Wood Heat Thread ~ post pics

That's a smaller stove than I'd have expected. How big is your house, of out curiosity? I do like that nice big window, though.
Also, I see that your washer/dryer are on platforms; is that because your basement floods, or just to get them up to a more convenient height for loading/unloading?

 

Sweet

 

Yea it's a tiny guy, but it showed up at my house randomly and for $100 I think it was a damn good deal. My roommates dad was going to scrap it.

House is 1400sqft. Basement is the same. Definitely a very undersized stove for that amount of space, but it's still nice to have. Basement is very comfortable with it, no other heat source down here so it was always cold.

The washer and dryer are on stands to make it easier to load/unload. I'd never thought of it until my neighbor bought the ones that match the washer and dryer and he said its so much easier on his back.

I don't really do laundy but the gf likes the height of them.

Thanks!

 

Yeah, $100 is a great deal. Looks like it's in good shape, too. You may not be able to keep the upstairs warm with that stove, but at the very least it'll keep the upstairs from freezing if you lose power for a few days in the winter. And I bet that if you get the cellar nice and warm and then open the door to the upstairs you'd be surprised at how much of a difference that stove will make. At our old house I installed a pellet stove in the basement that was rated for 1000 square feet and it kept roughly 1800 square feet at 72 on setting #4 (out of 9).
Plus like you said, it'll keep the cellar warm when you're working down there (unless that workbench I saw in the background is just for show )

 

I'll have to wait for colder weather to make a more definitive decision, but last night the house was 2 degrees warmer than the thermostat is set at, so it seems like it does help, and that was only after like 6 hours of burning. If I keep it going all day or for a couple of days it should help even more.

And like you said, during a power outage it's better than freezing, and will keep the water pipes and stuff from freezing too.

The work bench seems to be mostly for making a mess... I need to do some serious organizing and learn to put everything away when I'm done with it haha. I wouldn't be able to use the work bench the way it is now, and the one in the garage and tool box top are in similar condition lol.

 

^^ Did you say you have a forced air system in your house ?

 

Yes. I've thought if the basement gets warm enough I may be able to use the blower on the furnace to blow the heat upstairs.

I also thought if the heat duct work gets warm enough that will help, but so far the duct work stays cold.

 

Recirc the basement air to the rest of the house , it will work

 

How though? Install a vent on the cold air return?

 

WTF. I wish the weather would pick a temp range and stick with it. My house is alternating between low 60's and upper 70's because it's below freezing overnight and in the 50's during the day. If I don't light the stove at night the house is 62 by the next morning, and if I do light the stove the house is 79 when I get home the next afternoon.



The downside of soapstone is how long it takes to heat up and cool down; when the temperatures are jumping up and down on the scale it seems like the stove is always 6 hours behind.

 

I just finished building my chimney and was wondering how long it needs to cure before I burn in it? I did a internet search with confusing feedback. I also filled the gap between the flue and the block with vermiculite anyone ever have done this? Thanks in advance.

 

Auto-Draft for Stove Draft Problems, Model# AD-1
Anyone have/use one of these to help with their chimney/stove pipe draft? mostly positive reviews for it. Thinking it would help with some of the smoke issues i have.

http://www.tjernlund.com/retail/auto-draft.htm
have them @ northern tool for $140

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_21928_21928?isSearch=18002-1526

 

What's your drafting issue ?

 

Chimney got hit by lightening couple years ago which blew out my 4x12 terracotta flue, it was relined/replaced with 6" pipe. with stove in basement results in a chimney around 30ft or so. for the most part works ok, but seem to get more smoke in house when opening woodstove door or when closing dampers, the fire will "puff" smoke out around doors and flue pipe junctions, (before the thimble).

 

A 30' chimney should have more than enough draft. From the sound of it it's more of a back draft. Chimney above the roof line?

 

yes. its a rather massive chimney, (also have fire place in living room, but its not used).

 

That maybe your issue is the fire place well sealed off? I have a small exhaust fan in my basement work shop the house is tight enough that when the wood stove is running it sometimes pulls smoke into the house with the fan. If the unused chimney is pulling a draft that maybe your answer. A 30’ chimney should have all the draft you would ever need and then some.

 

Yes , could be a negative pressure issue

 

fireplace is sealed, at the top and bottom. it took the brunt of the lightening strike. i can still use it if need be, but don't mess with it.

 

OK is the wood stove drafting on the big chimney? Or does it have a liner? My chimney is actually over drafted, for years I have used a barometric draft damper to automatically reduce the draft it saves me a lot of wood and reduces creosote so I’m trying to figure out why yours is not drafting well. It may just be the sheer size creating turbulence.