Hi Folks,
This is a spin-off of my previous thread on efficiency, getting to the heart of the matter--the best stove for my application. I'm posting it under a new topic title, in hopes that will help folks find it easily later.
The title say it--what stove will give me long burn times and relatively steady temps in my 2000 sq-ft moderately insulated and somewhat leaky 2 story farmhouse (hopefully tighter later)--and my application--using it 24/7 as a primary heat source.
Price is a concern, but I'd even spring for a soapstone stove it it were significantly better for my application. I'd like to heat the entire house (open floorplan with ceiling fans and excellent forced air ductwork for fan circulation), at as constant temp as possible with as long burn times as possible.
[quote author="Battenkiller" date="1288481163"]Disregarding published efficiency figures, cat stoves will generally be a lot more efficient at low burn rates and secondary combustion burn tube/manifold type stoves are more efficient at high burn rates. Soon you will begin to see more and more hybrid stoves that use both technologies. This is regarding burn efficiency, not necessarily heating efficiency.
In the real world, I believe a stove that burns at the steadiest rate will be the most efficient at warming your house, provided that it is properly sized so that burning it at it's optimum rate is not too much heat for the space.[/quote]
So what suggestions do folks have for the right size/type/model for my application? I'm thinking a large firebox would give the long burns, but I need to be able to dial it back to the right output for my application, which is honestly a 2000 sq-ft old house with middling insulation and mediocre sealing. So I'm thinking my heating needs are somewhat high for a 2000 sq-ft space?
[quote author="Battenkiller" date="1288509021"][quote author="RenovationGeorge" date="1288508560"]That said, it does sound like the ideal for me--long gentle heat with high efficiency. [/quote]
Well, perhaps you will be first in line for the new Woodstock Stove Co. wunderkind coming soon. Hybrid secondary/cat combustion, soapstone walls for unsurpassed heat retention, an estimated 90%+ burn efficiency, probably pretty as a picture to look at.....
We're all like kids waiting for Santa on this one.[/quote]
Geez, Battenkiller, you're reading my mind--sorry for the dogeared pages. I've been reading the posts on it's development, and wiping the drool off my chin. I won't be ready to buy until next summer (if I don't fall off a ladder), so I'll have time to see what people think of it, I hope.
This is a spin-off of my previous thread on efficiency, getting to the heart of the matter--the best stove for my application. I'm posting it under a new topic title, in hopes that will help folks find it easily later.
The title say it--what stove will give me long burn times and relatively steady temps in my 2000 sq-ft moderately insulated and somewhat leaky 2 story farmhouse (hopefully tighter later)--and my application--using it 24/7 as a primary heat source.
Price is a concern, but I'd even spring for a soapstone stove it it were significantly better for my application. I'd like to heat the entire house (open floorplan with ceiling fans and excellent forced air ductwork for fan circulation), at as constant temp as possible with as long burn times as possible.
[quote author="Battenkiller" date="1288481163"]Disregarding published efficiency figures, cat stoves will generally be a lot more efficient at low burn rates and secondary combustion burn tube/manifold type stoves are more efficient at high burn rates. Soon you will begin to see more and more hybrid stoves that use both technologies. This is regarding burn efficiency, not necessarily heating efficiency.
In the real world, I believe a stove that burns at the steadiest rate will be the most efficient at warming your house, provided that it is properly sized so that burning it at it's optimum rate is not too much heat for the space.[/quote]
So what suggestions do folks have for the right size/type/model for my application? I'm thinking a large firebox would give the long burns, but I need to be able to dial it back to the right output for my application, which is honestly a 2000 sq-ft old house with middling insulation and mediocre sealing. So I'm thinking my heating needs are somewhat high for a 2000 sq-ft space?
[quote author="Battenkiller" date="1288509021"][quote author="RenovationGeorge" date="1288508560"]That said, it does sound like the ideal for me--long gentle heat with high efficiency. [/quote]
Well, perhaps you will be first in line for the new Woodstock Stove Co. wunderkind coming soon. Hybrid secondary/cat combustion, soapstone walls for unsurpassed heat retention, an estimated 90%+ burn efficiency, probably pretty as a picture to look at.....
We're all like kids waiting for Santa on this one.[/quote]
Geez, Battenkiller, you're reading my mind--sorry for the dogeared pages. I've been reading the posts on it's development, and wiping the drool off my chin. I won't be ready to buy until next summer (if I don't fall off a ladder), so I'll have time to see what people think of it, I hope.