trouble getting the heat out and the flames aglow

[kathie]

it seems when it gets below 25f outside i have trouble keeping the house warm with the woodstove, doesn't want to burn as well, open up and the heat seems to go out what am i doing wrong, trying to use as the main heat source

 

[oldspark]

Cravin we need details, wood (seasoned?) chimney flue and stove top temps, how big and how well house is insulated.

 

[begreen]

How well seasoned is the wood that is being burnt? Are you getting a good fire? What temperature are you running the stove at?

Looks like it's sitting around 5-10 deg. currently in mid-Indiana. It could be that the stove is a bit undersized for the task of heating the place in this bitter cold. IIRC, the initial order was for an F600. Don't be afraid run the primary heating system in conjunction with the stove if you need more heat. You are getting into extreme temps, especially overnight.

 

[RedGuy]

One thing unfortunately the more you open up the air the more cold air you draw into the house (unless you have an outside air kit). Kinda counter intuitive but to make more heat you bring in more cold. I think that a loose house with a smaller stove will lend itself to this problem. Could be a number of other things though as stated above, wet wood, poor insulation, too small a stove, poor draft etc. I know for me I've got some really good dry Ash that burns great in my stove but if I through a piece of greenish oak on there it'll smother the fire unless I have a rip roaring fire with lots of hot coals. No matter how much air I give it it will just smolder.

 

[kathie]

i will admit not as seasoned as it should be, white oak, but it does seem when the temps go down heat output goes down and open up more seems to fire more but at the same time temp in house goes down. i need to get a gage to measure the temp of stove, don't have one, new at this and the house is a story n half, heats pretty much whole house except opposite end of house is def colder, no blower on stove yet. heating approx 2200 sq ft which is on full basement, trying to use wood stove in the basement at the same time to help heat as well, not sure if wasting wood that way or not. if i unlatch door but not even open it then flames roar, clsoe door then of course goes back down, part is def the unseasoned wood.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like you have a serious uphill climb. See if you can get some really dry wood for this cold spell. That will help. As noted, basement heating + lack of fan + half-seasoned wood = chilly house. Does the 2200 sq ft include the basement sq footage? Or is this in addition to the basement?

 

[kathie]

2200 sq ft plus full 30x40 basement, insulated above basement walls, used highest r factor possible in house, when it is colder outside, i feel draft in house as if the stove is drawing in cool air from somewhere, so does that mean we have a draft problem or need outside air intake kit?

 

[begreen]

It's possible, the stove may be pulling in some outside air. But what it really means I think is you need to move the stove upstairs. Heating 3400 sq ft with this stove is not realistic, especially with uninsulated basement walls.

 

[kathie]

sorry, need to clarify, we have a steel menards wood stove in the basement and a quadra-fire cumberland gap on the main floor of the house, register in ceiling to let heat rise to upstair bedrooms and when temp outisde is 25 or above seems to heat nicely, but when temp drops outside, then we have hard time getting flames rolling as usual, feel draft in frontroom where wood stove is and etc.

 

[begreen]

Ah, thanks. That helps clarify assumptions a lot. If the house is very tightly sealed it could be that the stove needs outside air. A test would be to open a nearby window a little (1/2"). If that perks up the fire, then adding an outside air supply will help.

 

[kathie]

oh, thanks will try, we also get up every 2 hours to feed the fire, putting in only 3-4 med size pieces of wood, makes for tired and cranky people in this house, and now of course the furnace has kicked on, last month only kicked on twice my bill last year with heat pump was 545 and this year with the raised rates it was 311, very good decrease, still just really stupid at this wood burning, all the help is much appreciated, thank you!