Replacing freestanding woodstove

[Craigums]

Hi all,
My Wife and I bought an older home that has the original freestanding wood stove. Looking to replace it as it heats us out of the room (unable to regulate the burn so our house is either 60 or 80 in the winter). We have to keep feeding it as a result and went through a bunch of wood. I have gone down the rabbit hole of freestanding woodstoves and so far I have come up with:
Soapstone looks great, takes a lot more to heat up
Cast Iron seems to be the way to go (incorrect?)

Brands that I am looking at:
Kuma
Blaze King
Hearthstone
Hearthstone

We live in Northern Cali (Mt. Shasta), the main area of the house that will be heated is approx 1100 sq ft.

Any advice/recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[begreen]

What is the primary criteria? aesthetics, burn time, easy of use?

Note that Kuma and Blaze King stoves are steel stoves. I wouldn't say that cast iron stoves are the way to go for everyone. A good compromise can be a steel stove with a cast iron jacket like the BK Ashford.

 

[Craigums]

in order of priority:
burn time
aesthetics
Easy of use

 

[begreen]

The BK Ashford or a Pacific Energy Alderlea T5 are both good-looking, cast iron jacketed, steel stoves. The BK is a thermostaticly regulated cat stove with a longer burntime at low heat. The T5's KISS design is easier to use and maintain.

About how tall will the flue system be and at what altitude is this?

 

[Craigums]

The flume will be approx 9'. We are at approx 3700' give or take a few hundred ish...

 

[kborndale]

It would be tough to get any modern stove to draft well at 3700' and only a 9' chimney

 

[moresnow]

Post a few pics of the planned install location. What are you planning for venting/chimney configuration?
As mentioned, your 9' venting plan @3700' will likely not fulfill any modern stove requirement.
Welcome to Hearth.

 

[stoveliker]

I find this page from the BK manual always to be illuminating.
Note that the actual numbers (15' if straight up and at sea level) are for BK - some other stoves may require only 12-13'. But the changes based on elevation and elbows etc. will be universal, because it's rooted in the physics of the system.

 

[begreen]

The flume will be approx 9'. We are at approx 3700' give or take a few hundred ish...

That's a short flue if this is the measurement from the stove top to the chimney cap. The chimney must be tall enough to meet the 10-3-2 rule. I asked because this focuses my recommendation toward an easy breathing stove. A PE stove will vent ok on a 12' flue system, the BK will want more flue to vent properly.

 

[stoveliker]

That's a short flue if this is the measurement from the stove top to the chimney cap. The chimney must be tall enough to meet the 10-3-2 rule. I asked because this focuses my recommendation toward an easy breathing stove. A PE stove will vent ok on a 12' flue system, the BK will want more flue to vent properly.

Also (12 ft) **at 3700 ft elevation**?

 

[begreen]

Also (12 ft) **at 3700 ft elevation**?

Yes, I have seen it work out with a cabin up in the hills here. They are pretty easy breathing stoves. I also have a friend (at 650') with a Summit that is vented into a 12' flue system, but there are two 90º turns plus a 45º turns. I was dubious, but it drafts ok. However, I've noticed that it'll spill a bit of smoke on reload when outdoor temps are above 45º.

 

[BKVP]

Every home is different. Some folks here have run a Princess on 12' and claim it works fine. But we admonish folks, be prepared to add chimney length if needed.

BKVP

 

[Wisco Shepherd]

If your flue is short I have found my Kuma to be an easy breather. But BK is going to be king for low and slow. I can get my Kuma down pretty low but to do this you are going to want very dry wood.