Too much stove?

[buc74]

I know this is a very common request for feedback but have to ask for your thoughts.

Were are moving into a new home the first week of November and we are thinking of having a PE Summit insert installed that same week. Of course we do not know how well its insulated but I guess not very. The masonry chimney is exterior but in the garage. Its a all brick home about 1700 sq. ft. The top of the flue will be insulated and sealed as well as a block off plate used so most of the heat should stay put. Currently we have only red oak seasoned for 3 plus years, about 6 cords.

So I want the summit because of it larger window view, the Super just seemed small sitting aside the summit. I currently have been burning with my buck 74 in our 1400 sq. home and can just use less wood to control the heat output. I'm sure the super is plenty of stove for the house but we really like the larger view of the summit.

To all you summit owners can I use less wood as needed so we don't roast ourselves out? I will begin splitting soft wood this winter either way so I have the option to use wood that puts out less heat.

Super owners, are we making a big deal over the window view? Or is it just fine.

The other thought is if we need more heat for our long Wisconsin winters I can't make a bigger fire in the Super.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sprinter]

1. Yes, you can make smaller fires (or with less dense wood).Just make sure you can get the firebox hot enough to ignite the secondary burner or you will lose the efficiency and create more creosote. Trying to meet that compromise may require more attention, though. It takes a minimum of 1100 F for that.

2. We are very pleased with the window view of the fire in our Super 27 stove (freestanding stove, not insert). You will likely get various opinions, but I would base my decision on heating requirements rather than window size. The Super has a very nice view.

 

[aansorge]

Wisconsin....1700 sq. ft.? I'd go Summit! It takes a lot of stove to heat a whole home way up in the north country. Go big!

 

[buc74]

Thanks Sprinter, good point on the decision base.

 

[Ashful]

Die-hard PE fanboy, or would you consider another brand that can offer a better fit with big window?


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[buc74]

I'm going with the PE, I like the n/s loading, easy baffle removal, and clean glass of the PE. In general your not going have a large window with a narrow stove for the n/s loading like the super. Trade offs I guess, the super I feel be fine for heating our 1700 sq. ft. ranch. We do have a second large masonry fireplace in the basement too. We will be putting a insert or freestanding stove in there next year. That will give us some extra BTU's as needed.

 

[Ashful]

I dunno. Ashford 30 has a huge window, and can operate at heat output levels below the Summit. Maybe lower than the Super, too. It can be loaded N/S or E/W, due to an almost square firebox, and can easily do 40 hour burns on hardwood, 30 hours on softwood. Seems like a better fit for the requirements you described.

 

[buc74]

Yes Ashful I think the Ashford would be a good fit for our basement fireplace. It has a huge opening and I want to put a free standing in the opening. But for this year we'll stick with pe insert upstairs. It seems we have no Blaze King dealers near our area for some reason, 40 miles is the nearest. Thanks for your input.

 

[stovelark]

x2 for the Summit, think you'll appreciate the ease of its operation and tremendous heating capability.

 

[Ashful]

Yes Ashful I think the Ashford would be a good fit for our basement fireplace. It has a huge opening and I want to put a free standing in the opening. But for this year we'll stick with pe insert upstairs. It seems we have no Blaze King dealers near our area for some reason, 40 miles is the nearest. Thanks for your input.

I also had a little difficulty finding a good BK dealer, but I'm glad I put the effort into calling around until I found one with which I was happy. It turns out, the dealer list on the blazeking.com site wasn't complete, and there were four dealers in my area.

I have nothing at all to say against PE (I've never owned one), but having hung around this joint reading one stove review after the next for five years, I just couldn't go any way other than BK for my install.

 

[buc74]

Ashful, well I called the BK dealer and they will come out to my area for a quote. They gave me a rough quote for an install of the princess insert of ~7k. Seems very high to me, the Summit quote I have for upstairs is $3,900 plus tax installed. With the liner, insulated top and bottom and sealed at the cap and at the damper. They emailed me today the cost of the Sirocco insert, $3,482 delivered to my house. Though I'm going to really try to make a freestanding stove work in the opening of the basement fireplace. The Ashford 20 with legs is very possible, I'll be able to brain storm more once we get move in.

 

[Ashful]

Never hurts to consider all options! I paid $2800 for two liner installs with block off plates (i.e. $1400/ea), $2900 for each Ashford 30.1, and $200 for delivery. So, two BKs and two liners installed for under $9k.

Some dealers wanted to charge me full list price plus two delivery charges, for a purchase of two stoves. One had the nerve to quote a few hundred dollars OVER list, but I found one willing to give a good deal for an order of two units on a single delivery.

@BKVP, how many dealers servicing the OPs neighborhood?

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[buc74]

Yesterday I bought and scheduled to have the Summit insert installed upstairs. We'll do something in the basement fireplace next summer once we get settled in the the home. Thought I'd try to post a pic for the first time, below will be the Summits new home.

 

[Mike M.]

The Summit was a good choice. I see a wall register in that picture...is that hot water heat? Reason I ask is because if using wood 24/7 are you still going to cycle the boiler once in a while? I had this issue at my last house and ended up installing anti freeze in the hot water heat system. Unless maybe that register is electric.

 

[buc74]

Yes it is, never even thought about it and thanks for pointing it out. The hot water heater is part of the system so I guess we should be ok then? I know very little right now about this type of heat. It has thermostat in the living area and in the very back master bedroom, so it may kick in at times back there depending on how high its set. Likely not 24/7 only cuz we head up to our cabin a couple times a month in the winter.

 

[Mike M.]

Okay, just wanted to make you aware. Hot water heat systems often have pipes running everywhere in a house, including outside walls. Not a problem in mild winters but when it gets super cold like -30 I would just make sure you cycle the boiler a few times, thats all. I guess that is of course if a boiler is in the home. You mentioned a domestic water heater?

 

[buc74]

Or at least I think its part of the boiler, again I'm not yet educated on this type of heating.

 

[buc74]

So for after a month with the Summit having a little more stove is not a problem. I haven't had any issues with the home getting to warm. Just making smaller fires seems to work fine, though I notice its not the most efficient use of this stove. Now that its much colder and using larger loads with the secondary burn I seem to burn much longer with hotter temps. I'm pretty sure the Super would have done just fine for heat output, but glad I went bigger. Being able to fit some 20" logs that I have is nice, a little more window, and knowing we have the extra fire power when needed is a plus too.
It turns out this all brick ranch is not well insulated, single digit temps here in WI next week! Can't wait!

 

[Ashful]

...single digit temps here in WI next week! Can't wait!

You know you're a real wood burner, when...

 

[Squisher]

I have a summit stove and super insert. I definetly find the super easier to 'idle' with then the summit. But there's no beating the summits huge firebox when heat demands go up.

 

[saydinli]

Your Summit insert looks great!!

We've just installed the FP30 about a month ago (same firebox as Summit) and it has been a bit of a learning curve on how to run it on the milder days without over heating , but getting the hang of it.

 

[Squisher]

.......... it has been a bit of a learning curve on how to run it on the milder days without overfirng, but getting the hang of it.

Without overfiring the fireplace, or your house?

 

[saydinli]

Without overfiring the fireplace, or your house?

Ya sorry over heating the house.


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[Ashful]

Small fires, run short and hot. Use your house as a capacitor, or heat bank.

One guy here actually weighs his wood on a scale, by the heating degree day forecast. I admire his approach, although my own heat demands preclude ever using short loads.

 

[heavy hammer]

Nice insert it puts out a lot of heat, next week you will appreciate having the bigger insert.