Wood stove advice....

[dehal]

A Hi to everyone, from frosty North Florida! I stumbled onto your site and I am sure glad I did... I am purchasing a wood stove soon and I have some questions before I do. I live in a mobile/manufactured home, 24' x 40' (960 sq ft) split plan/ 2bd /2ba..( 1bdrm 1 ba on each end) LivRm, Kit, Dining rm open air..Built in 2002. It has a corner fire place insert in the LivRm I want to replace with the wood stove... I have gone round and round for a year on what features I am looking for.. With that said, I have decided on the Englander 30nc 2200... I need a long burn time and larger box ect... My questions (now that I've bored you with long details) Do you know how long will this unit burn for before adding more wood? Is this size going to be a problem in my 960sq ft? I realy liked the specks on this unit.. Thanks in advance for your input... Dehal

 

[Todd]

Personally I think the NC30 will be way too big for 960sf in FL and you would be burning with all the windows open. The NC13 may be a better fit but yes, you will suffer on the burn times since the fire box is half the size of the 30. Maybe look for a smaller cat stove if you really need the longer burn times or a non cat n the 2cu ft fire box size. Are you taring out the fireplace and building a new hearth and chimney?

 

[fossil]

Englander 30 is way too big for 960 ft², IMO. Rick

 

[cmonSTART]

You would have one heck of a sauna though.

 

[dehal]

Personally I think the NC30 will be way too big for 960sf in FL and you would be burning with all the windows open. The NC13 may be a better fit but yes, you will suffer on the burn times since the fire box is half the size of the 30. Maybe look for a smaller cat stove if you really need the longer burn times or a non cat n the 2cu ft fire box size. Are you taring out the fireplace and building a new hearth and chimney?

Yes, I am taring out the fire place insert and building a hearth.. I already have the piping and chimney from the fire place so half is done already.. By the way, It gets down right cold in the winter here in North Fl.. (coming from 100 deg f all summer) I have experienced a low of 5 degrees F but usually in the teens to 20's overnite temp. But warms up during the day 40's to 50's... This past winter was (long) record cold here and that made my final decision to buy... I have my own renewable source for wood too..

Sooooo any input on a long burning wood stove for 960sq ft anyone ???

 

[SolarAndWood]

Blaze King Princess. Big firebox and a low burn rate give you nice long burns.

 

[cmonSTART]

+1 on that, but I'm a bit biased! :cheese:

 

[Pagey]

Am I reading correctly that you tore out a prefab unit and are using the existing flue from the prefab for the free standing stove? If so, you might want to make sure you can in fact use that venting with a free standing unit. I know that often the units installed in mobile homes are the "pre fab" or zero clearance fireplaces (at least from what I've seen).

 

[dehal]

Am I reading correctly that you tore out a prefab unit and are using the existing flue from the prefab for the free standing stove? If so, you might want to make sure you can in fact use that venting with a free standing unit. I know that often the units installed in mobile homes are the "pre fab" or zero clearance fireplaces (at least from what I've seen).

I will be taking out a fire place insert.. I dont know what the prefab zero clearance you are refering to.. It is a factory built wood burning fireplace and I will make sure everything is as it should be times 10...

 

[Todd]

Am I reading correctly that you tore out a prefab unit and are using the existing flue from the prefab for the free standing stove? If so, you might want to make sure you can in fact use that venting with a free standing unit. I know that often the units installed in mobile homes are the "pre fab" or zero clearance fireplaces (at least from what I've seen).

I will be taking out a fire place insert.. I dont know what the prefab zero clearance you are refering to.. It is a factory built wood burning fireplace and I will make sure everything is as it should be times 10...

That fireplace chimney is probably not rated for woodstoves. You need a class A 2100 degree rated chimney. Also probably too big diameter wise for most 6" vented wood stoves. Check your fireplace manual you may get lucky but I doubt it.

 

[dehal]

+1 on that, but I'm a bit biased! :cheese:

Can I get a price on the princess and shipping?

 

[dehal]

Am I reading correctly that you tore out a prefab unit and are using the existing flue from the prefab for the free standing stove? If so, you might want to make sure you can in fact use that venting with a free standing unit. I know that often the units installed in mobile homes are the "pre fab" or zero clearance fireplaces (at least from what I've seen).

I will be taking out a fire place insert.. I dont know what the prefab zero clearance you are refering to.. It is a factory built wood burning fireplace and I will make sure everything is as it should be times 10...

That fireplace chimney is probably not rated for woodstoves. You need a class A 2100 degree rated chimney. Also probably too big diameter wise for most 6" vented wood stoves. Check your fireplace manual you may get lucky but I doubt it.

No, I am not that lucky.... I will need to buy the proper size and rated items.. No biggie... I dont want my life burned down in a fire over a few dollars.....

 

[begreen]

Welcome dehal. I will add my voice against the 30NC for your home. This is a big stove. North FL may have some freak cold snaps, but on average it is a lot milder. You are far better off getting a stove that is going to serve you well for the 90 days of your 'winter' than one tailored for 3-5 days, every odd year. In non-cat I would agree with the recommendation to look at the Englander 13NC. To that I would also look at the Napoleon 1400 and the Pacific Energy Super 27. The PE can provide exceptionally long burn times for its size. But you should also consider a catalytic stove. They can burn for longer at lower stove temperatures. Woodstock has a strong reputation and makes some very nice looking stoves. I would look at a Keystone for 960 sq ft. The BK Princess is getting a growing crowd of happy users here, but it is expensive and has to be shipped from the diagonal opposite side of the country. With an almost 2.8 cu ft firebox, I wonder if it also may be too large for this application.

 

[dehal]

Welcome dehal. I will add my voice against the 30NC for your home. This is a big stove. North FL may have some freak cold snaps, but on average it is a lot milder. You are far better off getting a stove that is going to serve you well for the 90 days of your 'winter' than one tailored for 3-5 days, every odd year. In non-cat I would agree with the recommendation to look at the Englander 13NC. To that I would also look at the Napoleon 1400 and the Pacific Energy Super 27. The PE can provide exceptionally long burn times for its size. But you should also consider a catalytic stove. They can burn for longer at lower stove temperatures. Woodstock has a strong reputation and makes some very nice looking stoves. I would look at a Keystone for 960 sq ft. The BK Princess is getting a growing crowd of happy users here, but it is expensive and has to be shipped from the diagonal opposite side of the country. With an almost 2.8 cu ft firebox, I wonder if it also may be too large for this application.

Hi...
Thanks for the welcome...
Actually, We use our fireplace to heat when we get home from work every nite to save on electric during our winter (which is not as long and cold as the winters I grew up in CT.) but definately way more than a 3-5 day every odd year.. I am not in the tropical south and it does have cold temps here, so I would need a wood stove to heat with.. The fire place is inefficient and waste the wood.... I thank you for the info on those wood stoves and when I get home from work tomorrow I will check them out...

 

[begreen]

My MIL lives in N. FL, been there many times. I didn't mean that you don't have cool winter days. But the below freezing days are not that many. The 20 deg days are even rarer in her neck of the woods (Tampa).

 

[SolarAndWood]

The BK Princess is getting a growing crowd of happy users here, but it is expensive and has to be shipped from the diagonal opposite side of the country. With an almost 2.8 cu ft firebox, I wonder if it also may be too large for this application.

The BK shines in milder temps. I load the 4.3 cu ft firebox in the King full every time and let the stove's tstat do its thing even if the forecasted high is above 50. At low burn, you get super long burn cycles with easy reloads.

One caveat, you must have dry wood for the low burn to work. Otherwise, you will end up unhappy with a gunked up stove and tell every one that cat stoves suck.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Personally I think the NC30 will be way too big for 960sf in FL and you would be burning with all the windows open. The NC13 may be a better fit but yes, you will suffer on the burn times since the fire box is half the size of the 30. Maybe look for a smaller cat stove if you really need the longer burn times or a non cat n the 2cu ft fire box size. Are you taring out the fireplace and building a new hearth and chimney?

Yes, I am taring out the fire place insert and building a hearth.. I already have the piping and chimney from the fire place so half is done already.. By the way, It gets down right cold in the winter here in North Fl.. (coming from 100 deg f all summer) I have experienced a low of 5 degrees F but usually in the teens to 20's overnite temp. But warms up during the day 40's to 50's... This past winter was (long) record cold here and that made my final decision to buy... I have my own renewable source for wood too..

Sooooo any input on a long burning wood stove for 960sq ft anyone ???

Welcome to the forum dehal.

The temperature range you give sounds right to me....but that is not cold! That indeed would be a very mild winter so don't think that you have to get a stove designed to heat a home in the north country.

Have you considered a Woodstock stove? You want a long burn and no doubt for your space you also want a low burn. The cat stove that Woodstock sells should suit you just fine. Woodstock Stoves

We have the Fireview and heat close to your size. It keeps us very toasty warm and we use only half the amount of wood we used to burn. The stove does not take a big footprint and is extremely easy to use and maintain. With the catalyst, you can burn low fires without fear of creosote (providing your fuel is right) and the soapstone gives you a very soft heat that will continue to radiate even after the wood burns down. We've had our stove for 3 full winters and that is our only source of heat. The company also is one of the very best companies and they are very easy to deal with plus they have the best guarantee on the market.

However you go, good luck to you.

I might also add that you may need to put in a taller chimney as that seems to be one of the problem areas with mobile homes and double wides; they usually put up very short chimneys. Recommended is usually 13' minimum.

 

[ChillyGator]

Personally I think the NC30 will be way too big for 960sf in FL and you would be burning with all the windows open. The NC13 may be a better fit but yes, you will suffer on the burn times since the fire box is half the size of the 30. Maybe look for a smaller cat stove if you really need the longer burn times or a non cat n the 2cu ft fire box size. Are you taring out the fireplace and building a new hearth and chimney?

Yes, I am taring out the fire place insert and building a hearth.. I already have the piping and chimney from the fire place so half is done already.. By the way, It gets down right cold in the winter here in North Fl.. (coming from 100 deg f all summer) I have experienced a low of 5 degrees F but usually in the teens to 20's overnite temp. But warms up during the day 40's to 50's... This past winter was (long) record cold here and that made my final decision to buy... I have my own renewable source for wood too..

Sooooo any input on a long burning wood stove for 960sq ft anyone ???

Welcome to the forum dehal.

The temperature range you give sounds right to me....but that is not cold! That indeed would be a very mild winter so don't think that you have to get a stove designed to heat a home in the north country.

Have you considered a Woodstock stove? You want a long burn and no doubt for your space you also want a low burn. The cat stove that Woodstock sells should suit you just fine. Woodstock Stoves

We have the Fireview and heat close to your size. It keeps us very toasty warm and we use only half the amount of wood we used to burn. The stove does not take a big footprint and is extremely easy to use and maintain. With the catalyst, you can burn low fires without fear of creosote (providing your fuel is right) and the soapstone gives you a very soft heat that will continue to radiate even after the wood burns down. We've had our stove for 3 full winters and that is our only source of heat. The company also is one of the very best companies and they are very easy to deal with plus they have the best guarantee on the market.

However you go, good luck to you.

I might also add that you may need to put in a taller chimney as that seems to be one of the problem areas with mobile homes and double wides; they usually put up very short chimneys. Recommended is usually 13' minimum.

As a fellow North Floridian I second the recomendation of Backwoods Savage. A Woodstock cat stove should be the ticket for our climate.....can burn at low temps for a LONG time without creasote production (assuming you use truly dry wood 20% +-) and can really shine when we get the cold fronts moving through. As a 2nd year burner I can appreciate the long burn times and not having to get up in the middle of the night to stoke the fire. In the unlikley event that I don't win the FREE STOVE DRAWING from Woodstock :cheese: I will most likely be looking to install a Woodstock next summer. Good luck and get ahead on your wood cutting now!

 

[Backwoods Savage]

ChillyGator appears to be a very wise man.

 

[firefighterjake]

ChillyGator appears to be a very wise man.

I agree . . . he probably splits his wood horizontally don't you think?

And on the serious side . . . oh yeah, the Englander you mentioned at first is over-kill for home that is 960 square feet . . . think smaller . . . and a slow-and-low wood burner with a cat might be just the cat's meow for you.

 

[dehal]

Wow..... Thanks for all of the info..... I'm goint to be busy checking out all of these stoves.... Yes we are getting an early start on cutting wood... Dont want to spend time getting warm by cutting wood... Have other plans for the cooler temps..........

 

[dehal]

My MIL lives in N. FL, been there many times. I didn't mean that you don't have cool winter days. But the below freezing days are not that many. The 20 deg days are even rarer in her neck of the woods (Tampa).

Tampa is 150 miles south of me and in temp zone 9... I am in temp zone 8 .... Florida is a loong state and has 3 temp zones, 8, 9, 10....
Crazy, aye ??? %-P

 

[begreen]

Not as crazy as WA. Ten zones here. http://growingtaste.com/usda_map.shtml

Temp zone 8 is still pretty cozy. Average Jan 1 temp for Gainesville is 43 °F. Great solar country there.

I think you will be fine with a 2 cu ft stove. If you want greater burning range, maybe consider a cat stove?

 

[gibson]

Remember that you are coming off of an abnormally cold winter for you folks. Something around a 1.5 -2 cu/ft firebox would probably do just fine. How is your insulation?

 

[dehal]

Not as crazy as WA. Ten zones here. http://growingtaste.com/usda_map.shtml

Temp zone 8 is still pretty cozy. Average Jan 1 temp for Gainesville is 43 °F. Great solar country there.

I think you will be fine with a 2 cu ft stove. If you want greater burning range, maybe consider a cat stove?

Wow... 10 zones ! I am North of Gville.... In the "boonies".... I have been looking at some of the stoves you all have mentioned....
I think, You all saved me from "overkill", Thanks a whole bunch! Some of these stoves have crazy long burn times !