Wood stove seems like a great idea... does it?

[squeakytherat]

Living room is apprx 17x18 ft. Fireplace surround is apprx 5ft across by 15 inches deep.. Fireplace is 2.5 ft across, arched, and 2 ft tall at the apex

 

[squeakytherat]

 

[begreen]

Dry wood is going to be very important in a modern stove. Without dry wood this will be a frustrating experience. Do you have access to good wood?

If yes, I would suggest burning in the fireplace for a month to see whether you enjoy wood burning or not. Have the chimney checked and cleaned before starting.

If you enjoy wood burning, then this would be a good time to stock up on next years wood. I would have at least 2-3 cords stacked, covered (top only) and drying.

 

[squeakytherat]

Yes. My neighbor has a ton, both from this year and seasoned (actually some of it is from an ENORMOUS oak tree we had removed from right outside our house a few years back!), I'm certain he would loan me some. Thank you so much for your helpful advice

 

[esox]

I'm heating my 1400 sq ft ranch home from the basement so actually I'm heating close to 3000 sq ft. Its a big stove, PE summit and would be too big located on the first floor. I have a fireplace in the living room such as yours and would love to set a small stove on the hearth, probably a small jotul considering the rear exit exhaust , install a liner and use a whole lot less wood. However my wife would be constantly complaining that its too hot and dry so I basically scrapped that idea. I'm burning about 3 cords during the cold months right now and the basement is 72 and the upstairs I can keep around 65 with a small fan at the bottom of the stairway without a problem until it gets below 20 degrees. Then my boiler will kick in once in awhile to maintain the temp. I'm still saving about $1000 a year at this rate.

I have land and am getting the wood for free so if I had to buy it that would cut my savings in half. Have to consider that. Is it worth it at that point? The guys on here told me I'm loosing about 25% of my heat due to uninsulated walls down there and I believe that. I prefer not to get into all that at my age so it is what it is. While making your decision I would take into consideration how warm do you want it in the living area, and how much are you willing to spend. I agree having the stove upstairs is more effective and in the long run you will recover the cost pretty quickly. I wouldn't rule out heating from the basement though. Its effective and will allow you longer burn times with a good stove. Some of the burn times the people are listing on here with cat stoves are really impressive.

Your schedule for being able to tend the fire is really a big deal. I can go a good 12 hours if I have to without having to restart but that's not actual good heating time. 8 hours is more like it for real heat and that's pushing it. I like my summit but with my schedule I now think I should have bought a cat stove as it would have been better for the way I'm operating. Just my opinion and offering advice for heating from down below. If your heating upstairs with an insert just keep in mind how warm do you want it and how long do you need it to burn. There are a lot of nice inserts and hearth stoves available if you decide on that. Wish I could but it aint happening. I would also suggest you spend as much for your choice as you can. I'm by no means an expert but I've been playing with wood heat for a long time and like most things you get what you pay for. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[begreen]

Stoves either vent straight up (top vent) or horizontally directly out the back (rear vent).The cheap stoves at the local big box stores are typically top vent. I am not sure you are going to find a rear vent stove that will provide good heat for under $1500, but that would be the easier installation. Another alternative would be an insert. We need the actual inside dimensions of the firebox in the fireplace to see what insert would fit in there. That would be the most trim installation. We will need the inside width at the hearth level, the inside height, depth top and bottom. While the TV is out of the way for this, take a picture of the fireplace with the doors open.

 

[WiscWoody]

Do you live close to a Menards store up there in Wisconsin? They have a 11% off rebate going right now.

Some good deals with the 11% rebate.

http://www.menards.com/main/heating-cooling/stoves-add-on-furnaces/wood-stoves/c-6884.htm

I live 75 miles from a Menards store and I make the trip to town once a month for supplies but up here I have to travel for everything. My stove is nearly the same thing as the Escape 1800 in their ad. 2.3 CF box, and it's a non cat.
My whole install was done by me with 9 feet of double wall stove pipe and 13 feet of class A Selkirk chimney on a no frills budget being out of work at he time for $1300. I wouldn't mind a nicer looking stove but this Drolet does heat well and I wanted to heat with wood to save money so I was budget minded.

One more thing about my stove being on the main level that I like is Being able to see the fire. And once again I'll say I feel better keeping an eye on what's going on in the fire box. And heck It seems to calm the nerves watching the flames at times. Fire has a hypnotic effect they say.

I don't have long burn times with the Poplar but I am getting to some Maple and Elm in my stacks now so that should lengthen the time some. I get up so many times at night to pee anyways so I feed the fire until I finally settle down and then the propane furnace takes over for awhile when it's real cold and the coals cool down in the stove for ash removal by the time I finally roll out of bed.

Speaking of Menards and the rebate, I bought their Forest King 22 ton splitter with a rebate sale and it came to $700 plus tax. Again, I'm real happy with it so far and I could have spent much more for a similar splitter especially if I bought one at that big web site that sells them. They want twice as much for a 22 ton but I think it had a better name brand motor on it.
Mine has a 6.5 HP Chinese Honda knock off.

 

[WiscWoody]

Upside down or not, I expect you're going to get a lot of compliments on your TV, and a lot of requests to move it because it completely blocks the view and info needed to give you sensible advice.

Hey Bluedogz, how's this for a TV stove combo? I had to have it for the Packers games ya know! Lol

 

[WiscWoody]

Stoves either vent straight up (top vent) or horizontally directly out the back (rear vent).The cheap stoves at the local big box stores are typically top vent. I am not sure you are going to find a rear vent stove that will provide good heat for under $1500, but that would be the easier installation. Another alternative would be an insert. We need the actual inside dimensions of the firebox in the fireplace to see what insert would fit in there. That would be the most trim installation. We will need the inside width at the hearth level, the inside height, depth top and bottom. While the TV is out of the way for this, take a picture of the fireplace with the doors open.

Like you said earlier begreen, I'd think that he would need to bore into the chimney and put a thimble above the two foot arch. A rotary hammer would make a hole for it. That is if he installs it. Update- I mean if she puts it in... As noticed on Squeaks. profile

 

[begreen]

A rear vent on a hearth pad looks like the flue would clear the arch. If so I was thinking a Jotul Castine, Hearthstone Shelburne or similar stove. Otherwise, yes for a top vent you are correct.

PS: Methinks squeaky is a lady. Is that correct?

 

[squeakytherat]

squeaky doesn't really fit the description of 'lady', but, yes, it is female
Hermancm, I just love your little arrangement. I have a spot (you can see it, barely, on the pic on page 1 of this thread, of my upside down living room - underneath the picture of my much-loved, deceased dog), between the gated fireplace and the garage door, where I could fit a pretty little stove like that (I think). It would of course require the addition of it's own chimney. BUT! would allow me to keep the tv where it is. Our living room is pretty tiny and space is somewhat limited (I mean, I could shed a couple of book cases, but... that might kill me... )

 

[ClanCameron]

Hey! Thanks for all the replies! Maybe modifying the existing fireplace is the way to go, or putting a stove in its spot (I'll see if I can add a pic of the fire place from my tablet in a bit).
There is a Menards quite nearby. I'll take a trip there this week.. maybe not tomorrow.... it's going to be ridiculously cold. There are also a couple of stove-type businesses in town (I'm quite close to Green Bay). I'll stop in there and see what ideas they might suggest. Thanks again!
(hermancm: your little stove is bea

I also live in NW Wisconsin.A couple of acres won't supply you with a sustainable amount of wood but up here wood is plentiful and I get all of mine from lot owners within a few blocks from my home and maybe you can ask aaround and find scrounge wood too. I put my Drolet wood stove in 3 years ago and its the best thing I've done to the house. I thought about putting it downstairs at first but to monitor the fire and enjoy the heat better not to mention the savings from not having to install the additional class A duct vents out the chase was the way to go after some thought. I bought my stove on clearance at Menards in Rice Lake for $599. Its not a popular brand here but It works great and can heat my 1700 sq ft of upper levels and radiate it to the basement as well on even the coldest of nights but tomorrow night will be the real test at -35 to -static.Chow View attachment 122894

I also live in NW Wisconsin.A couple of acres won't supply you with a sustainable amount of wood but up here wood is plentiful and I get all of mine from lot owners within a few blocks from my home and maybe you can ask aaround and find scrounge wood too. I put my Drolet wood stove in 3 years ago and its the best thing I've done to the house. I thought about putting it downstairs at first but to monitor the fire and enjoy the heat better not to mention the savings from not having to install the additional class A duct vents out the chase was the way to go after some thought. I bought my stove on clearance at Menards in Rice Lake for $599. Its not a popular brand here but It works great and can heat my 1700 sq ft of upper levels and radiate it to the basement as well on even the coldest of nights but tomorrow night will be the real test at -35 to -static.Chow View attachment 122894

Your TV's not big enough.......and makes your stove look like it's sized for an ice shack. Hey, whatcha doing with the propane torch slung over the chair?

 

[WiscWoody]

squeaky doesn't really fit the description of 'lady', but, yes, it is female
Hermancm, I just love your little arrangement. I have a spot (you can see it, barely, on the pic on page 1 of this thread, of my upside down living room - underneath the picture of my much-loved, deceased dog), between the gated fireplace and the garage door, where I could fit a pretty little stove like that (I think). It would of course require the addition of it's own chimney. BUT! would allow me to keep the tv where it is. Our living room is pretty tiny and space is somewhat limited (I mean, I could shed a couple of book cases, but... that might kill me... )

You fooled us on your gender for a bit and I think it was your willingness to think about tackling a project like this, well rock on neighbor! Get er done and you'll be burning wood next season and reaping the rewards!

I opened the image in a new tab and it rotated upright.. lol And your internet is out yet? I'd be jonesing after a day of no internet since I dont have a backup to go online except the library in town...I get my VoiP telephone and TV is from Netflix and Amazon so I'm depend on a good fast connection. When I built the house I wired cat5e throughout it and use a switch downstairs to bring the network together.Off topic.I know but WTH. ha?

I see where your saying you might put a stove. Maybe you can go straight up and out the roof then? Id think that would work for ya.

And how about this cold snap huh? When I took the dogs out this morning I opened the front door and the inside house air vaporized as it hit the outside air, and my neighbor was on the lake drilling his fishing holes. the nut!

 

[WiscWoody]

That propane stick starts the fires with some kindling like birch bark or what have you real fast. I used to use it for outdoor fires but now the fires inside so its inside too.

 

[squeakytherat]

My wired internet is ok. The wireless was acting a bit weird yesterday (seems ok now). I had to pull some crazy techie move to transfer the the pics from tablet to pc, instead of posting direct from tablet, that's why they were all off kilter.
Not much liking this cold snap! I'm originally from the UK, and in my 11 years of WI residency I've not known a temps this cold. Kids are off school, dog is taking the whole thing very personally, and all I can do is think about how nice woodburning stove would be...

 

[squeakytherat]

Here's the spot. Ignore mess and depressed dog.

 

[robbydanilow]

Ah that's barely a mess and it comes with kids. I have 2 under 5 and they have done well with the stove we installed. We just introduced them to it when it was warm explained it is HOT and they've kept their distance. Ours is elevated and set back 6 inches on an oversize hearth.

 

[Huntindog1]

17 by 18 feet doesnt seem like a small space.