Unsure what to do...

[dmev13]

I posted awhile back asking about what stove would be best either a Soapstone Fireview or the Progress. After much thinking, and considering a new location for the fireplace, my wife and I are back at square one. We are unsure what is the best route to take. What would you guys recommend? Free standing wood stove? New fireplace with brick chimney on the outside of the house? Fire place with framed chase on outside of the house? Or something completely different. We are open to any other options! I would like something efficient. The room is about 450 sq feet. Total house size is about 3600 sq feet. Attached is a picture of the downstairs floor plan. I drew a red circle where we would want to put it. Obviously the window would be coming out.

Thanks for all your help

Dan

 

[begreen]

Previous thread on this topic:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/new-to-wood-burning-got-some-questions.176036/

The stove is an area heater. If the goal is just to heat that room then a fireplace or freestander will get the job done. If you choose a fireplace I would recommend a modern ZC EPA fireplace for much greater efficiency. This will have an insulated metal chimney that is typically chased (boxed in) for the best look. This option is much more expensive than a free-standing stove, but also a more desirable selling point if that is in the future. Figure $10-12K vs $5K for a freestanding install.

If the goal is to provide heat to the house, consider strongly putting the fireplace on the common wall with the rest of the house instead of on the far outside wall. This has several advantages. The chimney will stay warmer for better draft and cleaner flue. And the heat can be ducted into the main body of the house which would alleviate concerns about overheating the 450 sq ft room while maximizing heating gains.

 

[dmev13]

Previous thread on this topic:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/new-to-wood-burning-got-some-questions.176036/

The stove is an area heater. If the goal is just to heat that room then a fireplace or freestander will get the job done. If you choose a fireplace I would recommend a modern ZC EPA fireplace for much greater efficiency. This will have an insulated metal chimney that is typically chased (boxed in) for the best look. This option is much more expensive than a free-standing stove, but also a more desirable selling point if that is in the future. Figure $10-12K vs $5K for a freestanding install.

If the goal is to provide heat to the house, consider strongly putting the fireplace on the common wall with the rest of the house instead of on the far outside wall. This has several advantages. The chimney will stay warmer for better draft and cleaner flue. And the heat can be ducted into the main body of the house which would alleviate concerns about overheating the 450 sq ft room while maximizing heating gains.

Thanks begreen! Couple questions for you... ZC means zero clearance? What are some brands of EPA fireplaces would you recommend? I was looking at maybe the quadra-fire pioneer II? Most likely going to have to do it on the outside wall only to keep the flow of the room smooth and not all choppy. My goal is to keep the room big and open. If I build the chase on the outside of the house will drafting be a big issue? How tall should the chimney be in order to create a good draft?

Thanks again for all your help. Really trying to do it right the first time so II don't waste money.

Dan

 

[begreen]

Yes, ZC means zero-clearance. Sticking the fireplace on the outside wall is traditional in modern homes but not great for heating. If this is just for heating the room and not the house, then err on the side of smaller. The RSF Pearl line is a nice one. Pacific Energy makes the FP25 which has a contemporary look. If budget is tight there is the Flame Monaco.

 

[CaptSpiff]

..... If I build the chase on the outside of the house will drafting be a big issue? How tall should the chimney be in order to create a good draft?

Dan

Check the install instructions for each model; most available in pdf.

Most of the new stuff I've read calls for 15 feet or better.

 

[prezes13]

Or if money is no object you could go with a masonry heater like a tulikivi for example. Pretty but pricey.

 

[Ashful]

Or if money is no object you could go with a masonry heater like a tulikivi for example. Pretty but pricey.

I really don’t understand how a masonry heater works, in most American climates. Your heating needs change too rapidly throughout the course of the day, for much of the year, to make anything that pumps out constant heat with a time constant of days, really very useful. Leave the masonry heaters to Scandinavia and Siberia.

 

[prezes13]

I never had one but my dealer sells them and I love the way they look, especially when they bake chocolate chip cookies in them.

 

[byQ]

I really don’t understand how a masonry heater works, in most American climates. Your heating needs change too rapidly throughout the course of the day, for much of the year, to make anything that pumps out constant heat with a time constant of days, really very useful. Leave the masonry heaters to Scandinavia and Siberia.

Ya and burning pine firewood will cause creosote and catch your house on fire. Old wives tales die hard.

 

[begreen]

There are several Russian Fireplaces locally. Even a local restaurant has one. The heat is quite nice for this area as winter temps typically fall in the 30-40º range. That said, it's not what the OP is looking for.

 

[Ashful]

There are several Russian Fireplaces locally. Even a local restaurant has one. The heat is quite nice for this area as winter temps typically fall in the 30-40º range. That said, it's not what the OP is looking for.

Our daily swing here is 25F. For the entirety of fall and spring, those not living in million-pound stone houses only need heat overnight, rarely during the day. That’s a big part of the year, where a masonry heater would be more an obstacle than a benefit.

The antique Russian fireplaces I have seen around here are not like a masonry heater, at all. They are large, but made of thin ceramic, and likely weigh in closer to a Woodstock than a 10,000 lb masonry heater.

 

[begreen]

The antique Russian fireplaces I have seen around here are not like a masonry heater, at all. They are large, but made of thin ceramic, and likely weigh in closer to a Woodstock than a 10,000 lb masonry heater.

The Russian fireplaces around here are massive brick affairs. They are actually misnamed and more of a large masonry stove. The local stoves were built by Wesleyan brick layers and have no fire view, just a cast iron door for the firebox. One is in a building that is now a restaurant. Still works great.

(broken link removed to https://homeenergypros.org/forum/topics/russian-wood-stoves-masonry-stoves)

 

[Ashful]

The Russian fireplaces around here are massive brick affairs. They are actually misnamed and more of a large masonry stove. They were built by Wesleyan brick layers and have no fire view, just a cast iron door for the firebox. One is in a building that is now a restaurant. Still works great.

(broken link removed to https://homeenergypros.org/forum/topics/russian-wood-stoves-masonry-stoves)

These are what I think of, when one says Russian Stove. This is one of a few installed in a large early-20th century home near me.

 

[bholler]

These are what I think of, when one says Russian Stove. This is one of a few installed in a large early-20th century home near me.

View attachment 246832

Those are still huge masses of masonry.

You need to learn how to use them to properly heat your space like any other woodburning appliance. When you don't need as much heat you don't heat up the mass as much.

 

[begreen]

That's an interesting one. That looks more like a rocket stove design, but certainly weighs a lot more than a Woodstock stove. Maybe more like a dozen woodstocks.

For further discussion, there is a masonry stove thread started by ByQ. I don't think the OP is entertaining putting in a masonry heater.

 

[firefighterjake]

I really don’t understand how a masonry heater works, in most American climates. Your heating needs change too rapidly throughout the course of the day, for much of the year, to make anything that pumps out constant heat with a time constant of days, really very useful. Leave the masonry heaters to Scandinavia and Siberia.

I have a friend who built a masonry heater. It actually works fairly well as he loads it in the morning before heading to work and in the evening. As you are most likely aware it takes a while for it to come up to temp and takes a while to lose the heat so he doesn't fire it up until it is consistently cool (vs. folks like you and I who might fire up the woodstove in September when it starts to get cool at night but will warm up the next day). I think he told me he doesn't tend to fire it up until late October or November at the earliest.

 

[Ashful]

As you are most likely aware it takes a while for it to come up to temp and takes a while to lose the heat so he doesn't fire it up until it is consistently cool

This is exactly what I mean... the part of the year when it is “consistently cool” is only a fraction of our total heating season. Yes, I’m sure they’re fantastic in January and February, but they’d be maddening to try to heat a house with all fall and all spring.

 

[CaptSpiff]

This is exactly what I mean... the part of the year when it is “consistently cool” is only a fraction of our total heating season. Yes, I’m sure they’re fantastic in January and February, but they’d be maddening to try to heat a house with all fall and all spring.

Isn't that what windows are for?

 

[bholler]

This is exactly what I mean... the part of the year when it is “consistently cool” is only a fraction of our total heating season. Yes, I’m sure they’re fantastic in January and February, but they’d be maddening to try to heat a house with all fall and all spring.

Like with any other heating appliance a person needs to learn how to use it to heat their space. It can and has been done just fine by many people for many years.

 

[Ashful]

Like with any other heating appliance a person needs to learn how to use it to heat their space. It can and has been done just fine by many people for many years.

I dunno about this one, bholler. Try driving a car where there's a 4-second delay between the steering wheel and front wheels, and then we'll talk.

 

[bholler]

I dunno about this one, bholler. Try driving a car where there's a 4-second delay between the steering wheel and front wheels, and then we'll talk.

I can't say for sure because I have never used a masonry heater. But they have been around a long time and lots of people have used them as the only source of heat. I am sure it takes longer to figure it out but clearly it can be done.

 

[begreen]

Local lady I know heated her place, in mild weather with her Russian masonry stove. She loved it. It's not the tool, it's how you use it.