Progress Hybrid too big? Castleton reviews?

[chadh]

New member trying to figure out if a woodstove would work with the layout of our house and what size would be best. Thanks for all the great info I've been digging up since I found this forum!

Our home is 2500 square ft with a lot of windows. Two story plus a full finished basement. We'd like to install a wood stove just in front of that bay window area seen in the first picture. I'd imagine the stack would 90 out of the back of the stove, go through the roof of the window area then attach to the peak of the house. The room is 12x14 and not centrally located. It has two openings (one 28" or so and the other 42") and a furnace return that may help circulate the heat with the fan on. The 2nd picture in the library is at the base of the stairs and the hallway that circles back to the kitchen where the next picture was taken.

We looked at and almost bought a Hearthstone Castleton stove last week but I was concerned with the newness of the cat system and some of the reviews I read on here or Facebook. What are your thoughts on the Castleton and longevity/customer service? Its suited for 1700 square feet but I'm thinking it would be better with the room being smaller and on the side of the house.

Would the Progress Hybrid be too big and is there a way to circulate enough heat from the room location to heat most of the house? Its rated for 2200'. This forum seems to speak very highly of them and we like the soap stone style. Don't personally care for the metal work on the Fireview model.

Wife's question; will the dry heat of a wood stove cause shrinkage/cracking of the hardwood floors in that area or throughout the house?

Thanks for the thoughts! Sorry if its a bit longwinded. Planned to have the local stove company come out and evaluate but they are a couple months out and kind of seemed like used care salesmen.

 

[firefighterjake]

Not sure if this helps or not . . .

Random thoughts . . .

I agree with you . . . but mostly because I am risk averse. I always like to let other folks try out new products, models, tech first before I make a similar purchase. Reliability is typically one of my the most valued traits in whatever product I am buying.

Wood floor shrinkage: I would guess there is a very, very good chance you will get shrinkage, both in the room with the stove and perhaps elsewhere in the home. It's mostly a matter of homes in the winter being a bit dryer than normal. But the flip side is come Spring and Summer and the return of humidity which I assume you also get in Ohio . . . the wood generally returns to its previous state.

I agree . . . I think the Progress Hybrid is a very good looking stove. To be frank I don't really like the design of the other stoves in the line up by Woodstock, but the PH looks pretty nice in my mind. I also don't think it will be too much for your home.

Ideally I would want to place a woodstove in the living room as it appears to be more open and I suspect this is where you would spend most of your time. This location may work as well . . . assuming there is more than one door as depicted in the diagram . . . otherwise I would suspect with one door it would retain most of the heat inside this one room.

 

[barnaclebob]

it will be very hot in that room with a progress hybrid (maybe any stove tbh) when the stove is going good. Youd for sure need some fans to move air around.

 

[chadh]

Thanks for the thoughts. The living room would definitely be the best spot but there is a already a gas fireplace in there. The fireplace vents out of a “ fake stone chimney” that only goes up half the height of the house. Not sure how it’s designed and what it would take to make it go full length and convert over to wood 🤔.

I was afraid that room was room too small/enclosed to have a wood stove, sounds like that may be the case.

I’ll add a couple pictures of the gas fireplace and chimney area later but I’m not sure I want to deal with taking the chimney full height. Might be best to just scratch the idea

 

[chadh]

 

[begreen]

View attachment 285482 View attachment 285481

Agreed. The room is too closed off from the house.

 

[chadh]

I was afraid that was the case. Thanks for saving me a headache!