# Something I wish someone would have told me as a woodstove noob



## Joey_C (Nov 9, 2017)

I got a Vermont Castings Intrepid.  It's cute, It fits into my fireplace opening and I can still top load it. 

here's something I didn't know as a complete woodstove noob-  That because of the size of my stove that overnight the stove is going to be extinguished and I'll have to start up from scratch.  A little bigger stove I'm thinking I'd still have a bed of coals the next morning to work with.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong and if so, someone please let me know, but if I had to do it over again, I'd get a slightly larger wood stove that I could load up and fit larger pieces of wood in.

Maybe this helps someone that is in the market for a new wood stove to make their decision.


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## defiant3 (Nov 9, 2017)

Yep, true a stove that size can only hold so much wood.  A 4-6 hour burn time is about it, really.  Bigger might be better, but stoves are sized according to the amount of space they're going to heat.  Too big can create problems as well.  Still it's worth looking into, maybe visit your local hearth retailer?  Get someone involved who can help avoid issues like this.  Nice stove though the Intrepid!


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## Rob711 (Nov 10, 2017)

I just installed same stove, I read lots here and knew it wouldn’t burn overnight. It’s still new to me if I fill it when it’s hot with good layer of coals before bed, say 11pm, I can usually catch it when I get up to use bathroom around 3. 
  It says on the inside of top lid/skillet not to load above fire brick. I can’t say that I adhere to that.


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## Joey_C (Jan 11, 2018)

Notes from a newbie.  I’m learning.  
In the morning the stove may not be going but after stirring the ashes and opening the damper there’s coals still going.  With a little paper, a starter cube and a couple of pieces of kindling she’s back going in no time.  

It’s not as tedious as I thought.  

Learning all the time.


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## defiant3 (Jan 11, 2018)

Yeah, no stove that size is going to burn more thtsn like 6 hours.  Live an d learn...


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## Joey_C (Sep 19, 2018)

Curious, based off the video, do you think I could put a larger stove in that space and would it be difficult to hook up to the back of the stainless vent tube that i had installed last year?


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## begreen (Sep 19, 2018)

Yes, it does look like there is the potential to install a larger stove. How well did the Intrepid do at heating the area? Do you need more heat or longer burntime or both? Are you considering a new stove or used one? What are the opening dimensions for the fireplace and what is the budget?

The hearth looks too shallow for a bigger fireplace. Maybe even too shallow for the Intrepid. Is there a hearth pad or extension at floor level?


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## Joey_C (Sep 19, 2018)

begreen said:


> Yes, it does look like there is the potential to install a larger stove. How well did the Intrepid do at heating the area? Do you need more heat or longer burntime or both? Are you considering a new stove or used one? What are the opening dimensions for the fireplace and what is the budget?
> 
> The hearth looks too shallow for a bigger fireplace. Maybe even too shallow for the Intrepid. Is there a hearth pad or extension at floor level?




Really just looking for more burntime.  It's a secondary area downstairs so having to refuel it so often is a bit of a pain also knowing that overnight it's pretty much going to need to be completely restarted.  it will warm up the room after a while just fine.  Considering a used one.  The budget would be around $500  The hearth is fine for the intrepid.  If I got a larger stove it would probably have to be front loaded instead of top loaded though.


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## begreen (Sep 19, 2018)

That's a low budget that could make it challenging to find a good stove for this location. A log stove like a Jotul F118 or Lange 6302A might work, but it would take up the full hearth. Not sure about the height working either. In newer stoves a Woodstock Fireview or a Hampton H300 might work. With a rear exit stove that fits it should be able to hook up the liner in the chimney.


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