I had that open when I was putting a light in. That picture is a couple years old. So is what some stoves use as under storage not safe either? I probably will get a piece of cement board to put against the stove on the firewood side just for some extra shield. I have the stove cranking now, and the wood is barely warm. I would call that under storage a bit more unsafe than the side, that's where embers will fall when tending to it.
It could be when they designed that stove with under storage that it is double walled with an air gap to prevent too much heat.
It had to be tested like that...apparently it passed...some stoves have a high R requirement for even the hearth floor, some ember protection only. That stove obviously has a very high R floor to be able to stack wood in there like that...your stove was tested too...and the results were that it has spec of minimum 14.5" CTC (clearance to combustibles) to the stove sides...not 1.45" Highly likely...probably an insulation layer too. I still wouldn't put wood under there for the hot ember risk...even though it might be a low risk with the ash/ember lip sticking out well beyond the face of the rest of the stove/base.
I have the Discovery 1. Keep wood in the storage all the time and I have never had a problem. The top of the box is warm, but not hot to the touch. No probems at all.
The stack of wood beside the stove doesn't bother me in the least. I figure that's likely your "use it' pile and the residence time is short. It's embers falling out of the stove unseen. So yeah, those raised stoves that are nice for loading due to their height, if I had one, and I'd like to, I wouldn't keep wood under them like the manufacturers always depict. Is it a big risk ? Probably not. I think we've all had an ember or two on the floor at some point. I'm pretty sure I've always seen them when they happen. Pretty sure can cause problems. I'm not much of a gambler. But that's me. It must be nice having a big stash of wood inside. And I've had cover plates off for a little too long too.
Yes, the wood supply near the stove is a use it right away. Maybe a half dozen splits stay there for more than a week at a time. Otherwise, the rest is used in about 4 days. I am always careful of embers jumping out, as anyone should be. I will be getting a sheet of cement board to put between the stove and wood just for extra shielding.
woodsman416 Please tell of the story of the basket to the left of your wood box. What is it made of? Looks different in a nice sort of way
Erik, It's made of pieces of wood nailed together. It was our waste basket in the laundry room for the longest time. I think my wife picked it up at Pier 1 but she doesn't remember for sure.
We keep around a cord in the garage and pull from that. No more than a stove load full in the house. Bugs have never been an issue yet. Our wood is a minimum of 3 years old so pretty dry. I feel that helps with the bugs.
