Questions about wood fireplace (house, water, gas, home)
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I figure this forum is probably best for this type of questions. Thank you in advance.
I need to install 1 or maybe 2 wood fireplaces (if heat cannot distribute itself). Total house is 750 sqft, on a footprint that is about 20x40 (long rectangular shape). Living room and bedroom are at each end; bathroom and open kitchen in the middle.
I will be looking for the more entry options (around $1000-1200) which is already rated more than my sqft. Having researched this for 2 weeks, I have a few questions:
1. Google search result shows these brands: "Ashley", "Drolet", "US stove", “England Stove Works", "Century". Are these the most popular brands? Any others that you can recommend?
2. Can one person (myself) install this type of heater? I see the shipping weight is typically about 250-300 lbs. I imagine delivery people will drop the box on the curb side; I can move it even inside the house only if the unit come in pieces...
3. Why does this have to be so heavy? Does the weight relate to capping the temperature of the unit?
4. Some units have ”maximum burning hours" of say 5 hours. Is this something to be concerned about? I want to be able to sleep through the night. Why is there a max hours anyway?
5. What features should I be looking for? Or are they pretty much the same at a certain price point? For example, will some burn better than others? Will some emit some smoke while others don't?
I built fireplaces for a living as a kid working with my dad, and they are at best 45% efficient.
A wood stove however is 85-95% efficient.
The stove pipe for the wood stove is far safer and cheaper to install than a chimney.
Though it needs cleaning from time to time it is not that hard compared to a chimney.
A wood stove has far more control and one aspect I add is that the stove pipe does not go straight up but had a dogleg that slows the draft and helps the stove be more efficient.
Wood stoves can also entertain the idea of cooking on and having water heating as well.
My favorite is a shepherd's cook stove with an oven.
They're heavy because they're iron, steel and brick, materials that can tolerate the heat.
I'm most nervous about the idea of self-install of the stove pipe or chimney, they need to vent correctly to be safe, and the heat barriers behind and under the unit. Especially on a wood burning stove where it will get very hot.
They're heavy because they're iron, steel and brick, materials that can tolerate the heat.
I'm most nervous about the idea of self-install of the stove pipe or chimney, they need to vent correctly to be safe, and the heat barriers behind and under the unit. Especially on a wood burning stove where it will get very hot.
I am replacing a gas fireplace. So the brick pads are already there below and around. The two layer chimney is also there which I will re-use. I think it should be just finding the right size fireplace and sticking it in. The chimney may need some shortening; I have to study that part.
My first obstacle is the weight. I hope they come in pieces for me to assemble.
I built fireplaces for a living as a kid working with my dad, and they are at best 45% efficient.
A wood stove however is 85-95% efficient.
The stove pipe for the wood stove is far safer and cheaper to install than a chimney.
Though it needs cleaning from time to time it is not that hard compared to a chimney.
A wood stove has far more control and one aspect I add is that the stove pipe does not go straight up but had a dogleg that slows the draft and helps the stove be more efficient.
Wood stoves can also entertain the idea of cooking on and having water heating as well.
My favorite is a shepherd's cook stove with an oven.
Wood stove is nice but I kind of want that fire-window. It adds a lot to the aesthetics. Are there wood stoves that have a glass window to see the fire?
I am replacing a gas fireplace. So the brick pads are already there below and around. The two layer chimney is also there which I will re-use. I think it should be just finding the right size fireplace and sticking it in. The chimney may need some shortening; I have to study that part.
My first obstacle is the weight. I hope they come in pieces for me to assemble.
Make sure it is the same kind of chimney. That doesn't sound right to me. The amount of heat from our gas fireplace is nothing like that of a wood stove.
Wood stove is nice but I kind of want that fire-window. It adds a lot to the aesthetics. Are there wood stoves that have a glass window to see the fire?
When we burned wood we always had a Dutchwest stove. Either large or XL. It is all cast iron and provided a ton of heat for our 2,000 sq. ft home in WV. Side or front loading- it was great.
Haven't had one in 13 years so I don't know if Vermont Castings still makes it or what the current quality is.
If you are thinking of actually using wood for heat, you need an iron stove, not a fireplace. Fireplaces look pretty but are terrible heaters; inefficient.
For a small house of 750 SF, one stove ought to be sufficient.
They're heavy because they're made of heavy wall cast iron. Much of the heating effect comes from radiation from the hot iron, whcih is then heated by the burning wood. Once up to temperature, the haevy iron keeps radiating heat for a long time with only minor additional heat inputs from wood.
I would recommend professional installation. What is already there MIGHT or MIGHT NOT be appropriate for the particular stove you buy; and burning your house down is a lose-lose-proposition any way you cut it.
I've lived in New England where wood burning stoves are often used in a truly serious way for real heating (if your indicated address is correct you're in the SF Bay area where it never gets really cold, not Maine cold) and people take them seriously. I'd urge you to do likewise. Anyone who's done any significant amount of wood heating has some stories of near misses.
If you are thinking of actually using wood for heat, you need an iron stove, not a fireplace. Fireplaces look pretty but are terrible heaters; inefficient.
For a small house of 750 SF, one stove ought to be sufficient.
They're heavy because they're made of heavy wall cast iron. Much of the heating effect comes from radiation from the hot iron, whcih is then heated by the burning wood. Once up to temperature, the haevy iron keeps radiating heat for a long time with only minor additional heat inputs from wood.
I would recommend professional installation. What is already there MIGHT or MIGHT NOT be appropriate for the particular stove you buy; and burning your house down is a lose-lose-proposition any way you cut it.
I've lived in New England where wood burning stoves are often used in a truly serious way for real heating (if your indicated address is correct you're in the SF Bay area where it never gets really cold, not Maine cold) and people take them seriously. I'd urge you to do likewise. Anyone who's done any significant amount of wood heating has some stories of near misses.
No, I can't recommend manufacturers or models; that exercise is left for the student.
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