Country Stoves C310 insert for small drafty house?

[Rich M]

Our house is a 1600 s/f, single story cinder block on concrete slab with very little wall insulation (pine paneling, cotton batting) built in 1949. It has 9' celings and a somewhat open floor plan. We're in northern Michigan where the winters are long and cold.

We're looking at a Country Stoves C310 wood burning insert w/blower for our primary heat source, it's rated for 1600-3000 s/f . Does this sound like overkill? Will we be opening the windows in January? Our local woodstove dealer (whom I trust) said "Better to have more heat available if you need it than not enough, you can always build smaller fires." Can we resonably expect to nearly eliminate our fuel oil furnace use with this insert? Previously I was burning 5-6 cord in the open fireplace to reduce our fuel oil bill by about 1/3rd. Will I also be using less wood through the heating season?

While I do trust my dealer, I'm interested in all of your real life expert opinions on this too. Thanks in advance!

 

[BrotherBart]

I haven't had experience with the stove but I just looked at it on their site and stove lust broke out here big time. I see that our local stove shop is a dealer and will be taking a trip down there this week.

How much is your dealer asking for the C310?

 

[Rich M]

About $3500 but that includes install, stainless reline, cap, extra large surround, blower & tax. I think it's just over 2k by itself.

 

[Todd]

Our house is a 1600 s/f, single story cinder block on concrete slab with very little wall insulation (pine paneling, cotton batting) built in 1949. It has 9' celings and a somewhat open floor plan. We're in northern Michigan where the winters are long and cold.

We're looking at a Country Stoves C310 wood burning insert w/blower for our primary heat source, it's rated for 1600-3000 s/f . Does this sound like overkill? Will we be opening the windows in January? Our local woodstove dealer (whom I trust) said "Better to have more heat available if you need it than not enough, you can always build smaller fires." Can we resonably expect to nearly eliminate our fuel oil furnace use with this insert? Previously I was burning 5-6 cord in the open fireplace to reduce our fuel oil bill by about 1/3rd. Will I also be using less wood through the heating season?

While I do trust my dealer, I'm interested in all of your real life expert opinions on this too. Thanks in advance!

I agree with your dealer. It will probably be fine since you have little insulation. To build small fires in large stoves has been debated before on here. Works for some and others have problems. I think as long as you have good draft with a properly sized chimney and dry wood you will be fine. If stove is centrally located in an fairly open floor plan I don't see why it couldn't be used as your primary heat source. Even if it's not, it will greatly reduce your fuel bill and your firewood consumption should drop 1/3.

 

[Rich M]

Thanks Todd, that's what I was hoping to hear. The C310 isn't really much bigger than the smaller C260 (2" deeper firebox, everything else is identical) but it protrudes 2-1/2" farther out onto the hearth, I think that's the big difference.

 

[Roospike]

That Country Stoves C310 free standing and the Pacific Energy Summit are the two stoves i ended up narrowing my whole stove search down to when i was looking for stoves. Very nice stoves indeed . The breaking point to go with the Summit over the Country stove was i was able to get the Summit with porcelain enamel , the secondary burn chamber design and the Summits ash pan system looked more user friendly "to me" . The Country Stoves look very well built .

 

[Rich M]

I wish I could go with a free standing stove but our space won't permit it. Those Pacific's look awesome.

 

[Roospike]

I wish I could go with a free standing stove but our space won't permit it. Those Pacific's look awesome.

The Pacific Energy Summit does have a insert stove . Summit is the larget model ----------> (broken link removed to http://www.pacificenergy.net/woodInserts.html#The%20Summit%20Insert)

 

[Rich M]

Yeah, I saw it and it looks nice too. But the Country Stoves dealer is about 4 miles from my rural location. I like the idea of spending my money within our small community.

 

[Roospike]

Yeah, I saw it and it looks nice too. But the Country Stoves dealer is about 4 miles from my rural location. I like the idea of spending my money within our small community.

Do all your research now like your doing before you buy your new stove and what ever choice you go with i'm sure you will be very happy with . You can also do a "search" here on this forum and come up with all kinds of information . I wouldnt worry too much about getting an "over sized" stove . Most stoves are over rated anyway . My stove is rated for 2000-3000 sf and is 97,000 btu and i have no problems with it being too big for my 18oo sf home .

 

[Rich M]

Great information, thanks roospike!