Wood Stove Selection!

I met a guy on YouTube that is building a house and his only heat source will be wood. I informed him to come join the group, and get some help from the experts on stove selection. He was originally talking about a US Stove Company wood stove, and I told him to look at the Englander Nc30 because of all the reviews here. After seeing his home design, he was also thinking about a wood fired furnace. I advised him Englander makes one as well, but he has a lot of question that I can not answer as I am no expert in wood stoves. I hope he comes and joins so that he can discuss this with you all, but until then please take a look at his layout video.

 

Ok, I'm here..Took a bit to approve my registration. What I'm trying to figure out is...If I choose to go with an outdoor furnace, do I need like an inside central furnace or like an air handler or can I just connect a thermostat to the stove's fans?

 

I'm realizing that a wood stove say in the living room wouldn't heat very well... I'm sure it would keep the house above freezing, but it may be 100 degrees in the living room then 50 degrees in a back bedroom. I haven't decided one way or the other yet. As far as the amount of wood, I like cutting firewood and have 1200 acres to cut from so it makes no difference to me really. I appreciate any info I can get on either side!

 

I would love it if I can get away with an inside wood stove.. I just want to be sure it will heat all 1800 sq ft with all the walls blocking airflow and whatnot. The living room is in the center of the house, so I figured that would be the best place to put the stove, then there's 4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms a dining room a kitchen and an office all separated by walls. I really want to just have an indoor stove, but if wont keep all the rooms close to the same temp I have to rethink it.

 

I was going to put a ceiling fan in every room and I thought that would keep the heat even, but lots of people are telling me I just won't be able no matter what to keep all the rooms in the house within say 2-5 degrees of being the same temp.

 

I will add that the exterior walls will have R11 insulation, the floors and ceiling will have R13

 

Looks like those rooms in the back won't get any heat. The bathroom will be cold, as will the "pantry" or what ever that room is behind the stove room wall.
Wondering if he has plans for another heat source.

 

I am trying to decide what heat source will work. Some people say the inside stove would be fine, then others say no way...So I'm kinda confused at this point!! lol

 

Don't know where you are at down to misery but a good friend of mine lives on a ridge in the Ozarks and heats only with wood. Even though it really don't get that cold down there by my definition of the term. Keep in mind on an OWB when the power goes out so do the pump that circulates the heated water or anti freeze to the heat exchanger in yer house. Then all you are doing is heating up the tin can you have in your yard.

 

Hey BP, welcome to the forum. I know Dennis and a few others have chimed in on some of your thoughts
with regards to your new home and it's heating needs. I do have some questions and some comments.

I'm curious about your insulation, walls will be r-11 and the ceiling r-13. Most celings generally have r-38 and walls
r-13, especially now that the energy code has been rewritten. An r-13 ceiling will give you a cold second floor and make a stove or OWB work very hard and burn alot of wood.
I didn't really get a good view of the entire house in the video but I would think the way to go would be a wood stove. There are many that can handle 1800 sq ft and give you long burn times with little effort. A new, tight and well insulated home will make the stove more enjoyable and less work than a OWB. The difference being the OWB will need 2x-3x more wood than the woodstove.
When is your new home being built?
Have you make considerations in the floor plans and the framing for a woodstove?
Do you have access to trees and /or a firewood supplier?

 

Well, the deal with the insulation is if the walls are R13 usually that means 2x6 construction, I'm using 2x4 construction so R11 is the normal size that fits 2x4 walls....I don't think you understand what's happening...I am milling my own lumber, and building the house myself. So, it won't be necessarily a "new tight home" it will be framed with rough cut white oak 2x4's. There's no 2nd story just 1 level. We are building it on 1200 acres of family land so firewood is infinite basically. Plus. I have lots of tops and slabs left over from milling the lumber. I am basically building this house using techniques from about the 1940's and 50's.

 

I agree I REALLY want an inside stove, but some of the guys have scared me about it not heating evenly all throughout the house...I want every room to be within say 2 degrees of every other room.

 

Uh, actually, they now make R-15 that fits in 2x4 walls, and R-21 (maybe slightly more) for 2x6 walls if using fiberglass.
Very small difference in price too. Just remember to seal all the joints before insulating to greatly reduce air infiltration. Don't use 40's and 50's insulation methods.....they sucked.
MUCH better options today.

 

OWB are nicer for the fact that they will heat the house more evenly. You also do not need to schlep the wood inside the house dragging mud, bark, and bugs. You can also process the wood less - bigger pieces. You may also burn wetter wood, but that is one of the major reasons they are bigger polluters. You may not mind or if you are on 1200 acres no neighbors to complain. You will have a larger initial set-up cost running the plumbing and pumps and stove etc. The indoor will not heat as evenly. Others with experience say you will use less wood with an indoor stove than an OWB. The nice thing about an indoor is that it will take no electricity and you have a place to cook! Most parties and gatherings have people gathering in the kitchen. With an indoor stove you will have everyone hanging out at the stove. Both are good options. My buddy is heating his 2400 sq. ft house with his OWB. But, it took a lot of time to run the plumbing and pumps. (OWB can also heat your domestic hot water). He also installed a back-up generator to power the boiler when the power goes out.

Welcome!!!!!
get ahead on wood

 

Cost is the number 1 factor- the whole house is going to cost under $15,000...All lumber is basically free, siding is gonna be wood I mill, and interior will be oak planks I mill instead of drywall. Only cost to me is the concrete blocks, wiring, plumbing, doors/windows, wood stove, roof metal and that's about it. The cost of milling the lumber is nothing compared to the lumber yard. I just priced the insulation at my local lowes, and they didn't have those R values.

 

This is the problem...an earlier post says they heat their house with an inside stove and it's wonderfull and every room is warm, then others say no it won't heat evenly. CONFUSING! Does anyone have some kind of statistical data or something definitively saying one way or another or something?