# LP gas stove for primary heat ?



## Mainely Saws (Mar 3, 2010)

Is there anyone out there who uses a gas wood stove for primary heat & if so how do you like it ? What stove are you using ? I'm heating 1000sq.ft. of well insulated space & have a decent wood stove that does the job but there are times that I will be away from the house in the winter & would like to have an LP stove on a thermostat to keep the house warm . It does get below zero at times in Maine .
                              Thanks for the help .


----------



## DAKSY (Mar 4, 2010)

I have a Jotul GF600 Firelight that heats 1/2 of a 26 x 26 garage &
a studio apartment upstairs above it. My daughter stays up there & she keeps it
at 62-65 with a SkyTech remote t-stat. The walls are 2x4 & only partially insulated.
I had an older Russo woodstove up there, but I couldn't count on her being there 
to stoke it on weekends, so I switched it out for the LP unit. 
It's DEFINITELY not the most efficient way to heat it & I may switch to a Harman P61
next winter, both for the extra OOMPH & the fact that with a hopper extension, 
I can keep the pipes from freezing for an extended period of time,
but it does the job.


----------



## Mainely Saws (Mar 4, 2010)

Daksy ,
   If no one was in the apartment with the gas heat for a couple of weeks , how would you heat it without the LP stove ?


----------



## DAKSY (Mar 4, 2010)

I wouldn't heat it. I'd drag out my compressor with my Schrader valve rig, 
blow the water from the lines, drain the hot water tank, antifreeze the traps & close it up. 
Pain in the tookus, but that's the way it is...
If nobody's up there, it stays cold...


----------



## Mainely Saws (Mar 4, 2010)

Daksy ,
   I live in an upstairs /downstairs duplex so I really don't have that option ( I live on the first floor ) & of course water pipes run up through the first floor walls & could freeze if left unheated for a while . That's why I was considering a gas stove to maintain the first floor heat above freezing should I win the lottery & want to head south for part of the winter . Sounds as though your Jotul GF600 would easliy heat the space I have & could be set on low for a long period of time . Any idea what the GF600 sells for ? 

                                               thanks ,
                                                  Bob


----------



## DAKSY (Mar 4, 2010)

I'm not at work today, so I can reference the Jotul price books, but I'm thinkin it's about $2300.
Too bad you didn't jump on this LAST week. Their mid-winter sale had a 20% off retail...
MINIMAL venting (2' up, 90 then out thru a thimble to the cap) is gonna be in the $500 range...


----------



## Mainely Saws (Mar 4, 2010)

Thanks for the info & maybe there will be another 20% off sale before next winter sets in. I was wondering about the minimum height requirments for the DV pipe . I'm assuming going up a little firther ( 7'6" ceiling height ) might help with the draft issue .


----------



## Long Burn (Mar 9, 2010)

DAKSY said:
			
		

> I have a Jotul GF600 Firelight that heats 1/2 of a 26 x 26 garage &
> a studio apartment upstairs above it. My daughter stays up there & she keeps it
> at 62-65 with a SkyTech remote t-stat. The walls are 2x4 & only partially insulated.
> I had an older Russo woodstove up there, but I couldn't count on her being there
> ...



DAKSY,
 If you don't mind, what kind of monthly propane bill do you have?

Long Burn


----------



## DAKSY (Mar 10, 2010)

If you don't mind, what kind of monthly propane bill do you have?

$174. That's for 3 LP units (2 @ 40K & 1 @ 30K BTU) & a hot water tank...


----------



## Long Burn (Mar 10, 2010)

DAKSY said:
			
		

> If you don't mind, what kind of monthly propane bill do you have?
> 
> $174. That's for 3 LP units (2 @ 40K & 1 @ 30K BTU) & a hot water tank...



 That doesn't sound too bad, considering the price of propane.

Long Burn


----------



## PastTense (Sep 19, 2010)

$2300 sounds awfully high just for backup heat. How about something like a Cozy gas heater?
http://www.cozyheaters.com/

You might check on eBay or Craigslist.

Or you could just use some electric space heaters.


----------



## Mainely Saws (Sep 21, 2010)

Hey PastTense ,
I've looked at the Cozy heaters but I'm spoiled by the look of a nice fire . This propane heater will be sort of a focal point in a kitchen /dining room area that opens into a living room . I use the woodstove most of the time but I can foresee having to leave the house in the middle of winter & need some sort of automatic heat to cover those times . I have a large Rinai heater that does a great job but it doesn't look that great & I want to use it in a rec room so I'll need to replace it which is why I've been looking at either a Jotul F600 or a Lopi Berkshire stove . They are pricey for sure including the piping & install which is why I've held off for a while . Thanks for the suggestion ..............

Bob


----------



## pyrotom (Oct 6, 2010)

I use a Jotul GF200 Lillehammer for primary heat in a 1400 sq. ft. house (which probably tells you how far south I am). I have no other heat.

I use a basic wireless thermostat remote control to monitor the temperature and set it where it needs it to be. The remote receiver sits about 12 feet away.

I might jump up the the Jotul GF 300 or a HearthStone this year, but other than the lack of quick response when I need to bring the temperature up quickly in the colder months, the GF 200 works great.


----------



## aviator (Jan 24, 2011)

Hi there,

I was wondering what type of wireless programmable thermostat did you get for your Jotul Lillehammer? We would like to do the same with ours...did you have to do anything to the fireplace in order for it to work?  

Thanks


----------



## pyrotom (Jan 25, 2011)

Technically, it is not a "programmable" thermostat, because it does not allow you to set daily schedules. It was an Ambient TLT, now discontinued. I like the really big numbers so I can see it in the middle of the night without my glasses.

In its place, I'd suggest the SkyTech 5301, which also has large numbers and an illuminated touchscreen.

By the way, I've recently changed over to the HearthStone Tucson DX, which includes the SIT electronic ignition "smart" remote system, which will adjust the flame and fan up and down to keep temperatures even. I have enjoyed both, but the fire in the HearthStone is nicer than the Jotul was.


----------



## kbaker13 (Feb 1, 2011)

How about installing a blower/fan kit to help circulate the heat from your fireplace better?  Used in combination with a ceiling fan, you'd be surprised at how much the simple addition of a blower kit will affect your gas fireplace's efficiency.  Depending on your setup, blower kits range in price from $60 to $200 and can usually be installed by yourself.


----------



## Midalake (Feb 2, 2011)

I heat about 800sqft year round in the UP of Michigan with a dovere gas unit. My yearly LP bill this year including gas stove and LP hot water under $1200. We live here year round though and like you get the same type of temps. We are insulated good but slab on grade [not insulated].....big mistake. We run the unit on a Milivolt programable thermostat....and.....knock on wood not one problem with this unit in 15 years. We too leave for extended periods and to have the millivolt system is the best peice of mind.

Dave





			
				Mainely Saws said:
			
		

> Is there anyone out there who uses a gas wood stove for primary heat & if so how do you like it ? What stove are you using ? I'm heating 1000sq.ft. of well insulated space & have a decent wood stove that does the job but there are times that I will be away from the house in the winter & would like to have an LP stove on a thermostat to keep the house warm . It does get below zero at times in Maine .
> Thanks for the help .


----------



## peedenmark7 (Mar 5, 2011)

Our secondary residence uses a lopi berkshire  LP soapstone.iron heater as the primary heat source while we are a way. [roughly a chopped up 2400 sq ft. with 22' vault on half][

We do have hydro-sil baseboard as a back up which [though many bash] are efficient and work VERY well.
 hey.... I know what i save compared to the old 80's baseboards..

Eventually we will install  our jotul firelight dv on the other side of the house to eliminate [ use as supplement only] the baseboards all together. 

When we are there,  we heat with wood ,  though I am having some issues with that as we speak.

I'd like to be off the grid , that is to say be able to burn wood 100% but not sure that's going to happen without rebuilding...[house added on to twice, lots of dead spots and a crawl space to contend with]


----------

