Making the Right Stove decisions

Throwing a hypothetical out there…

If you could do it all over again, would you do things differently meaning changing hearth design, stove location, get an entirely different stove or maybe only change one of those above factors or would you stick with your exact same set-up, no regrets?

I’m asking because I’m moving soon to a bigger house and while I’ve been happy with my Jotul F500 Oslo I’ve been thinking of some things I’d have maybe done differently if I could do it all over again (which I’m about to do) and want to make sure I make the best decisions in the coming months when it comes to stove choice, and design and on and on.

 

Best thing we did when we bought this place a few years ago was to not put a stove in right away. Turns out the place we thought we wanted the stove is not where we finally decided to put it. It's now in the perfect spot, next to the stairwell, heats up most of the downstairs and sends heat upstairs as well. We put the stove in about a year after we moved in and ready for the next winter. I'm not saying you have to wait that long, but it might be good to get settled in the place before you make a decision.
Brad

 

While choosing the right stove is important, operator knowledge and experience are also very important in avoiding problems.

 

Build hearth 16 inches higher so it’s easier!!

 

Yeah that’s not a bad idea. My current hearth sits about 8 inches off the ground and sometimes I wish it was higher!

 

This!

 

I didn't know a whole lot about wood stoves when I bought my first one. It's was cheap, only about $850 or so with delivery. Last winter my youngest son was cleaning out the ashes after the fire had gone out and he stabbed the poker right into and through upper panels that are like styrofoam putting a huge hole in one of them and breaking the other into 2 pieces. Looked online and followed some information from a couple guys on here. I settled on Drolet Escape 2100. Way bigger than my first stove.

 

Love my setup, but if had to so over and or was moving into a new place and putting in a stove I'd consider putting a cat in vs. my Drolet to get longer burn times and cut down on wood consumption. I know there trade offs but just something I'd consider.

 

I, (strike that) we, love the Progress Hybrid. It heats the objects and walls rather than the air. Our upstairs is not blocked off/ open stairway and it stays cooler than the downstairs. Our stove is on an end wall of the house, the only thing I would change is try to position it in the center of the house if possible. By the way, if the living/dining room falls below 75* degrees during the day my wife thinks it's cold. If it's below 68* in the morning something isn't right and the stove needs looked at. LOL we are talking about a hundred and thirty year old brick farm house here... 1900 sq ft. Two story

 

I hear that. My wife doesn’t accept any temp under 75 in the winter now. And with the new house we’re going from 1600 square feet to 2800 I’m worried I won’t be able to cook her out quite like I used to. The Oslo was plenty of stove for my old house but the new one, not sure what I’m going to go with.

 

The one thing I would do different is raise the hearth. Backwoods Savage told me to raise it 1 foot when I built it. I didn't do it. I wish I would have followed his sage advice every time I empty the ash pan.

 

I built hearth before FHC… Dennis is still right
My wife chuckles at WWDD…

 

We're heading into our fourth winter with an F400. Only regret is not getting an F500, or a Progress Hybrid.

 

If you have a moderately sized home a smaller stove will never do.

 

First stove (in our first house) way back in 2009 was a 1.5cu ft insert. While it was infinitely better than the fireplace it was way too small.

Next stove in the next house was an NC-30 and I loved that stove. The bigger firebox was definitely better. Put out lots of heat. But now I can’t find it or the 32-NC.

Now I’m in yet another home waiting to install an Ashley 2500 (and the chimney through the roof and the hearth) that’s sitting in the garage. It was a good deal but I’m now considering an Ideal Steel.

 

We jacked oir stove up about 12". I used some nicer looking pavers, and a steel plate atop each. Sometime I'll do something different, maybe even add another layer. Its easier on the back with it even a foot taller.
Its not too much of a chore to raise and lower the f500, worst of it probably shortening the stove pipe with a cut-off wheel.
Sca

 

I think I’m going to go 12” off the ground. My current stove is about 7”. I think the extra 5” will feel pretty tall.

This is what I’ve been leaning towards. I don’t know, we’ll see…