Our stove with 3 days worth of wood

[agbagb]

I've just found this forum, it's great to read about your experiences. I'm in the U.K. and most of the info I come across is supplied by those selling stoves. The independant views on here are really useful.

We installed a stove thinking it would save us money. It was only when we started burning at a rate that stoped our central heating coming on that I realised how much wood we need to burn.

Here's our stove with approximately 3 days worth of logs stacked at the sides. I know there are lots of variables but does it look about the right quantity?

(broken link removed to http://www.idostuff.co.uk/Images/logs) at side.jpg

Hope the pics work!

Cheers
Andy

No they don't
Sussed it " " round the link

 

[Corey]

Welcome to the forum. It's kind of hard to judge scale, but I'm guessing those logs aren't much more than a foot (30cm) long and stacked a little over 3 feet (1 meter) high? Type of wood and local temps will also make a big difference - if it's a good hardwood like oak or something lighter like pine.

With the stove in an alcove like that, you're going to need a lot of airflow to get usable heat out, and get that heat spread out to the rest of the house...er...uh...flat. Most of the radiant heat is being absorbed by the wood/alcove and a lot of the convection is being cut off by the fact the stove is raised off the ground and by the recessed ceiling of the alcove. Does the stove have a blower or provisions for one?

My fireplace insert is similar - basically a wood stove inside a steel box, so the radiant and convective heat gets cut off. Putting a blower on changed it from a radiant room heater to a whole house 'furnace' which uses half the wood as before.

PS - I don't know how much radiant heat is coming out of that stove, but make sure that wood doesn't get too hot - or any stray spark gets out of the stove, or it may all burn up within a few minutes and take the flat with it!

 

[gzecc]

AG, do you have a block off plate at the bottom of your chimney or is it open to the top?

 

[Bobbin]

I can't speak to the consumption needs of your stove. And I don't know how seasoned (dry) your wood supply is.

I would be nervous about stacking the firewood so close to the stove, though! your picture worked so well that it set all the alarm bells in my head ringing, my friend. I keep the wood for the day in a tub that is a solid 3' away from my stove (which is soapstone), kindling and any other combustibles are also 3' away. What can I say? I'm a bit of a "nervous Nellie" about things like that.

I love the colors you've chosen for the alcove, they're terrific. And you must be really pleased to have a stove; news stories here have shown pictures of the snow and unusual cold in the UK this winter.

 

[agbagb]

Thanks Corey,

Your guess of scale was good, 10" x 40" x 24" ish. It's a 50/50 mix of hard and soft woods. Our house is 5 bedroom 1870 brick built.

A blower is something I've heard about in passing before but had considered it would make a vast difference (Again not much real life independant advice over here). There's no provision for one and they certainly aren't common over here. As it is heat does circulate upstairs well enough but the other rooms downstairs are more of a problem.

I feel an experiment with a desk fan coming on. The dining room the fire is in gets toasty warm, if I could circulate the heat better I can see how a slower burn rate would work out. If it works I'll see if I can find a blower that will fit under / over or behind it or I have seen some that fit on the flue pipe and run off a heat to electric gizmo.

I'll be careful with the sparks!

Andy

 

[agbagb]

Gzecc, Yes it has a steel register plate. The chimney has a stainless steel liner up to the pot.

Bobbin, The wood is well seasoned, however the moist atmosphere can leave it a little damp so stacking it next to the fire does make a difference. The logs do get warm but I figured no-where near a combustable temperature. They are actually a couple of inches from the stove sides.
The colours are down to the wife, it adds to cozyness. Yes it has been cold and bit snowy, but it does get blown out proportion by the news. Below zero celsius for a couple of weeks and the southerners start flapping, further up the county we are a bit more stoical.... and I've got a stove he he.

 

[gzecc]

Ag, I think you are not getting the best performance from your stove because of what cozy referred to " the alcove effect".
If that stove came with a fan, it would improve your heat output into the room. Can you shut the air and the flue, to slow down the burn once cruising temp is reached?

 

[rossivale]

Hi Agbagb

Nice to hear from another Uk'er. although I am what you would probably call a flapping Southerner

I am delighted with my multi fuel stove, although I am finding that I did not prepare enough (I did not decide to get the stove untill autumn), so I am burning mostly coal, with the full intention of leaving my logs to season until next year.

Lovely burner by the way, and I like how it is "lifted" off the floor, as this is the one thing I am finding a pain, as once I sit in front of it to load and light, I don't want to move, I get mesmerised (sp) by the fire

Jo

 

[agbagb]

Thanks gzecc, I've not heard of "the alcove effect". Can you point me where to look this up?
There's no fan or facility to fit one.

Yes I can shut the air flow right down (a vent at each side) but there is no flue damper. I turn it down when stove and chimney have had chance to warm up and the wood has charred all over.
But not right off as I need to avoid highly visible smoke and I've heard choking it down too much encourages nasties in the chimney.

Andy

 

[gzecc]

AG, Thats because I just made it up for your circumstance. I believe most of our stoves on this side of the pond have dampers to slow down airflow/burn.
Maybe you could install one? We close ours after the stove has reached cruising temp. Asl someone more knowedgible than me.

 

[agbagb]

Jo, As long you don't work in the media, I'll let you off any flapping

Good to hear you're loving your stove. Hopefully you've got enough logs seasoning for your switch over. My supplies where woefully inadequate for my first year, no-body points this aspect out when they are selling you the stove.

Our stove is on a 8" thick hearth sitting where the range cooker used to be. I still have to get down on my knees to it, after I've shifted the dogs out of the way.

 

[agbagb]

gzecc, That'll explain the lack of googleability on the term. doh. I'll look in to flue dampers.

I've just being trying a deskfan blowing into the "alcove". Not conclusive yet (only a 1hour test) but the temp in the room furthest from the fire has risen by nearly 1 oC. I don't know yet if its just using up the stored heat of the brick and mantle arch, these have cooled considerably.

Andy

 

[firefighterjake]

As others have said the amount of wood you burn depends on the home (size, insulation), stove (cat vs. non-cat, size of the firebox), heating needs (outside temp and what temp you like inside), wood (species, how well seasoned it is, etc.) . . .

As a guess I would say that is about what I go through in 3 days.

Finally . . . please heed this advice . . . I really do feel that your wood supply is too close to your stove. I imagine England has clearance requirements for stoves . . . and it really appears as though this combustible wood is fairly close to the stove . . . truthfully, probably it would not be an issue . . . but it really is better to be safe than sorry so to speak.

 

[agbagb]

Firefighterjake, Judging by your username, I take your warning seriously and I'll add a caution to the photo.

 

[drdoct]

+1 on the distance of the wood to the stove. I wouldn't feel too scared if it was just a little stack of wood like the next load for the stove that can get dry before it's needed. I think you'll notice a lot more heat coming out after you reduce those stacks too. Something else you could do is direct some sort of fan towards the back of the stove/alcove part that would blow into it and push the air out.

 

[agbagb]

I should point out that the stacks aren't usually that big. It was cold outside at the time and I fancied the option of sitting in the house all day for three days, without even a trip to the wood store.
I tried a fan last night see post # 11. I do some more testing when the rest of the family aren't in and every 10 mins.

Cheers Andy