Hi Guys—I’ve been reading conflicting views on firebox sizes. One group insists on the right size for your sq. ft. , the other camp says get one , one or two sizes bigger for all nighters .Also saying, you can always burn down on a bigger box but you can’t burn up, if your at full burn. Well I’m confused, the ball is in your court. THANKS Bayrunner
What size box ,size for sq.ft. OR one size bigger
- Thread starter bayrunner
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil. -
Super Cedar firestarters 30% discount Use code Hearth2024 Click here
- Status
Hi Guys—I’ve been reading conflicting views on firebox sizes. One group insists on the right size for your sq. ft. , the other camp says get one , one or two sizes bigger for all nighters .Also saying, you can always burn down on a bigger box but you can’t burn up, if your at full burn. Well I’m confused, the ball is in your court. THANKS Bayrunner
Bigger gives more heating capacity when needed.
Too oversized can make it very hot in the room or house.
Too small a box and you can only get so much heat from it, and if running it too hard, you can damage the stove.
More folks complain about their stove being too small and not keeping up, then those complaining it is too hot in the house.
Personally, I would rather crack a window or two open due to too warm, than bundle up and shiver cause the stove can't heat the place enough or keep up.
And yes, you can burn smaller loads in a bigger stove. But can only pack a smaller firebox full, there is no additional room for additional fuel load once packed.
Too oversized can make it very hot in the room or house.
Too small a box and you can only get so much heat from it, and if running it too hard, you can damage the stove.
More folks complain about their stove being too small and not keeping up, then those complaining it is too hot in the house.
Personally, I would rather crack a window or two open due to too warm, than bundle up and shiver cause the stove can't heat the place enough or keep up.
And yes, you can burn smaller loads in a bigger stove. But can only pack a smaller firebox full, there is no additional room for additional fuel load once packed.
Last edited:
I'll add that, if you get exactly the correct size of stove for your house size, your insulation and weatherization had better be correct too, or you'll end up fixing that. . .or getting a bigger stove.
Last edited:
You can generally figure marketing hype to be on the very generous side sq.ft. wise. - therefore a one size step up is good choice. If this is going to be a basement install get the largest one you like. Unfinished basement is a huge heat sink. Wood stoves are area heaters you are not going to get an even heat temp wise thought the house. The other choice is 2 of the matching sq ft size stoves on opposite ends of home.
x2 on bigger over smaller. Kind of like building a garage, pole barn, addition, etc.. Decide what you need and add 10-20%
If you build it - you will fill it and it is Much, Much cheaper to go bigger on the front end then add or replace to go bigger later.
There are many methods to get less heat from a big stove safely but not many to get more heat from a stove that is to small for the space when conditions get really cold. 1/2 loads, small hot fires that are allowed to burn out, lower BTU wood are all good methods to heat less and burn safe. Another upside to heating your space with a big stove with small loads is more time between ash clean out.
If you build it - you will fill it and it is Much, Much cheaper to go bigger on the front end then add or replace to go bigger later.
There are many methods to get less heat from a big stove safely but not many to get more heat from a stove that is to small for the space when conditions get really cold. 1/2 loads, small hot fires that are allowed to burn out, lower BTU wood are all good methods to heat less and burn safe. Another upside to heating your space with a big stove with small loads is more time between ash clean out.
welcome.....if you go through these forums, I think you'll find quite a few folks that wish they have gone bigger......I don't think you will find many comments to the effect of "I wish I had gone smaller". consider that as you ponder which stove to get. I agree that the bigger stove is the best bet. that said, another option for me has been two stoves. a big one in the basement that normally heats the whole house and a small one upstairs in the living room for those cold windy nights that are on the verge of making the upstairs chilly. also, the smaller one is used for the shoulder season, keeping the wood use to a minimum. jmho
On the coldest days of winter, my stove is "too small"... during the MANY slightly chilly nights of shoulder season, my stove is "too big."
As mentioned above, some folks have the tendency to run a stove too hard... but it simply isn't big enough to heat all the space they want heated, to the degree they want it heated, on those very cold days in cold regions of the country (especially in a very drafty or poorly insulated house). They are running the risk of damaging their stoves, and of increasing pyrolysis in surrounding combustibles.
Yet if you run a huge stove inefficiently (with smaller and cooler fires, not achieving secondary combustion) you run a greater risk of fouling your flue with creosote. So with a really tight, well-insulated house in a warmer climate, it probably does make sense to "go small".
Going big allows you to use bigger splits, and more of them, for longer burns. Does the house get to 90f sometimes? Yes. But I LIKE when it gets to 90f. That's why God created boxers. (Well, one of the reasons... boxers also do not allow excessive body heat to lower sperm counts, thus increasing the ability of man to reproduce and helping ensure the survival of the species.)
For most of us here, it makes sense to go big. My stove is rated for more sq ft than I have, but if I were to replace it, I would get a firebox of equal or larger size without thinking twice (cold climate, drafty house). I would also get a cat stove, as I feel that would increase my ability to burn more efficiently/cleanly, and use less wood, in the warmer weather of months like November and April.
As mentioned above, some folks have the tendency to run a stove too hard... but it simply isn't big enough to heat all the space they want heated, to the degree they want it heated, on those very cold days in cold regions of the country (especially in a very drafty or poorly insulated house). They are running the risk of damaging their stoves, and of increasing pyrolysis in surrounding combustibles.
Yet if you run a huge stove inefficiently (with smaller and cooler fires, not achieving secondary combustion) you run a greater risk of fouling your flue with creosote. So with a really tight, well-insulated house in a warmer climate, it probably does make sense to "go small".
Going big allows you to use bigger splits, and more of them, for longer burns. Does the house get to 90f sometimes? Yes. But I LIKE when it gets to 90f. That's why God created boxers. (Well, one of the reasons... boxers also do not allow excessive body heat to lower sperm counts, thus increasing the ability of man to reproduce and helping ensure the survival of the species.)
For most of us here, it makes sense to go big. My stove is rated for more sq ft than I have, but if I were to replace it, I would get a firebox of equal or larger size without thinking twice (cold climate, drafty house). I would also get a cat stove, as I feel that would increase my ability to burn more efficiently/cleanly, and use less wood, in the warmer weather of months like November and April.
As others have mentioned . . . there are some other mitigating factors . . . basement install vs. install on the main floor of the house, super insulated home vs. standard insulated home or poorly insulated home, etc.
I took the advice here when I sized the stove to my house . . . and went with the advice of going one size larger. I have not been disappointed with that advice. After a few times of over-heating the house in the Fall you can get a feel for how much wood you should put in the stove, how often you should reload (or if you should not reload) and the quality of the wood (low BTU vs. high BTU wood) to provide heat in the home without having to open every window. On the flip side, when it's in the negative teens I sometimes wish I had an even larger stove for just a little more heat . . . but for the bulk of my heating needs going the one size larger has truly been good advice.
I should mention that I also feel though that it is possible to get too large of a stove . . . when you are constantly having to open windows in middle of winter or can only run the stove in the dead of winter with a partial load (and therefore not getting as long a burn) the stove may be too large for your needs.
I took the advice here when I sized the stove to my house . . . and went with the advice of going one size larger. I have not been disappointed with that advice. After a few times of over-heating the house in the Fall you can get a feel for how much wood you should put in the stove, how often you should reload (or if you should not reload) and the quality of the wood (low BTU vs. high BTU wood) to provide heat in the home without having to open every window. On the flip side, when it's in the negative teens I sometimes wish I had an even larger stove for just a little more heat . . . but for the bulk of my heating needs going the one size larger has truly been good advice.
I should mention that I also feel though that it is possible to get too large of a stove . . . when you are constantly having to open windows in middle of winter or can only run the stove in the dead of winter with a partial load (and therefore not getting as long a burn) the stove may be too large for your needs.
- Status
Similar threads
