# Yup. A wood stove thread.



## Eyes Wide Open (Oct 14, 2010)

I have been reading around about wood stoves but much of the content out there seems to be from the commercial interest, and I am trying to figure out what's in MY interest, lol. I haven't gone to a stove store yet because I know the salesperson will just talk me into whatever is in stock. 

1) Just to get it out of the way, I DON'T CARE how beautiful the stove is!! Just had to say that! A lot of pages I'm reading boast about the beauty and color selection of the stoves. Bah.

2) Our home is 1,170 square feet. From what I understand that is on the upper end of a small wood stove. We keep our thermostat at 62 during the day and 57 at night, so we are not expecting 80 degrees or anything. Does that seem like we are sticking with the "under 1,200 square feet" group, or is there some reason we should consider a medium sized stove?

3) Our downstairs floor plan is open, which is good. I have no idea where the stove will go, but I plan to trust the installer's opinion on that. There is a place downstairs that is wonderfully located in terms of being central to the house and also near the stairs so we would get a nice updraft up there, but I am not sure if the old chimney (which is sealed behind the wall - I think it's an old coal chimney from the days when this 1905 house was heated by coal in the basement) that is near this area can suffice. Well, I doubt anyone can help with this without seeing the house and knowing the details, but just putting that out there.

4) Obviously I want an efficient stove, but if I'm reading between the lines right, the really "efficient" ones seem to require electricity! Am I right? It doesn't really say, but it's implied by fans and such. The whole point of this stove is to give us more options and not be dependent on anything we can't provide ourselves. Or am I fooling myself and every stove out there has electricity now?

5) I think a cook stove is out of the question... but do any stoves exist that just have one little cook area? Not the whole kit and kaboodle but just someplace I can set one pan down? One of my other issues I'm trying to address is the fact that our stove and oven is electrically heated. I would look into a propane camp stove too (because I realize that relying on the wood stove to cook in the summer is problematic) but it sure would be nice to have this option in the winter if it isn't a big deal. I would also be curious to understand the safety issues of cooking areas on a stove.

6) I've decided on wood rather than pellet because I can source my own wood but I can't make pellets. Just putting that out there. 

7) Any comments on the material to put under the stove - soapstone, ceramic tile, I don't even know the options - would be welcome.


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## roachhill (Jul 8, 2009)

Personally I'm a die hard fan of the old Fisher Stoves. You can pick them up cheap (if you can find one) and they last about forever. Mine is a smaller unit and it's still 500 pounds of heavy plate steel with cast iron doors. It does a fantastic job as a heater, holds a fire all night, and has a stepped top so you can set the fry pan on the lower surface if you want a hot burner or the upper surface for a simmer. Nobody is going to talk me into spending thousands to update my $110 outdated Fisher. Just my 2 cents but it's probably not worth that much. LOL Incidentally I have 2" thick PA Blue stone slabs under my stove but my floor isn't flammable so it doesn't really matter what I use. Also in reference to #5 I have a propane stove on the porch for summer cooking.


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## SteveO (Apr 14, 2009)

Just a suggestion do not buy a stove that is to small it will kill you feeding it. The fisher is a great stove. I would look for a non blower type at least a 16 inch wood box with abtu rating 30% more than the numbers say. They will try to sell you a 40kbtu which might work but with it being a one time thing 60k or80 kbtu would be closer. THey also run better if they are not maxed out all the time. As for the flue if you have a old chimney they can slide a stainless sleeve right down it. 
I say this as I go down to the basement to fill my 60k btu wood furnace that should have been 80 or a 100k btu.

Steve


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## Keithk2 (Oct 28, 2010)

A great resource I found for using wood for heat is http://www.woodheat.org/ . They have a free down-loadable manual with some great guidelines and lots of details for sizing and installing your stove for max efficiency without blowers. 

As for stoves with simple cook-tops, Lehmans (www.lehmans.com) has several non catalytic heating stoves with varying amounts of cooking capability.They cater to the Amish and other folks who live off grid. I'd use them to get some ideas and ID some manufacturers,then go directly to the site of the company and check them out. Lehmans varies from being competitive to being a little pricey so I'd look around but they have a fairly impressive selection

Hope this helps some

Peace
Keith


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

When I saw your OP, I thought you might find my thread of interest. DH designed and built us a wood stove, that he began modifying. It currently heats all of our hot water, which is stored in the water heater, which is also used by our radiator (in our bedroom furthest from the wood stove), has a heatilator built in which is energy efficient (less than a light bulb to run), we can cook on the top, and we dry our clothes from the rack DH also designed/built. This all saves us a LOT of $$$! In addition to the uses/systems I mentioned, DH also added a passive solar system for summer use. We use a clothesline during warm dry days. Power outages, when using a water pump in-line with a closed loop system for heating water--- C R I T I C A L concern. Now, when the setup is done properly, there are enough pressure relief valves to make it safe regardless, however, DH came up with a solution so they won't be necessary. When our power shuts off, our 13KW starts up within seconds. Since that is only needed to maintain fridges/freezers/well pump for water, DH will fire up the 1KW Honda Generator when the power first goes out. He has wired a plug to just unplug the system from the grid and directly into that generator, which is more energy efficient by far than our large generator. The reason for the large one is for Len's Machinist/Welding Shop here; it can literally run everything if needed. On the hearth, we just used slate over concrete board (think that is what they called it, could be wrong):









It is nice, but not "fancy," heats our home very well, and does all those jobs to save us money! 









Here is close to what it looks like now that it heats all of our hot water.









I really enjoy having this in the Winter!

Here is my HT thread:

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=326980


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## vallyfarm (Oct 24, 2006)

First, how well is your house insulated? I have a small stove and just over 1,000 sqft. In the middle of January I'll have windows opened if I don't pay attention to the stove. So saying you need so and so BTU's without knowing how the house is insulated won't be of much use. My parent's house is just slightly larger and the beedrooms would be cold if the rest of the house was up in flame. They put in new windows and just 1" of foam board when they got new siding, and the place stays toasty warm from just a woodstove in the cellar and the doors open with 1 box fan to move the air. Many of those stoves with a fan are just to move more air around the stove. Many are an option, at least when I bought mine. But most importaintly...make sure your new stove has NO catylic converter in it. They will only cause you heartache down the road. Many stove makers can get just as good efficency ratings with better air control in the firebox. Mike


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## Eyes Wide Open (Oct 14, 2010)

roachhill said:


> Personally I'm a die hard fan of the old Fisher Stoves. You can pick them up cheap (if you can find one) and they last about forever. Mine is a smaller unit and it's still 500 pounds of heavy plate steel with cast iron doors. It does a fantastic job as a heater, holds a fire all night, and has a stepped top so you can set the fry pan on the lower surface if you want a hot burner or the upper surface for a simmer. Nobody is going to talk me into spending thousands to update my $110 outdated Fisher. Just my 2 cents but it's probably not worth that much. LOL Incidentally I have 2" thick PA Blue stone slabs under my stove but my floor isn't flammable so it doesn't really matter what I use. Also in reference to #5 I have a propane stove on the porch for summer cooking.


Thank you, I will look into it! I am coming from the assumption of buying a new wood stove due to the improvements in energy efficiency, yet I am open to being convinced to buy an older one. I will look into it. 



SteveO said:


> Just a suggestion do not buy a stove that is to small it will kill you feeding it. The fisher is a great stove. I would look for a non blower type at least a 16 inch wood box with abtu rating 30% more than the numbers say. They will try to sell you a 40kbtu which might work but with it being a one time thing 60k or80 kbtu would be closer. THey also run better if they are not maxed out all the time. As for the flue if you have a old chimney they can slide a stainless sleeve right down it.
> I say this as I go down to the basement to fill my 60k btu wood furnace that should have been 80 or a 100k btu.
> 
> Steve


Gotcha. I am also trying to make sure I don't buy one too large either. Tricky, because my house is right at the in-between size. I hear some folks get one too large and try to burn it low to save fuel, and that just mucks everything up and isn't safe. I really don't know how to figure the size question out. I'm still leaning toward smaller because we really don't expect to live in t-shirts in the winter (I am right now wearing long underwear top and bottoms, plus a "fleece" jacket on top).



Keithk2 said:


> A great resource I found for using wood for heat is http://www.woodheat.org/ . They have a free down-loadable manual with some great guidelines and lots of details for sizing and installing your stove for max efficiency without blowers.
> 
> As for stoves with simple cook-tops, Lehmans (www.lehmans.com) has several non catalytic heating stoves with varying amounts of cooking capability.They cater to the Amish and other folks who live off grid. I'd use them to get some ideas and ID some manufacturers,then go directly to the site of the company and check them out. Lehmans varies from being competitive to being a little pricey so I'd look around but they have a fairly impressive selection
> 
> ...


Great idea - I know Lehman's but hadn't thought to look there to research a stove. Will do it in 2 minutes.



lorichristie said:


> When I saw your OP, I thought you might find my thread of interest. DH designed and built us a wood stove, that he began modifying. It currently heats all of our hot water, which is stored in the water heater, which is also used by our radiator (in our bedroom furthest from the wood stove), has a heatilator built in which is energy efficient (less than a light bulb to run), we can cook on the top, and we dry our clothes from the rack DH also designed/built. This all saves us a LOT of $$$! In addition to the uses/systems I mentioned, DH also added a passive solar system for summer use. We use a clothesline during warm dry days. Power outages, when using a water pump in-line with a closed loop system for heating water--- C R I T I C A L concern. Now, when the setup is done properly, there are enough pressure relief valves to make it safe regardless, however, DH came up with a solution so they won't be necessary. When our power shuts off, our 13KW starts up within seconds. Since that is only needed to maintain fridges/freezers/well pump for water, DH will fire up the 1KW Honda Generator when the power first goes out. He has wired a plug to just unplug the system from the grid and directly into that generator, which is more energy efficient by far than our large generator. The reason for the large one is for Len's Machinist/Welding Shop here; it can literally run everything if needed. On the hearth, we just used slate over concrete board (think that is what they called it, could be wrong):


VERY cool and VERY innovative. I am SO impressed. (Our whole house is currently heated by similar radiators too). You guys could maybe go into business installing similar setups. 



vallyfarm said:


> First, how well is your house insulated? I have a small stove and just over 1,000 sqft. In the middle of January I'll have windows opened if I don't pay attention to the stove. So saying you need so and so BTU's without knowing how the house is insulated won't be of much use. My parent's house is just slightly larger and the beedrooms would be cold if the rest of the house was up in flame. They put in new windows and just 1" of foam board when they got new siding, and the place stays toasty warm from just a woodstove in the cellar and the doors open with 1 box fan to move the air. Many of those stoves with a fan are just to move more air around the stove. Many are an option, at least when I bought mine. But most importaintly...make sure your new stove has NO catylic converter in it. They will only cause you heartache down the road. Many stove makers can get just as good efficency ratings with better air control in the firebox. Mike


Our house is well insulated. We have insulated exterior walls. Much of our first floor is surrounded by a wraparound enclosed porch, which acts as a windbreak. Our windows are new and top of the line efficient (we bought the very basic ones but due to the windows being supplied from New York State, we got the best ones for the basic prices due to that state's efficiency laws, well, long story). My husband has also insulated much of the cellar ceiling, and the attic floor is insulated. (Though that reminds me, I meant to ask him to put some 1 inch foam on the top side of the access board, but that's a relatively minor point). I think we're in pretty good shape. 

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Now off to Lehman's site...


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## Boris (Nov 18, 2010)

Eyes Wide Open said:


> 4) Obviously I want an efficient stove, but if I'm reading between the lines right, the really "efficient" ones seem to require electricity! Am I right? It doesn't really say, but it's implied by fans and such. The whole point of this stove is to give us more options and not be dependent on anything we can't provide ourselves. Or am I fooling myself and every stove out there has electricity now?


I hope these ideas will be useful:

Ecofan Airplus Heat-Powered Fan for Wood Stoves, Model# 802CA-KBX (4.2 raiting)
âHeat-powered fan generates its own electricity from your wood stoves heat, improving the efficiency of the stove by circulating the warm air it produces. Sends the air directly into the living area rather than having most of the heat rise immediately to the ceiling. Sits on top of stove; starts automatically when stove surface temperature reaches 150Â°F. Speed increases as the stove heats up and decreases as it cools down. Turns off automatically. Aluminum fan will never rust. Auto and Manual: Automatic, Works With: Wood stoves, Material Type: Aluminum with nickel blades, Mount Type: Set directly on the stove, Dimensions L x W x H (in.): 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 9 1/4, Includes: 1 Fan Heat-powered fan for wood stoves Generates electricity from stoves heat Circulates warm air into living area Starts automatically when stove surface temperature reaches 150Â°F Runs faster as the stove heats up Unique blade design delivers very broad, gentle air movement for increased comfort Operates silently Costs nothing to operateâ
From: http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200339127_200339127&issearch=173623 (4.2 raiting)

Magic Heatâ¢ Reclaimer for Wood, Oil or Coal Stove â 6 in., Model# MH-6-R (4.8 Raiting!)
From:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200331508_200331508&issearch=17278

Boris


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