Wife is getting bummed out

[Sully]

We purchased osburn 2200. In October. We could get house to 85 but it was warm in early October. We were having 70 degree days. 50 degree nights. Well now November is here and it's still mild temp. 40 degree days 30 nights. The house just won't get over 68. We were told by sales person that he predicts 70 in the winter. I can't see that happening. I wish I was on this forum before I bought! It is an insert. Wood is all under 20 percent. I've been following burn Guide lines. Experimenting with different burns. I just don't know , I'm thinking it's undersized. House is 2600 sq , not to worry about upstairs I don't want it to be hot hot up there but would like it to be warm. What would you guys do. I spent pretty good money on this and I can't see it being a super performer come cold winter days
4 am came down 62 degrees. It's been running for 3.5 hours and house is now 64. Is this typical results ?

 

[Charles1981]

Need more info. Sounds like your stove is downstairs? How is it heating the floor it is on? You are expecting it to be warm upstairs on the level above the stove? Are your floors insulated? What is the layout? Its still cold on the main floor the stove is on?

 

[Sully]

Stove is in family room. House is older 1960. The insert room gets warm. Set up is normal.
Not overally concerned with upstairs. Ceiling is not insulated Going to upstairs . I also hung tissue in all opening and air seems to be moving.
I just read a lot of other peoples stuff on here and I just don't see these type of results going on. In same sense I have not turned heat on and have been fine. Wide did just say she turned it on now.

Possible worst drawing ever. lol

 

[Sully]

On warmer days it does the trick. I think I'm just more suprised that it can't heat a cold house. Honestly my old open fire place got that room warm and comfy. Used more wood but did not cost as much to install lol ( it was there when I bought home ) haha

 

[USMC80]

your not going to get it up to 70 with a 2600 sq ft house and 2.2 firebox. Its only rated for 2000 sq ft in a perfect setup. In reality probably will heat 1600 sq ft

 

[Sully]

Yup that's what I am figuring now. The guy came out to house and all. That's what pisses me off

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Till or if you can figure it out, I would not use this as your sole heat source. You should bring the house up to temp with your main heating source and let your insert try to maintain the heat in the house. Then on certain days you keep on experimenting with the insert, you will get alot of advice on here so keep trying......there are a lot of variables that will effect heat output, you need to find yours. Some examples are, your wood, your loss of heat up the chimney, your windows, your insulation, the size space you want heated.....etc.....etc....I don't know any details on your insert but being realistic of what it is capable of doing in your environment is important, if it is a medium size unit, it could be undersized. Basically these things are like space heaters and if your not burning 24/7 then that's going to be another hurdle for you. Burning for 3 hours vs. burning for 3 days straight will produce totally different results..... Good luck and don't give up...

 

[Sully]

Till or if you can figure it out, I would not use this as your sole heat source. You should bring the house up to temp with your main heating source and let your insert try to maintain the heat in the house. Then on certain days you keep on experimenting with the insert, you will get alot of advice on here so keep trying......there are a lot of variables that will effect heat output, you need to find yours. Some examples are, your wood, your loss of heat up the chimney, your windows, your insulation, the size space you want heated.....etc.....etc....I don't know any details on your insert but being realistic of what it is capable of doing in your environment is important, if it is a medium size unit, it could be undersized. Basically these things are like space heaters and if your not burning 24/7 then that's going to be another hurdle for you. Burning for 3 hours vs. burning for 3 days straight will produce totally different results..... Good luck and don't give up...

True. I was figuring I would have to use heater just not so soon when it's so mild out. I'm just trying to look ahead to December/jan knowing they are never mild. I def understand the constant heat will produce more. The 2400 proably would have been better choice for me , that damn bay window makes the women fall in love and you guys know how decision making goes after a women knows what she wants lol

 

[EJL923]

Your situations sounds just about right. Actually, its very close to my situation. Your stove is undersized, plain and simple. For three previous winters ive been saying im going to sell my stove and get a bigger one, but here i am havent done a thing. Basically, my stove does 85% of the work in the bitter cold. When i get home from work on cold days or when its just plain old cold out, the furnace kicks on to get up to temp and the stove takes over. There's no magic bullet, your stove is rated up to 2000 sq ft, your house is 2600. Plus, a stove rating is usually in perfect conditions.

In the end, i am heating a 2300 sq ft house with a 1800 sq ft stove. I burn about 4 cords and 100 gallons of oil a year, ill take it.

 

[maple1]

Stoves ARE space heaters. Unless one has the optimum space to try to heat it with (lots of open-ness), results might be disappointing if one were expecting the whole house to be heated adequately - and 2600 sq. ft is a pretty big house.

That said, I would also certainly expect it to do better than an older open fireplace. I think I might take it up with the guy that sold it to you - sounds like he is a little short on knowing his product.

 

[Sully]

Yeah I've talked to him. He is going to get back to me.

 

[Sully]

Stoves ARE space heaters. Unless one has the optimum space to try to heat it with (lots of open-ness), results might be disappointing if one were expecting the whole house to be heated adequately - and 2600 sq. ft is a pretty big house.

That said, I would also certainly expect it to do better than an older open fireplace. I think I might take it up with the guy that sold it to you - sounds like he is a little short on knowing his product.

It does do better than old fire place, less wood. Clean, looks better. It does heat better on a grans scale, but honestly with old fire place I could get the room to 80. That was just one room though.

 

[Jags]

I see no info on operational temps. What kind of temps are you running this stove at?
Is there a fan and is it used?

 

[BrotherBart]

One thing to try. If you are running the blower on high try running it at half speed or lower. The volume of air will be less but it will be warmer air and cause less cold air draft to be pulled into the room with the insert.

 

[Sully]

Jags, usually it is running around 650 but it does not stay there for more than hour before it starts to dip. Bart I have been running fan on low, I did run it on high at first but in another thread I've read mid to lower setting in fan is better.

I'm one of those guys that just want things to work. Lol. I think I just got to excited about seeing 88 degree temps in house in early shoulder season. Now that it's actually getting cold I am fighting for 66 degrees. I'm at work right now but I'm not sure if I have side clearance to upgrade this unit to the 2400

Plus with my luck. I'd get that and it wouldn't change a thing. Than I'd make up more reasons why to my better half. Lol

 

[BrowningBAR]

We were told by sales person that he predicts 70 in the winter... just don't know , I'm thinking it's undersized. House is 2600 sq ,

Yet, another instance of a dealer/sales rep offering bad advice either intentionally or because they do not know the product.

If you are stuck with the stove, let's make the best of it this winter and tell us about how you are burning the stove. How hot are you running the stove? What is your insulation like?

 

[Sully]

Wood is all below 20 mc. Checked with meter stove has never been over 650 , even when I load tight and have massive fire. Insulation in house is ok. Older but ok.

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Why would a dealer recommend a stove rated for less than the size of your house in the first place? Especially an insert.The dealer should know better at least. Another problem with this situation is you will need to push the stove at maximum output all the time, a situation that may prematurely aged the stove.
A properly sized stove should only need to be run at maximum out put occasionally on the coldest days. You either need a bigger stove or a second stove or just be satisfied with this one as just a supplement to your homes original heat source. (If its still there).

 

[Sully]

650 is also rare. Majority of time temp is around 450 to 500. thats a 600 burn

 

[Sully]

Why would a dealer recommend a stove rated for less than the size of your house in the first place? Especially an insert.The dealer should know better at least. Another problem with this situation is you will need to push the stove at maximum output all the time, a situation that may prematurely aged the stove.
A properly sized stove should only need to be run at maximum out put occasionally on the coldest days. You either need a bigger stove or a second stove or just be satisfied with this one as just a supplement to your homes original heat source. (If its still there).

Not ever having a insert or stove I knew no better. Sales guy was nice came out to house , looked around and said it would work. I found this forum after fact. Have learned a lot too. Maybe to much reading is my problem. Jk

 

[Andy S.]

Till or if you can figure it out, I would not use this as your sole heat source. You should bring the house up to temp with your main heating source and let your insert try to maintain the heat in the house.

+1
I have a somewhat similar set up to the one you show in your drawing at 2450 ft2. My thermostat is located in the room you show your stairs (I'm a center hall colonial). I have heat on and set at 69* the same as if I didn't have the insert. Last night at 10:00 when I went to grab wood it was 75-80* in the family room (insert room) according to the IR, 71* on the thermostat, (although my IR read the wall at 75*) and 26* outside. As I was walking back to the house I heard my neighbor's heat pump kick on. Mine hadn't run all night. I smiled. My attitude is to get as much free heat out of my insert as possible. In exchange for that free heat I'm willing to expend effort but not sacrifice comfort. (My wife won't allow it).

 

[Seasoned Oak]

Not ever having a insert or stove I knew no better. Sales guy was nice came out to house , looked around and said it would work. I found this forum after fact. Have learned a lot too. Maybe to much reading is my problem. Jk

I dont have experience with inserts ,but most here will tell you they need to be sized a little bigger than a free standing. WHat does the dealer have to say about your situation?

 

[Seasoned Oak]

THis is hard for me to fathom as my stove room is 85-95 with the stove on the lowest air setting. Try a little seasoned pine if that helps ,thats mostly what i burn.

 

[BrowningBAR]

What is your insulation like?

 

[begreen]

The stove does sound undersized, but it should be able to heat at these outdoor temps, albeit with more frequent feeding. Are you packing the firebox full of wood on each reload?

I'm wondering how much of this problem is a leaky house? It would help to know the btus required to heat the place. Before putting in the insert, what was the source of heat? What was the average fuel consumption in Dec. or Jan.?