Question concerning Temperatures

[jackofalltrades]

Since it has really warmed up here these last few days and I have a brand new different stove; it has set my mind to wondering something. Will a stove keep a house as warm when it is 20 degrees outside as it does if it is 45 degrees outside? In my mind, I think it would heat the home to a higher temp when it was warmer outside, but as I think about that I am not totally sure either. I know it would have a lot to do with insulation and things like that, but I would like to hear some thoughts and experiences from you all since I don't have anything to compare with right now.

 

[offroadaudio]

I think it has more to do with insulation - my stove will get the house to 72 whether it's 30 or 50 out - at some point this changes of course, like when it's 65 outside and I fire up to take the morning chill off - then it will go to 78+ - there's nothing linear about it, but I think you are correct in your thinking.

 

[firefighterjake]

I think Offroad is right . . . I think a woodstove will produce X amount of BTU out of Y load of firewood . . . however I think the real key is the insulation in the home and our subjective feelings to the temps . . . it seems to me that my woodstove does a great job of heating the home when the outside temps are 20-40 degrees or so . . . and it keeps up when the outside temp falls into the teens, single digits and sub zero . . . but the house feels a bit cooler . . . I would guess that when there is a greater temp differential that it may feel as though more of the heat is being "sucked" outside . . . but again I don't really know if this is true or me imagining things . . . I'm just a dumb firefighter.

 

[WhitePine]

It doesn't matter what the source of heat is. If you pump more BTUs into the house than it is losing, it will get warmer inside. As the temperature inside rises relative to the outside temperature, the rate of loss increases. At some point you reach an equilibrium. The BTU output of the heat source is equal to the house's rate of heat loss and the temperature inside remains stable.

That doesn't automatically mean the inside temperature will be comfortable. That requires some means to either adjust the output of the heat source (damper) or switch it on and off automatically (thermostat). If the heat source can't be adjusted low enough or switched off, then the house will overheat on mild days, unless some means is employed to increase the heat loss, such as opening a window.

That's just what I will have to do today, since I can't control the amount of sun falling on our passive solar house, and the predicted high for the day is 70F. The same thing would be true if it was a cloudy but mild day and we had the wood stove going.

Of course, if you pump fewer BTUs into the house than it is losing, it will get colder inside.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

For sure 20 outdoor temperature is not all that cold and the stove should be able to get you house even up to an uncomfortably high temperature. As for when the outdoor air is warmer, then you just add only a little bit of wood at a time else you'll roast everyone out.

It is 45 here now and overnight was not much lower than that. I put in 3 small splits around 5:30 and we're still plenty hot in here.