I'm looking to add a wood stove as part of a renovation of a 2600 sf 1790s colonial in southern NH, which has had various updates over time. I was thinking a large stove to try to heat the house as much as possible using wood. Based on internet research and what is available at local dealers, I was considering the following stoves:
PE Summit/T6
Woodstock Progress Hybrid
Regency F3500 or F5200
Lopi Liberty
Jotul F55
A nice ash removal system would be nice, as my spouse is allergic to dust, but it isn't a deal breaker, as we were quite satisfied with a Regency I2400 in another home without any ash system. I'm experienced with burning the I2400 24/7 during the heating season, using about 5 cord per year. I cut all our wood too, so I can actually optimize cut length to the stove. Everything we burn is always 1-2 years dry, and we've never had any issues with creosote buildup the way we run the I2400. An annual sweep takes care of what little buildup there is.
A bit about the house/setup: we plan to have the interior masonry chimney lined for the stove, and it will be about 23ft from the stove to the top of the chimney. The exterior walls of the house currently have blown-in insulation from about 45 years ago. Windows are all single pane glass with storm windows on the outside. We are not planning to replace windows or insulate walls, but are planning to sprayfoam the roof. So, not super tight, but not terrible either. The 2600sf does not include the attic, but insulating the roof would technically make that "conditioned" space as well (there is a full staircase to the attic, though it is closed off). The original central chimney was removed from the house at some point, and the current masonry chimney is interior, about 1/3 of the way into the house in the gable to gable direction, and slightly offset from centered front-to-back. As part of the renovation, the kitchen, dining, and entry foyer/mudroom will become one large open space of about 800 sf, and the stove will be in that space. This is directly underneath the upstairs hall, bathrooms, and a bedroom, so heat should move through the ceiling into much of the upstairs fairly well.
One local dealer I spoke with on the phone suggested a cat stove for 24/7 burning, but my experience with them harkens back to a 1980s consolidated dutchwest that was in our house growing up. I remember it not always performing the best. Plus, I know a catalytic combustor is only going to last for a few years (14,000 hours or so), and they can be expensive to replace. On the other hand, the I2400 with a full load of wood tends to take off like a freight train and get HOT when the secondaries really kick in, even with the draft fully closed... So, I'm looking for some suggestions here about what unit may be best for 24/7 burning to heat this house.
Thanks!
PE Summit/T6
Woodstock Progress Hybrid
Regency F3500 or F5200
Lopi Liberty
Jotul F55
A nice ash removal system would be nice, as my spouse is allergic to dust, but it isn't a deal breaker, as we were quite satisfied with a Regency I2400 in another home without any ash system. I'm experienced with burning the I2400 24/7 during the heating season, using about 5 cord per year. I cut all our wood too, so I can actually optimize cut length to the stove. Everything we burn is always 1-2 years dry, and we've never had any issues with creosote buildup the way we run the I2400. An annual sweep takes care of what little buildup there is.
A bit about the house/setup: we plan to have the interior masonry chimney lined for the stove, and it will be about 23ft from the stove to the top of the chimney. The exterior walls of the house currently have blown-in insulation from about 45 years ago. Windows are all single pane glass with storm windows on the outside. We are not planning to replace windows or insulate walls, but are planning to sprayfoam the roof. So, not super tight, but not terrible either. The 2600sf does not include the attic, but insulating the roof would technically make that "conditioned" space as well (there is a full staircase to the attic, though it is closed off). The original central chimney was removed from the house at some point, and the current masonry chimney is interior, about 1/3 of the way into the house in the gable to gable direction, and slightly offset from centered front-to-back. As part of the renovation, the kitchen, dining, and entry foyer/mudroom will become one large open space of about 800 sf, and the stove will be in that space. This is directly underneath the upstairs hall, bathrooms, and a bedroom, so heat should move through the ceiling into much of the upstairs fairly well.
One local dealer I spoke with on the phone suggested a cat stove for 24/7 burning, but my experience with them harkens back to a 1980s consolidated dutchwest that was in our house growing up. I remember it not always performing the best. Plus, I know a catalytic combustor is only going to last for a few years (14,000 hours or so), and they can be expensive to replace. On the other hand, the I2400 with a full load of wood tends to take off like a freight train and get HOT when the secondaries really kick in, even with the draft fully closed... So, I'm looking for some suggestions here about what unit may be best for 24/7 burning to heat this house.
Thanks!
