Ok folks here is the video:
http://youtu.be/HnWpY1rLNj8
Here are the stats:
- One story ranch built in 1957 w/ 8 foot ceilings throughout
- 1974 sq feet (but don't expect to heat the entire place)
- <6000 Heating Degree Days in CT: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/United_States_Heating_Degree_Day_map,_1961-1990.jpg
- Masonry fireplace in living room to accept an insert.
- Backside of chimney is in the garage so somewhat insulated.
- 3 zones dividing the house into roughly thirds.
- Cruddy double pane windows
- All wood and tile flooring
- Sun Room: 15 x 15 (guess)
- Kitchen: 16 x 14 or ~224 sq ft
- Dining Room: 16 x 12 (guess)
- Living Room: 14.5 x 20.5 ft or ~300 sq ft
- 3rd Br.: 11 x 11.5 ft or ~126 sq ft
- 2nd Br.: 12.5 x 12.5 ft or ~156 sq ft
- 1st. Br.: 14 x 14 ft or 196 sq ft
- Open to a floor standing fan or two, but nothing crazy with doorway fans mounted.
- Only a 2 person household w/ pets...will never be more.
Here are the questions in no particular order (I apologize in advance... I try to be thorough):
- I always hear about catalyst stove maintenance and replacing the CAT, but what are the common parts that need to be replaced on secondary combustion stoves and how often?
- Cat or secondary air for my situation... Get home from work (6:30-7:30pm), go to bed @ 11pm-12am in hopes there would be some beneficial warmth into the morning (7:15am) when I get up. We are gone from the house by 8:30am M-F and home on weekends. Not sure if I will pack the stove in the morning before I leave for work and let it slow burn, or let it go out and relight in the evening. (My fiancee is worried about safety while we are gone and pets are in the house, but I am working on her!) If my fireplace opening will accept a medium to large insert, do I need the slow burn abilities of a cat stove (catalyst can keep burning clean at lower temps than secondary air stoves I read), but higher maintenance perhaps?
- Do CAT stoves leave less creosote because they are more efficient, thus burning up more of the gasses that form creosote or do they leave more creosote buildup with catalytic stove? (watch the 5:40 mark on this video: )
- Wouldn't a large CAT stove give me more flexibility, to heat just the living room on a cool fall day all the way to heat the entire house during a freezing winter day with it's ability to dampen down with the CAT lit off?
- Given my video tour, my willingness to use minimal amount of fans and the specs listed about, should I try heat just the living room (~300 sq feet) or most of the house (at risk of cooking myself in living room)?
- Is it worth it to supply air from the basement to minimize cold air being drawn in from the far reaches of the house?
- Do Catalytic stoves/inserts have longer heating season (into fall/spring) because they can burn at lower temps?
- With a CAT stove, what do you use for kindling if you don't receive the newspaper regularly? In fireplace, I have been using junk mail, but I wouldn't want to gunk up a CAT.
- What is a reasonable lifespan of a wood stove insert? Sure, I can replace this part or that, but do they ever die completely w/ responsible use?
- How big of a hearth is required by the state of Connecticut or my insurance company? My raised, stone hearth is ~20in from the fireplace. If that is not enough, can I put down a removable hearthpad (if such a thing exists)?
- Is a fan required for an insert, or can it be run alone w/ a storm comes and knocks out the electricity (yes I realize it will not heat as big a space w/out the blower)?
- Do most insurance companies require a licensed installer? Or even an insurance representative to stop by and inspect? DO insurance premiums go up?
- I am a fan of the Blaze King Princess Insert w/ their long burn time temperature controls...less time adjusting the better! Are there similar stoves? Are there non-CAT stoves that can rival the burn times?
Thanks very much for any help anyone can lend. Sorry for so many questions, but I've been reading up and storing my questions as I go. Wanted to knock them all out in once post. Here is my growing woodpile for next year:
(broken link removed)
Thanks again!
http://youtu.be/HnWpY1rLNj8
Here are the stats:
- One story ranch built in 1957 w/ 8 foot ceilings throughout
- 1974 sq feet (but don't expect to heat the entire place)
- <6000 Heating Degree Days in CT: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/United_States_Heating_Degree_Day_map,_1961-1990.jpg
- Masonry fireplace in living room to accept an insert.
- Backside of chimney is in the garage so somewhat insulated.
- 3 zones dividing the house into roughly thirds.
- Cruddy double pane windows
- All wood and tile flooring
- Sun Room: 15 x 15 (guess)
- Kitchen: 16 x 14 or ~224 sq ft
- Dining Room: 16 x 12 (guess)
- Living Room: 14.5 x 20.5 ft or ~300 sq ft
- 3rd Br.: 11 x 11.5 ft or ~126 sq ft
- 2nd Br.: 12.5 x 12.5 ft or ~156 sq ft
- 1st. Br.: 14 x 14 ft or 196 sq ft
- Open to a floor standing fan or two, but nothing crazy with doorway fans mounted.
- Only a 2 person household w/ pets...will never be more.
Here are the questions in no particular order (I apologize in advance... I try to be thorough):
- I always hear about catalyst stove maintenance and replacing the CAT, but what are the common parts that need to be replaced on secondary combustion stoves and how often?
- Cat or secondary air for my situation... Get home from work (6:30-7:30pm), go to bed @ 11pm-12am in hopes there would be some beneficial warmth into the morning (7:15am) when I get up. We are gone from the house by 8:30am M-F and home on weekends. Not sure if I will pack the stove in the morning before I leave for work and let it slow burn, or let it go out and relight in the evening. (My fiancee is worried about safety while we are gone and pets are in the house, but I am working on her!) If my fireplace opening will accept a medium to large insert, do I need the slow burn abilities of a cat stove (catalyst can keep burning clean at lower temps than secondary air stoves I read), but higher maintenance perhaps?
- Do CAT stoves leave less creosote because they are more efficient, thus burning up more of the gasses that form creosote or do they leave more creosote buildup with catalytic stove? (watch the 5:40 mark on this video: )
- Wouldn't a large CAT stove give me more flexibility, to heat just the living room on a cool fall day all the way to heat the entire house during a freezing winter day with it's ability to dampen down with the CAT lit off?
- Given my video tour, my willingness to use minimal amount of fans and the specs listed about, should I try heat just the living room (~300 sq feet) or most of the house (at risk of cooking myself in living room)?
- Is it worth it to supply air from the basement to minimize cold air being drawn in from the far reaches of the house?
- Do Catalytic stoves/inserts have longer heating season (into fall/spring) because they can burn at lower temps?
- With a CAT stove, what do you use for kindling if you don't receive the newspaper regularly? In fireplace, I have been using junk mail, but I wouldn't want to gunk up a CAT.
- What is a reasonable lifespan of a wood stove insert? Sure, I can replace this part or that, but do they ever die completely w/ responsible use?
- How big of a hearth is required by the state of Connecticut or my insurance company? My raised, stone hearth is ~20in from the fireplace. If that is not enough, can I put down a removable hearthpad (if such a thing exists)?
- Is a fan required for an insert, or can it be run alone w/ a storm comes and knocks out the electricity (yes I realize it will not heat as big a space w/out the blower)?
- Do most insurance companies require a licensed installer? Or even an insurance representative to stop by and inspect? DO insurance premiums go up?
- I am a fan of the Blaze King Princess Insert w/ their long burn time temperature controls...less time adjusting the better! Are there similar stoves? Are there non-CAT stoves that can rival the burn times?
Thanks very much for any help anyone can lend. Sorry for so many questions, but I've been reading up and storing my questions as I go. Wanted to knock them all out in once post. Here is my growing woodpile for next year:
(broken link removed)
Thanks again!