Hi I am looking to fit a wood stove into a location where a corn stove is currently installed. One of my primary limitations in the locaction is that the floor protector cannot be larger than 46x46" It is a corner location with the stove at close to 45 degrees to the walls. I have looked at multiple stoves to find a unit that has close instalation clearances, but at the same time meets the approval of my wife (who likes the decorative cast iron features).
In my search, the clearances on the new Pacific Energy Alderlea series seems smaller than most similar stoves. The reason why is obvious: Just like my corn stove, the Alderlea series is actually a sheet metal stove with cast iron cladding as a "fashion accessory".
I'm curious on hearing of any experience out there with this stove (I'm looking at the smallest, the T4). Comments regarding operation, ash pan etc. My instalation will have a straight vertical chimney about 25 ft tall with about 18ft being 6" class A, most of which is in the uninsulated attic and above the roof.
The room in which the stove will be installed is a great room (24x18ft x12ft high + kitchen connected by an archway). There is a long hallway running down to the bedrooms, which we don't mind being cooler. In the basement below (finished area 600sq ft) we have the corn stove installed to maintain the temperature below at an acceptable level. The HVAC system has a "cold air return" that will draw the hottest air off the ceiling in the basement and circulate it through the rest of the house. The HVAC fan is run using a timer circuit and the central heating will engage if the house temperature drops below a critical temperature (55F). This provides a degree of freeze protection, should the corn stove run out of fuel and the wood stove burn out.
In terms of how we intend to use the stoves: Last winter, the corn stove was installed in the great room and ran 24/7. We never needed to run it over the middle setting (3 out of 5). It kept the living area quite warm (in the 70's) the bedroom stayed cool. In the morning at 5:30 am, the central heating kicked in for 1/2 an hour to warm up the bathroom (has marble tile which really sucks in winter). The basement room heating is worthless in winter since the registers were installed in the ceiling and all the hot air stays up there. The result was that the basement room was essentially too cold to be of any use. Dislikes about last winters arrangement were the following: 1) the fan noise made by the corn stove is very irritating, particularly at night. I bought a very expensive St Croix stove ($3600) but the fan noise changes in service and becomes increasingly objectionable. 2) The downstairs area was so cold as to be uninhabitable. 3) I had to lug a 60lb sack of corn upstairs every day and find somewhere to put it, since the hopper cannot take a full bushel. The corn storage is downstairs.
This winter, our intention is to continue to use the corn stove 24/7 but in the downstairs location in the basement. This way it is closer to the corn storage and we will get the use of the 600sq ft back again. The noise in that location will not be objectionable. It is intended to light the wood stove morning and evening in the great room but not try to do a 24/7 burn. Upstairs is the quiet / reflective area and downstairs is TV, music etc.
Hope this is enough info for the experts...
Keith
In my search, the clearances on the new Pacific Energy Alderlea series seems smaller than most similar stoves. The reason why is obvious: Just like my corn stove, the Alderlea series is actually a sheet metal stove with cast iron cladding as a "fashion accessory".
I'm curious on hearing of any experience out there with this stove (I'm looking at the smallest, the T4). Comments regarding operation, ash pan etc. My instalation will have a straight vertical chimney about 25 ft tall with about 18ft being 6" class A, most of which is in the uninsulated attic and above the roof.
The room in which the stove will be installed is a great room (24x18ft x12ft high + kitchen connected by an archway). There is a long hallway running down to the bedrooms, which we don't mind being cooler. In the basement below (finished area 600sq ft) we have the corn stove installed to maintain the temperature below at an acceptable level. The HVAC system has a "cold air return" that will draw the hottest air off the ceiling in the basement and circulate it through the rest of the house. The HVAC fan is run using a timer circuit and the central heating will engage if the house temperature drops below a critical temperature (55F). This provides a degree of freeze protection, should the corn stove run out of fuel and the wood stove burn out.
In terms of how we intend to use the stoves: Last winter, the corn stove was installed in the great room and ran 24/7. We never needed to run it over the middle setting (3 out of 5). It kept the living area quite warm (in the 70's) the bedroom stayed cool. In the morning at 5:30 am, the central heating kicked in for 1/2 an hour to warm up the bathroom (has marble tile which really sucks in winter). The basement room heating is worthless in winter since the registers were installed in the ceiling and all the hot air stays up there. The result was that the basement room was essentially too cold to be of any use. Dislikes about last winters arrangement were the following: 1) the fan noise made by the corn stove is very irritating, particularly at night. I bought a very expensive St Croix stove ($3600) but the fan noise changes in service and becomes increasingly objectionable. 2) The downstairs area was so cold as to be uninhabitable. 3) I had to lug a 60lb sack of corn upstairs every day and find somewhere to put it, since the hopper cannot take a full bushel. The corn storage is downstairs.
This winter, our intention is to continue to use the corn stove 24/7 but in the downstairs location in the basement. This way it is closer to the corn storage and we will get the use of the 600sq ft back again. The noise in that location will not be objectionable. It is intended to light the wood stove morning and evening in the great room but not try to do a 24/7 burn. Upstairs is the quiet / reflective area and downstairs is TV, music etc.
Hope this is enough info for the experts...
Keith
