realistic expectations ?

[fossil]

...Gawd, its gotta be beer thirty somewhere. %-P

Oregon, Jags, Oregon. :cheese: Rick

 

[Jags]

...Gawd, its gotta be beer thirty somewhere. %-P

Oregon, Jags, Oregon. :cheese: Rick

On my way!

 

[deedub]

hey folks, been a while, but i'm getting back into thinking about winter as the calendar approaches july, crazy it is. anyways, for those that don't know, i picked up a jotul 400 for my 2 story colonial, see floor plans. we got good heat from it, decent burn times ( 6hrs ), and mediocre heating upstairs and in the far family room across opposite the living room. well now i am thinking of getting another stove put in the family room with the hopes that (2) stoves will heat the house better than (1). My question is, do you think I would go through considerably more wood running (2) stoves at let's say 70% capabilities VS my (1) jotul 400 at 100% all the time ? when I say 70% capability, more like keeping the temps around 4-500 degrees VS 5-600 degrees. I am thinking that theoretically, two stoves at the extremities of the first floor will certainly heat the first floor much more consistently and more heat could head upstairs. thoughts are appreciated.
thanks.

 

[Todd]

2 stoves will be more work and more wood, but also more warmth. You may find you only need to burn one most of the time and kick in the other when temps drop below a certain point. When I went to burning 2 stoves in a previous house I found that I went through about 1/3 more wood.

 

[wellbuilt home]

I burn 1/3 more wood with 2 stoves. The house stays warm with one stove for the day time hours but when the sun gos down i would lite the second stove . In the winter we don't use the whole house . I have insulation in all the walls and floors so i can close the doors and stay warmer . I have a HS equinox and heat 3000+ feet .. I haven't even lite my furnace in years.

 

[deedub]

Just a gut check with my proposed purchase of a 2nd stove, Jotul F3CB in our family room. Last year, the Jotul F400 heated as expected, but getting heat to the far family room was difficult, if not impossible. As you can see on the attached floor plan. the living room on the left has only (2) 3' cased openings to the rest of the house while the family room on the far right is largely open to the kitchen and dining room beyond.
As I said earlier, I had to run the F400 at higher temps often to heat a space larger than it was capable of....probably going through way too much wood as well. I'm hoping to go thru a little more wood with 2 stoves running and a double whammy from either ends of the house.

 

[Hurricane]

Have you considered moving the current insert to the family room before buying and installing a second stove? I just think if you spend more time on the other side of the house put it there.

 

[deedub]

i have considered just moving the existing stove to the family room. that is the easiest thing to do. i hesitate because i spent money on improvements in the other fireplace so i feel i need to keep it where it is. we do use the living room, just not nearly as much.

 

[begreen]

The kitchen and FR are where it appears the most time is spent so put the heat there. Still stand by the 2008 recommendation. Put a 2 cu ft freestander (F500) or insert in the family room. Or, at least move the Castine to the family room and put the F3CB there for an occasional heater.

 

[gibson]

I think your house is similar to mine. My house is a 2800' colonial. The far side of my downstairs is a "formal" dining and living room that we don't use unless there is company and there are doors to shut it off as well as it being it's own heating zone. So 95% of the time the doors are closed and the thermostat is at 55. I can keep the kitchen and family room at 75 and most of the upstairs at 65-70. The master bed is the furthest out but I like a cold bedroom. I agree that an insert is ideal, from what I can tell, or a freestanding with a blower. Just my opinion, best of luck.

 

[deedub]

thanks for all the feedback as i have been on the fence. i'm calling my install guy tomorrow and having the f400 moved to the family room. i still may put a f3cb back in the living room but i'm curious to see how the f400 delivers heat to the family room, kitchen and dining room since they are all very open. who knows, maybe i"ll get some heat upstairs ? i did last year with the f400 in the living room, but had to constantly mess around with fans, something i don't want to do this winter.

 

[begreen]

It should work out better, though I think you're still going to be pushing the F400 hard. But you should get more personal day to day comfort for your work. By next year I see an F500 in the family room area for longer burn times and the F400 returning to the living room for which it appears to be a reasonable fit.

 

[Hurricane]

I think you will be happier. Heat will find it's way upstairs anyway.

 

[deedub]

i appreciate the thoughts. i'll update you guys when we make the move and fire it up.

dave