Tuliviki Thoughts

[poconosms1]

I have a tulivik stove. I think it's a TU1000, but slightly modified to include some decorative rough stone protrusions. (most of what I see on the web are all smooth.) I spoke several years ago with the installer, who remembered installing the stove and had indicated that he told the owner it was undersized for the area. I loved the stove so much, that I decided to keep it.

Now I am thinking of replacing it with a woodstove that will heat the entire house. I have a 1,700 square foot house, the problem is the there are three split levels cathedral ceilings, so the from the lowest floor to the highest ceiling is close to 30ft. The Stove is one the second level, so no heat from the current stove reaches the lowest level. The main level is in the middle, and barely heats this level. I guess the best way to describe it is the stove augments the electric heat.

How would I go about selling the Tuliviki stove? I had paperwork to show the stove was 10k uninstalled. It weighs 2,000lbs and the prior owner had a special foundation installed in the basement to support the weight. Do you think it's worth trying to make a trade with a dealer? I hate to break it up, but the stove is more decorative than practical.


I'll have additional questions about what to replace it with, but I'll post that separately
.

 

[Todd]

Why not keep it and install a smaller stove on the lower level to help out? Probably be a major pain taking it apart. I'd like to see some pictures of that masonry heater.

 

[HollowHill]

If it were me, I'd keep the Tulikivi and add another stove for additional heat. That is an awesome masonry heater you have, would be a shame to get rid of it, if it was even possible.

 

[Ehouse]

I think the decorative protrusions indicate an older model. Mine has them but the modern version does not. I'd keep it if I were you, and get a nice wood stove for the lower level, or even a DV gas stove so you don't need a new flue. You should then be able to enhance the convection currents between floors by pushing cooler lower level floor air towards the wood/gas stove. If you decide to sell it, it might be best to involve a dealer unless you can find someone that has experience with Tulikivi. I've been having a hard time finding info on rebuilding.

Ehouse

 

[poconosms1]

unfortunately, the area it is in is a small sitting room. If I add another stove, I would lose the use of the room, it's an 10 x 11 foot room. Enough for two lazy boys and the wood boxes. You're right, its a beautiful stove, but not pratical anymore since cost of heating has skyrocketed in the past few years.

The other problem I have is most of my house are windows - I have 50 windows, including 10 skylights. I replaced the skylights with insulated windows. the original contractor used atrium glass doors as skylights, plus I needed to be able to open them because of the intense heat build up during the summer. I have very litlle wall space to add another heater.

 

[HollowHill]

unfortunately, the area it is in is a small sitting room. If I add another stove, I would lose the use of the room, it's an 10 x 11 foot room. Enough for two lazy boys and the wood boxes. You're right, its a beautiful stove, but not pratical anymore since cost of heating has skyrocketed in the past few years.

The other problem I have is most of my house are windows - I have 50 windows, including 10 skylights. I replaced the skylights with insulated windows. the original contractor used atrium glass doors as skylights, plus I needed to be able to open them because of the intense heat build up during the summer. I have very litlle wall space to add another heater.

Oh, I wouldn't add another stove in the same room, not even the same level, probably. I'd add the new stove on another level.

 

[Ehouse]

Having just done it, they're not that hard to take apart, especially a small one like a T1000. What about relocating it on the lower level?

Ehouse

 

[Ehouse]

The T1000 shows 750 sq' heating cap.. An optional side bench can increase that to 1050 sq'. Why not contact a dealer/installer and ask about relocating and adding the side bench and maybe a bake oven. I think these are modular, so other modifications may be possible.

Ehouse

 

[begreen]

unfortunately, the area it is in is a small sitting room. If I add another stove, I would lose the use of the room, it's an 10 x 11 foot room. Enough for two lazy boys and the wood boxes. You're right, its a beautiful stove, but not pratical anymore since cost of heating has skyrocketed in the past few years.

The other problem I have is most of my house are windows - I have 50 windows, including 10 skylights. I replaced the skylights with insulated windows. the original contractor used atrium glass doors as skylights, plus I needed to be able to open them because of the intense heat build up during the summer. I have very litlle wall space to add another heater.

I think the suggestion was to put a second stove in the lower level, not in the same room as the Tulikivi. If you had a larger heater on the bottom floor, how would the heat travel upward to the next level? Is there a large open stairway between levels?

I would also investigate installing some insulated curtains or honeycomb shades to reduce heat loss through the glass.

 

[ddddddden]

+1 for putting another stove on the bottom floor, if that's where you want heat. Your split-level layout *might* allow a convection loop to the lower level, but hot air rises, so unless your house has exceptional circulation mojo, it's not likely that *any* size stove is going to do a good job of heating the level below it. Random thought: Are you burning the Tulikivi like a stove or like a masonry heater, firing the p!ss out of it and letting the stone soak up the heat?

 

[poconosms1]

The lower level has no outside wall. It's surrounded by bedrooms and a garage.

You can't fire a tuliviki too hot or else it will crack the joints - overheating the stove. I do two burns in the morning and one at night.


How hard was it to take it appart? What did you use to separate the pieced. I'm sure If I could take it apart with lots of pictures for reassembling, I could probably sell the stove for 5k, more than enough to install a new stove that generates 4-5 times the btu.

 

[argus66]

no way would i get rid of it. try a small fan to push hot air down. u have any pics of this im really into masonry heaters u are really lucky to have this.

 

[poconosms1]

I'll post some pictures tomorrow. I'm not happy about getting rid of it, but it doesn't do the job. It's just too small for the house.

 

[stircrazy]

never mind these arnt true masonary heaters.

 

[Ehouse]

Same as mine but slightly larger. At this size it may not have the channels to circulate the exhaust. Mine does not. I would try to sell it in situ and let the buyer disassemble it. more attractive whole than a stack of rocks. Very easy to take apart, with metal splines and weak morter/refractory holding it together. The soapstone is soft and fragile, however, so don't try to pry it apart with metal tools.

Ehouse

 

[backpack09]

Do you have cieling fans in your cathederals? I find that a cieling fan on winter mode is a great help at moving the air around.

 

[Dakotas Dad]

So this stove is on the second of three floors.

It is not rated to heat the total area you want heated.

You cannot, or will not put a wood stove in the lowest level.

Wood heat may not be workable for you as a total solution.

Very few people are able to heat "down" with a wood stove. Heat rises. Natural phenomena.

I would consider a vent free NG appliance in the lowest level, and maybe a second on the third level (or a small wood stove up there).

Replacing the current area heater with a larger stove *may* help, but in a 10'x11' room, anything making the kind of Btu's you are going to need is going to make that room miserable.

The honest, most workable answer is a zoned, multi-stove setup. And in no scenario do I see getting rid of that fine piece of stone work right there.

 

[poconosms1]

I guess I didn't describe my house enough. The lower level area does not have an outside wall. When you enter from the garage, You look straight up and see the highest point in the house about 30ft to the top. You take the steps 10 feet up to the main level, cross over to the other side and take steps 6ft down to the third level. The stove is in a 10x15 foot area, but is connected to another area 10x15 via two steps up. It's all open. If I am by the stove and look up, there is no wall to the main area. If i'm in the main level, I can look down (over a railing) and see the entire lower area where the stove is.


I have ceiling fan on the main level, but overall the stove just doesn't heat the area. All the cold sinks to the stove area and unless i have a fire going, it's not warm enough to sit there comfortable. The house is electric heat or hybrid electric pumps. Our neighbors all have various stoves - wood, coal, pellet, and their houses are all warm. With the 50+ windows I have the house is 58-62 degrees in the moring and heats up to 75 when the sun is out. On cloudy days, I have to supplement the stove with baseboard heat. Wood is plentiful for me as I live in the woods.

I've struggled with the stove for 10 years and the house is just too small to install another heater.

I supposed to talk with a Tuliviki dealer from Viginia this morning. We'll see what happens.

 

[Ehouse]

Yeah, by 3'd level I assumed you meant top level. So the question becomes, can you put a direct vent gas stove or another wood stove on the main level? I think the configuration of your house will make it hard to heat regardless of what you replace the Tulikivi with. I think a second space heater is a better solution. I'm interested in what the Tulikivi rep says. Keep us posted!

Ehouse