I really like the look of soapstone that's what originally made me look at them. I understand what is being said about the stove heating up, but the trade off it throws heat longer which would be a benifit? All these stoves are exspensive and I need to make the right choice. At this point I have no idea what that is. Thank you guys for all your input.
Recommendations for a new stove
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It completely depends what you want in a stove and how your schedule is. If you don't burn regularly and you come home to a cold house in the evening, a soapstone stove may not be the best choice for you. It will take time to heat up the stove. Woodstock even recommends to take your time when firing up their stoves to avoid damaging them. That said, soapstone stoves give off a gentle radiant heat once warm and will still throw some heat in the morning. You need to judge from your current stove usage what you prefer: Quick heat from a cold stove or long, gentle heat from a soapstone stove that you keep running most of the time.
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
If you are truly looking to heat your home, get a stove that is at least as big as you think you'll need if not bigger. Easy to build a small fire in a big stove, usually doesn't work the other way around. For that size home, if you like their stove lineup, I would vote for the Mansfield. Their competitor in the soapstone market is woodstock, and the fireview or progress hybrid would be the ones for you.
You might consider the ideal steel, it is more like a steel stove, but with some elements of soapstone.
I think it goes back to what Grisu said, first decide if you want a metal or soapstone stove, then go from there. You also have to consider if you want a secondary burn or catalytic type stove.
My $0.02
You might consider the ideal steel, it is more like a steel stove, but with some elements of soapstone.
I think it goes back to what Grisu said, first decide if you want a metal or soapstone stove, then go from there. You also have to consider if you want a secondary burn or catalytic type stove.
My $0.02
Thank you guys for the input. After some quick measurements it doesn't seem the PH will fit. I plan to take a picture of my fireplace tomorrow and posting it with measurements. I think i
Sorry somehow I messed this post up. I think the measurements will narrow down my options. I will post tomorrow. Thanks again
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Not sure why that is turned. The mantel is 51 inches high. 66 1/2 wide. And the fireplace opening is 31 inches high and 43 wide
You have an iPhone. Turn it by 90 degrees before taking the picture.
Does the fireplace have a masonry flue? First, you will be better off with a frontloading stove. Second, a soapstone stove would be kind of a waste as the radiant heat will be blocked on most sides. Plus, the fireplace itself will act as a large thermal mass. Is it an interior fireplace?
The chimney is exterior. It is a masonry fireplace lined with a 6 inch flex liner not yet insulated
Husky
Feeling the Heat
Have you thought of a pellet stove instead. Before you crucify me for mentioning this let me tell you my story. I have been a wood burning man for over 20+ years. I grew up with a wood burning stove since as early as I can remember. I am now 47 years old and was in need of a new wood burning stove due to my current country flame BBF breaking down internally. This summer I went to my local wood stove dealer with all the intentions of replacing my wood burner with another great wood burning stove. On a whim I looked at the pellet stoves because I was always interested in how they worked and what kind of heat they could really put out. The test for me was if I could stand in front of it, while it was running, and it would heat my backside up to the point that I had to step away. I never imagined that a pellet stove would get hot enough to do this. The dealer fired up one of their bigger stoves and sure enough I could not stand in front of that baby for very long. This started making me think that maybe a pellet stove would do what I wanted. For the next 3 month I started researching about these stoves and was pleased with everything that I learned. For one thing you can run a pellet stoves at high output for as long as you want. With a wood stove you have your swings, banking it up real hot to it cooling off as it burns down. Those swings don't exist if you don't want with a pellet stove. Now if wood is free, with just your labor, than a wood stove is the way to go financially. As of the past 8 years I have been buying my wood since my grandmother passed and I don't have access to free wood. I have been buying and using about 12 face cord a year. The cost of buying pellets compared to wood is about a wash for me so the saving does not exist. I started thinking about the labor involved in using wood compared to pellets, and pellet win by a long shot. Wood I would have to handle 4 times before I actually put it in the stove to burn. I would have to store a years worth per season to make sure it was seasoned. As my son is getting older, and he will be out of the house in the next 5 years, and I am getting older do I really want to keep up with the amount of work wood creates. The answer, NO
So after looking things over and plenty of research I installed a Harman Accentra 52i and have been very pleased with is so far this year. I have not tuned on the gas furnace yet and hope not to use it until after thanksgiving. I am getting just as much heat from this stove as I did with my country flame. Also, what is nice, I have a programmable thermostat that I can set to ramp up the heat in the morning before we get up to have the kitchen and living room up to 70. With the wood stove I would have to go down stairs at 3 am., during a bathroom break, and load up the stove to have it warm when we wake up.
Just thought you might like my two cents. Thanks for listening and sorry if I rambled on. Good luck with what ever you decide.
So after looking things over and plenty of research I installed a Harman Accentra 52i and have been very pleased with is so far this year. I have not tuned on the gas furnace yet and hope not to use it until after thanksgiving. I am getting just as much heat from this stove as I did with my country flame. Also, what is nice, I have a programmable thermostat that I can set to ramp up the heat in the morning before we get up to have the kitchen and living room up to 70. With the wood stove I would have to go down stairs at 3 am., during a bathroom break, and load up the stove to have it warm when we wake up.Just thought you might like my two cents. Thanks for listening and sorry if I rambled on. Good luck with what ever you decide.
I always appreciate input. At this time I am looking for a woodstove. Firewood is free for me. I am however planning to buy a pellet stove for my basement. I'm planning to make it a finished basement in the next few months. After seeing my measurements what do you guys suggest.
Since you need a rear-vented stove your options are limited and have been mentioned already:
Quadrafire Isle Royale
Hearthstone Manchester
Woodstock Progress Hybrid would not work well with the side-loading door and the Jotul F600 has essentially the same problem plus it needs a higher lintel.
Woodstock Ideal Steel would work but may not fit your taste.
Jotul F55 is a frontloader but also requires a higher lintel. You could inquire about a short leg option to make it fit.
I expect you need to extend the hearth for any of those.
If you will consider an insert you would have a bunch of different choices.
Quadrafire Isle Royale
Hearthstone Manchester
Woodstock Progress Hybrid would not work well with the side-loading door and the Jotul F600 has essentially the same problem plus it needs a higher lintel.
Woodstock Ideal Steel would work but may not fit your taste.
Jotul F55 is a frontloader but also requires a higher lintel. You could inquire about a short leg option to make it fit.
I expect you need to extend the hearth for any of those.
If you will consider an insert you would have a bunch of different choices.
Can someone tell me what the clearence is from the top of the stove to the mantel on the IS. Also if I use my existing black hearth pad to get the 16 inch front clearence is that ok? Last the stone that is in front of the actual fire place is solid blue stone, I believe it was 2-2 1/2 inches think is that sufficient for the requirements
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
From page 5 in the Model 210 manual:
"An unprotected wood mantel needs to be a minimum of 30" from the top of the stove. If a mantel shield is installed that clearance can be reduced to 12 inches."
My solution (since I replaced an insert) is to sit the stove out far enough that it isn't under the mantel, then run double wall pipe under the mantel to the cleanout tee.
Second: Depends on the R value of your existing black hearth pad. You need R value of 0.41 for your entire hearth.
Last: What is beneath that stone? The big deal is if you have combustibles under it. If there are combustibles under that stone, then it depends on the R value of the stone (most are considered 0.080 per inch if unknown).
Let me know, I would be glad to help.
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smokedragon
Minister of Fire
Just an add on......the black hearth pad in front would be helpful for embers, but the real issue is that A LOT of heat comes out of the front glass on this stove. I think looking at your picture again it would really cause problems if you got that stove up in the 650 degree range and didn't have proper protection/clearances in the front.
Here is the link to the manual currently posted on the Isle Royale website: (broken link removed to http://hearthnhome.com/downloads/installManuals/250_5763.pdf)
Mantel clearance is 36" or 14" with heat shield. The hearth requirement is steep: 0.45 k-value, I think that's about a r-value of 2 or 1" of Micore. See also here:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/k_values_what_does_it_all_mean
I doubt your current stoveboard has that.
If your house is as well insulated as you say, you can take a look at the Quadrafire Explorer 2.
(broken link removed to http://hearthnhome.com/downloads/installManuals/7061_197.pdf)
Its mantel and hearth requirements seem to be lower and with a 2.4 cu ft firebox you may be ok most of the time.
Mantel clearance is 36" or 14" with heat shield. The hearth requirement is steep: 0.45 k-value, I think that's about a r-value of 2 or 1" of Micore. See also here:
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/k_values_what_does_it_all_mean
I doubt your current stoveboard has that.
If your house is as well insulated as you say, you can take a look at the Quadrafire Explorer 2.
(broken link removed to http://hearthnhome.com/downloads/installManuals/7061_197.pdf)
Its mantel and hearth requirements seem to be lower and with a 2.4 cu ft firebox you may be ok most of the time.
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The stone sits on a poured concrete pad. Are there hearth pads available that I could buy to meet the requirements if I had to lay part of it on the hardwood. I was thinking I could leave it there for the burning season and remove it for the off season instead of extending the hearth. Thanks a lot guys for all of your input, a lot of this is new to me.
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
In that case the stone would be good.
Most likely you would be best to build your own.
http://store.woodstove.com/search.php?mode=search&page=1
Woodstock sells hearth pads pre-made, but they are high.
You really want a continuous protection layer with the correct R value.
Now there are some stoves that only require ember protection. You may want to do some searches on those. They tend to be built with lots of shielding in place. I think they don't generally heat well, but that is my opinion.
Some of the best heaters require ember protection only. Lopi stoves for example, a lot of Quads, PE stoves, etc..
A typical type 2 pad has a r-value of 1.5. You may need a custom one to get the required k-value of the Isle Royale. This place here should not be too far from you: http://ajhearthoriginals.com/about/ (FYI only; I have no experience with them.) If you look around there are probably more. Or you can try building your own: (broken link removed)
Make sure your building inspector is ok with a removable hearth pad. Some may require a fixed installation.
Yeah gotta hate those stoves with ember protection listed as their only hearth requirement since they don't heat very well ... in Maine ... all winter long .... as the main heat source ... for an 1800 square foot home.
I started looking at the jotuls. Anyone have info on the 50TL that looks like a nice stove. Correct me if I'm wrong but my current hearth pad should work. I think I would have to install a mantel shield which isn't the end of the world. Any thoughts on this? Thanks again
From the F50/Rangeley's manual (page 9):
"The Jøtul F 50 TL may be installed into a masonry fireplace with a minimum opening height of 30 1/2” (77.5 c m). NOTE: There is no short leg option. DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE THE LEGS."
Was your opening not lower than that?
With the bottom heat-shield only ember protection is required for a hearth. Thus, your stoveboard or any non-combustible material covering the floor will be sufficient.
"The Jøtul F 50 TL may be installed into a masonry fireplace with a minimum opening height of 30 1/2” (77.5 c m). NOTE: There is no short leg option. DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE THE LEGS."
Was your opening not lower than that?
With the bottom heat-shield only ember protection is required for a hearth. Thus, your stoveboard or any non-combustible material covering the floor will be sufficient.
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