First fire in EPA rated Hearthstone Green Mountain 60

I don't know if I've ever heard of over night burns with a small stove.So many say they think they should have gone with a larger stove.It's very expensive to make the wrong decision.

 

This is super helpful, thanks. I have been using my largest logs for the overnight thinking they would burn longest thinking more surface area on more smaller logs would just burn up the load faster. Going to try stuffing more full with smaller logs tonight and see.

 

Yeah, a larger stove would have made it easier, no doubt, but even this one on low gets it up close to 80 in here on a full load of logs so a bigger stove make have cooked me out even on low. Space is 1000 sq ft but I am only actually heating about 750 or so as the rest is cold storage.

 

My woodpile is exclusively red and white oak, so doing as good as I can there. To leverage a true scientific method, I plan to only change one variable at a time. First, I will try and load it up as late as possible with the same large oak splits, coals in front with largest split in rear, and see how she fares. Part of this is being ok with an "ugly fire" that is just toking along dark but hot.

If I still don't make it until morning in the 60's for room temp, I will try loading more full with smaller splits and see if there is any difference. Thankfully, if you can say that, the low is zero every night for the next few so at least outside time will be consistent...

Appreciate all the insights! Confident I will figure out a good approach.

 

Buy from Woodstock Soapstone and this is off the front page of their website.

"Enjoy the radiant, efficient and gentle heat of a Woodstock Soapstone stove in your home for up to six months. If you are not entirely delighted, we will buy the stove back at the price you paid. We even cover the cost of the return shipping!"

I have seen them be flexible with the 6 months if you're replacing with another of their product line.

 

How insulated is your space ? I lit a Hearthstone 1 once in Maine on a Friday night -3 and the new log cabin retained that heat until Sunday morning on one load on a bed of coals.That place was well insulated and retained the heat.

 

This is a good point...the walls here are only 2x4 and attic DOES need some more insulation after disruption from remodel. I plan to rent an insulation blower and refresh the attic space at least.

 

I would do that insulation as soon as possible.

 

Forgive my ignorance- I just want to orient something in my mind.
The building you’re heating with the wood stove: is this living space or is this some kind of office?

 

If you can afford it foam is the best.

 

Office in detached ancillary structure. Formerly an insulated and heated (overhead propane) garage.

 

Yes but since there is already a decent layer of blown in up there already, I think it best to just fill in and add to it.

 

Far be it from me to tell someone else what to do, but if you’ve got a small stove heating a secondary building and holding temps in the 50s overnight- sounds pretty good to me.
Unless there’s running water in there I’m not certain I’d be backing off the heat at night and just get it going in the morning.
To each their own of course, but I’ve come down some mornings and the inside temps were in the 50s.

 

Yup, blown in is cheap and easy, and insulation pays you back 24/7/365, forevermore!

 

Agreed. It’s not horrible, but I’m out there working by 7, out there until 5 or so, then again with wife after kids are asleep in our 900 sq ft home as the detached space is also our “living room”. Basically, other than sleeping, I’m in the space every waking hour of the day. Makes checking in on the stove throughout the day no problem!

 

Do it. When I moved into my 1978 house, there was very little insulation in the attic. Before I added more blown in insulation, I sealed all the air leaks I could find. (air leaks are easy to find since there will be dirty insulation in those spots) I blew in about 18" the entire floor of the attic and it make a huge difference in how well the house holds the heat now. All it cost me was the 10 bags of insulation which came with the free blower rental and a pizza to feed the person sitting in my garage feeding the new bags into the blower. Very messy but fun project.

 

thanks!

 

Well, an overnight burn is 100% possible with this little catalytic stove!!! Packed it to the gills at 10pm last night and it was 67 room temp at 7am! Only downside is she may have gotten a little hot last night.... I checked the wifi thermometer at 2am when I woke up and it read 82 degree room temp. That's cooking!! Might start the fire a little earlier tonight and close the air damper as far as it goes and see if it stays a bit cooler but burns longer.