Wood stove for seasonal room

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Hi there. We're in the beginning stages of possibly converting an uncovered deck into either a 3 or 4 season room. We might do something as simple as a sloped shed roof and some screens to a full or a 4 season room with insulated walls. The room would be on the first floor on a wall that goes up to the second floor and then tall steep pitched roof.

Whether we do a four season room or not depends a lot on if and how we would heat it. I'm definitely not running my oil heated baseboards out there. We'd like to maintain this as a separate part of the house that we can close off when not in use and I don't want to run heat out there just to keep the heating pipes from freezing.

So naturally I'm thinking of either a small wood or pellet stove out there to take the chill off when it's in use. Leaning towards wood since, well.. tinkering with pellet stove parts isn't too appealing to me for something that wouldn't be used everyday. Long burn times are not a concern, actually a drawback - I'd rather having something that deals with small loads well. Looked online at the Osburn 900 and that seems good for the price and what I'm looking to get out of it. But it's easy to see stoves online- less easy to see how much they cost.

Any recommendations for small stoves and anything special to think about when putting a stove in a 3/4 season room? Stove placement / venting etc?

Thanks.

 

[defiant3]

I would only offer that there are a world of good stoves out there, not as many good dealers. Maybe go shopping for a retailer with a solid reputation, that will happily invest time helping you, and provide service after the sale if and when needed. Great time of year to be looking!

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Thanks Defiant. Yes, I was through that rodeo two years ago as a total newb for the main insert. Best thing I learned is whoever I buy it from next - I will have a csia install it. Got talked out of insulated liner and block off plate last time...

 

[kennyp2339]

Are you going to insulate the walls and ceiling?

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

Are you going to insulate the walls and ceiling?

We haven't decided yet. It may just be a roof with screens - but in that case it would be a room for the summer and no stove. If we get a stove I think I'd insulate walls / ceiling / floor but it would still be outside the main envelope of the house. If we leave the doors open and get some heat into the main house even better but that's not the goal. And if I put insulation out there, heck yeah I'm getting a stove. Still would have large windows to lose heat through though.

 

[HisTreeNut]

I'd insulate the area, cover the large windows with the shrink plastic stuff and put in the stove. Then tell everyone it is for extra heat and entertaining, but slowly turn it into a man-cave. Put in a tv, day dartboard, small fridge, small ice machine....
It's sneaky, it's crazy, but it just might work...! ! !
Might even be nice to put in a small smoke dragon even if you don't insulate. Nice place to be on cooler Spring & Fall nights.
PS Hands down, you have the best screen name ever.

 

[NoGoodAtScreenNames]

My biggest question with the stove is really around the venting options and the rule that the chimney must be two feet taller than anything within 10 feet.

The existing porch is about 15x15 square. If I put it one the far wall parallel to the house I would technically be ok. However the chimney would likely still be below the roof line and I'd be worried about smoke getting sucked into the attic (I know dry wood no smoke and all but no ones perfect). If I do a tall chimney on the end it would look kind of funny and not have anything to support it going up (I'm assuming class a pipe not building a masonry chimney).

I could put the stove within 10 feet of the existing house and it might not look so funny, it would have some support but it would still need to be tall. For reference the liner in my masonry chimney is about 32', a few feet off center from the top of the roof.

If I am forced to go with a tall chimney I wonder if there are small stoves that would do well in those conditions or if the draft would be too low or too crazy?

A pellet stove solves a lot of those problems since I could just vent out the wall. But then I'd have a pellet stove... I've browsed the pellet forums a little and the tinkering just scares me.

PS Hands down, you have the best screen name ever.

Thanks. On the trouble free pool forum my name is "IsThisWhereIPutMyName?". I like that one better.

 

[defiant3]

Sounds like maybe you need a chimney guy first, then a stove guy. Designing a chimney which will have sufficient draft seems to be part science and partly an artform. Suppose you contacted a few local chimney professionals to come by and give advice and quotes? Might prove instructive. You're right in that modern stoves generally need a solid draft to function properly at all. Old stoves may get away with less, but be sure it's gonna work before making an investment. many many factors go into chimney design. It's kind of a voodoo thing I think. Good luck!

 

[begreen]

Figure a minimum of a 15ft chimney straight up for most stoves. There are a few that are easy breathers and will do with less. Enviro and PE stoves can work with a little shorter chimney.