Equinox!
(Hearthstone Equinox--Soapstone, Non-catalytic, 4 cubic ft firebox, 120K BTUs, 3,500 sq. ft.)
Lots of posts on this beauty lately. Just do a quick search. Good luck!

 

[Dix]

hey, Eileen - one of my horses is named Dixie…

Mine's a sorrel mare. What's your misery :lol:

Da Dix.

A friend of mine has an APHA gelding named "Talk About Sonny". I say that she's over there "Talking About Sonny", whilst I'm "Doing The Dixie Eyed Hustle" . 'Nuff said.

I love her to pieces, too

 

[coreystaf]

Like was said before, steel may be your best bet to do what you are wanting. Keep this in mind: one difference between cast iron and soapstone vs steel is that steel stoves that have a "double wall" type construction are mostly convective heaters, which mean that they heat the air first. Cast and stone stoves that use "single wall" construction are strictly radiant heaters, which means they heat objects; ie you, furniture, walls; and the objects in turn heat the air. You will probably have a headstart on getting the heat throughout your house without overheating the room your stove is in if you use a steel stove with a blower and use your ceiling fans.

 

[Hogwildz]

How bout a wood boiler in the basement tied in with the oil boiler using the same radiators as Savage suggested, keeping the oil boiler as backup? You could do outside boiler, but with everything all ready to tie into inside, why bother outside?

 

[yukiginger]

Without seeing your exact fireplace setup it's hard to give narrow advice, but I would try to get a freestanding stove of 3+ cu. ft. to fit in or in front of the fireplace. Hearth design and venting options become key here. Big stoves like this are not offered by all manufacturers, but by many. If I were shopping around I would tell the dealer/salesperson this right up front so you don't waste your time on "little" stoves. Stoves are vented out the top or rear, and which design they are can be important given your venting options (dimensions of the fireplace and hearth size, etc.).

MarkG

 

[tkirk22]

How bout a wood boiler in the basement tied in with the oil boiler using the same radiators as Savage suggested, keeping the oil boiler as backup? You could do outside boiler, but with everything all ready to tie into inside, why bother outside?

I agree 100%. I have lived in a large old house with granite walls and no insulation. I cannot imagine how much it would cost to heat that house with oil at todays prices. Use the radiators and heat them with a wood boiler. An insert or stove is only going to heat the space in it's immediate area. I would think that any heat that may migrate out of that area is going to be sucked up by the massive walls.

That said, since you use the fireplace already, you could also pop a nice bay window insert in it and you'll have the ambiance, safety and efficiency.

You mentioned you were on a budget as most of us here are. An efficient wood boiler and good windows may be one of those things that justifies a home improvement mortgage.