Yeah I often have to start from scratch if the wife is not home. I work shift and when I am on nights on the weekends she goes to her moms so its just me. Same thing on holidays, etc. I work 12hr shift, 1hr drive each way, plus about 15 minutes to turn over shift, so typically gone for over 14hrs. Neither one of my stoves has yet been able to restart from that, just cold powder left at the bottom. When I get the money to replace the big smoke dragon I hope to get a one that will be able to restart after 14hrs but that might be wishfull thinking.
Our house temp drops pretty darn quick, but since I fire it up and go right to bed it doesnt get as hot as it could by running it a bit more open and keeping an eye on it. I am to tired, I get it rip roaring, pack it pretty decent, and damper it down and go to bed. Need to have the place evaluated for insulation and the like. Without ripping down walls or a major renovation, I'm not sure if anything effective can be done. The worse part of the house is the huge great room that was done cheaply, 2x4's, and the ceiling is the roof so no attic. the next biggest problem is the wall between the old and new side of the house, very cold air gets in there, but I can't figure out from where.
That reminds me of our recent cold blast here - well maybe not cold for some of y'all but single digits for many days is rare for december here. Very windy too which is what hurts us - seems the cold air just comes down the walls from the attic or something. Main stove room around 80, great room with insert about 68, upstairs bedroom and MBR about 66, but MBR closet was 41! Yeah I was curious so I put a thermometer in there. You really could hang meet in our closet lol.
Our house temp drops pretty darn quick, but since I fire it up and go right to bed it doesnt get as hot as it could by running it a bit more open and keeping an eye on it. I am to tired, I get it rip roaring, pack it pretty decent, and damper it down and go to bed. Need to have the place evaluated for insulation and the like. Without ripping down walls or a major renovation, I'm not sure if anything effective can be done. The worse part of the house is the huge great room that was done cheaply, 2x4's, and the ceiling is the roof so no attic. the next biggest problem is the wall between the old and new side of the house, very cold air gets in there, but I can't figure out from where.
Stump_Branch said:No Joke, in the 25x30 some room two walls are shared to a bathroom...thats completely gutted. I can hang meat in there.
That reminds me of our recent cold blast here - well maybe not cold for some of y'all but single digits for many days is rare for december here. Very windy too which is what hurts us - seems the cold air just comes down the walls from the attic or something. Main stove room around 80, great room with insert about 68, upstairs bedroom and MBR about 66, but MBR closet was 41! Yeah I was curious so I put a thermometer in there. You really could hang meet in our closet lol.