Theory topic - what style of house is best for a free standing wood stove?

[Rob_Red]

If you were to build a new house and design it specifically for wood heat, how would you design it? Are there any classic layouts that work really well?

I would think something multi level that’s not very wide with lot’s of moving air and the ability to close off compartments where heat isn’t needed.

Stove centralized in the house.

Maybe a smaller colonial with modern insulation?

 

[begreen]

Typically colonials don't have the most open floorplan. Look for plans that: are have a relatively open floorplan on the main floor. Rooms that are closed off by regular doorways will be cooler. Have reasonable height ceilings and window count. A central stairwell that heat can convect up, but not so easily that it makes the upstairs hotter than downstairs. Try to avoid loft layouts for these reasons. The stove does not have to be dead center in the house. Sometimes if it is a bit further away from the stairs it can help slow down convection up the stairwell.

 

[Poindexter]

If two level I would put in a stairwell at each end with the stove wherever on the gound floor. Hot air up one staircase, cold air down the other.

For single level, plan on one fan per hallway to push cold air along the floor back to the stove. It is the cheapest way I know of. You can mount more expensive less effective fans higher up to push hot air away from the stove, but in most homes/floorplans it is not needed.

 

[kennyp2339]

I'm glad you brought this up, as I'm always thinking of house designs that wood accommodate wood stove burning, I love homes that are in the 1,800 - 2,500 sqft range.
My favorite house is considered a 2 story bungalow heavy timber frame w/ sip cons for the outside walls. Here's the link from the builder / designer : http://www.bungalowinabox.com/movie_cascobay.html

 

[Rearscreen]

My favorite house is considered a 2 story bungalow heavy timber frame w/ sip cons for the outside walls.

Yeah, I built a 2000+ sf house, took 2 1/2 months to cut the frame. Loved every minute of it. Hearthstone and hydro radiant. If I were to do it again I'd build a saltbox and face the long roof south. Had to move out of my Timberframe so I began designing another one but it just made economic sense to buy a house rather than build. Sips (curtainwall) panels have their drawbacks. What you are doing is building a giant ant farm - perfect medium for them, plus every crunch is amplified by the panels. Terro syrup to the rescue, feed the queen.

 

[clancey]

That's something to think about--bugs--good point...clancey

 

[Bad LP]

Yeah, I built a 2000+ sf house, took 2 1/2 months to cut the frame. Loved every minute of it. Hearthstone and hydro radiant. If I were to do it again I'd build a saltbox and face the long roof south. Had to move out of my Timberframe so I began designing another one but it just made economic sense to buy a house rather than build. Sips (curtainwall) panels have their drawbacks. What you are doing is building a giant ant farm - perfect medium for them, plus every crunch is amplified by the panels. Terro syrup to the rescue, feed the queen.View attachment 283135View attachment 283136

I was taught the long roof on a salt box faces north. Why south in your idea?

 

[Rearscreen]

I was taught the long roof on a salt box faces north. Why south in your idea?

I guess you are correct, my brief thinking about it was for solar panels, but front facing south gives more light. In the past before thermal glass they used that direction for solar gain. I did hear a theory, which I have no idea if it is indeed true, that a saltbox design creates a natural indoor convection.

 

[Emiliclaire]

If you were to build a new house and design it specifically for wood heat, how would you design it? Are there any classic layouts that work really well?

I would think something multi level that’s not very wide with lot’s of moving air and the ability to close off compartments where heat isn’t needed.

Stove centralized in the house.

Maybe a smaller colonial with modern insulation?

I heat only with wood. If I were to build a new house: Make it out of cement or cinder block with cement floor and metal roof (as my current cabin is made.) My cabin is warmer than other people's made out of wood. Cement is a great heat sink. South facing home with most windows facing south. Single slope roof. House longer than it is wide with open floor plan.

 

[tabner]

I guess you are correct, my brief thinking about it was for solar panels, but front facing south gives more light. In the past before thermal glass they used that direction for solar gain. I did hear a theory, which I have no idea if it is indeed true, that a saltbox design creates a natural indoor convection.

I live in a 1600 sq foot salt box. The longer side of the roof (the 45 degree angle that goes all the way from the peak down to 8 foot above the ground, so the much bigger side of the roof), faces exactly Due South. It was built in 1987. My understanding was/is that this was done on purpose to increase solar gain in the winter. That whole roof just soaks up the sun, and my house is very efficient in winter. In the summer, we do bake. I cover the french doors on that side with thick curtains, and put some homemade shades in the sky lights.

I'm not an expect, so I'm not sure what the right answer is, but my understanding was that the big slope of a salt box could point due south to maximize solar gain. (and now in 2021 I have been told it is just about a perfect solar panel candidate)

 

[bholler]

I heat only with wood. If I were to build a new house: Make it out of cement or cinder block with cement floor and metal roof (as my current cabin is made.) My cabin is warmer than other people's made out of wood. Cement is a great heat sink. South facing home with most windows facing south. Single slope roof. House longer than it is wide with open floor plan.

Only if you insulate on the outside of that masonry. If you don't a very large portion of your heat will end up outside

 

[begreen]

Only if you insulate on the outside of that masonry. If you don't a very large portion of your heat will end up outside

Yes, thermal mass can be great, but only if it is not constantly wicking heat to the outdoors. It sounds like the large south-facing window bank in a sunny climate is what is keeping the house warm. That stores enough heat during the daytime to compensate for nighttime heat loss. It would not work in our climate nor others where there a multiple days without sunshine.

 

[DickRussell]

For any new house in a heating-dominated climate, I'd of course advocate making it in the superinsulated class. But for heating with a point source, such as a wood stove, it also makes sense. Making the shell very stingy with respect to heat loss results in the house being very isothermal, without the cold spots you'd find with "ordinary" construction. Also, with wood heat, needing a stove with overnight burn capability becomes almost unneeded, since the house will lose only a few degrees overnight after the stove burns out.

When the inside of our house (central NH) was being finished in the 2010-11 winter, we had only a small woodstove (Quadrafire 2100 Millenium), running half time, in the lower level for heat (mid-afternoon to perhaps midnight). I had two thermometers, one on each floor, and they stayed within a degree of each other. The last load of wood in the stove would burn out after midnight, yet the inside temperature dropped only a few degrees by morning. The crew was very happy.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

I dont think that there is one type of house. Its an open floor plan with the stove towards the center of the home.. Probably a better design would be like a ranch with the kitchen livingroom and dining room in the center of the house with the bedrooms on each end of the house. Wider hallways for air to move to the bedrooms.

 

[begreen]

I dont think that there is one type of house. Its an open floor plan with the stove towards the center of the home.. Probably a better design would be like a ranch with the kitchen livingroom and dining room in the center of the house with the bedrooms on each end of the house. Wider hallways for air to move to the bedrooms.

Ranches don't convect the heat well, the hallways and bedrooms at the end make for a dead end without some sort of assistance.

 

[Grizzerbear]

Well if it was just me and the wife I'd have a one room shack. The kitchen and living room would be the house with the bed off to the side in the living room and the only walls would be the enclosed bathroom. Don't think I could get the ole lady to go for a outhouse lol. Probably none of it for that matter. To me.....that would be pretty easy to heat and simple obviously. We have a layout much like woodsplitter suggested. The livingroom and kitchen is one open concept in the center with the master bed and bath on one end, two beds and a bath on the other end of the open area and laundry off the back of kitchen. It's pretty easy to heat as it is also.

 

[Woodsplitter67]

Ranches don't convect the heat well, the hallways and bedrooms at the end make for a dead end without some sort of assistance.

most people like the bedroom cooler... so its a good thing. most people like the living area at the Preferred temperature. Really... its not a bad idea at all.. and of course the house should be well insulated..

 

[EbS-P]

I don’t think I would design my house around the stove. They are space heaters which we try to make whole house heaters. Under 2000 sq ft I think it’s possible.

Insulate, air seal, insulate. If I lived somewhere really cold wood furnace in an insulated walkout basement. . Heatpump, south facing roof for solar. Small stove upstairs for me to stare into flames. Bedrooms on separate hvac zone. Designed to almost passive house standard.

 

[begreen]

most people like the bedroom cooler... so its a good thing. most people like the living area at the Preferred temperature. Really... its not a bad idea at all.. and of course the house should be well insulated..

For sleeping I agree, but it depends on the family. If there are teens in the house, they tend to like to hangout in their bedroom for homework, games, etc.

 

[stoveliker]

For sleeping I agree, but it depends on the family. If there are teens in the house, they tend to like to hangout in their bedroom for homework, games, etc.

But they want to do so with the door closed... Which is not very conducive to moving heat into the room

 

[bholler]

But they want to do so with the door closed... Which is not very conducive to moving heat into the room

Yes very true. In our house they choose closed door or heat. Lol