material on top of stove to maintain temp?

[curdy]

Anyone out there place stone or brick on top of their stove to maintain heat? Taking an idea from the HearthStone and WoodStock stoves with their soapstone exteriors, I'm wondering if I can put something on top of mine to help maintain a little more consistent heat between the peaks of my fires.

I burn 24/7 so I'm not worried about it robbing heat from the stove (taking longer to heat up at first). Goal would be to help maintain a more consistent heat, and help keep the steel from expanding and contrasting too much if the time between loads goes a little longer than expected.

I use an insert, so scraps would be OK because it'll be behind the surround (doesn't have to look pretty).

I'll be fabricating a plate and insulating around the liner this weekend, so that will help as well.

I have some left over concrete paver bricks as well as some common red clay bricks that I could use if you guys think that will work and wouldn't damage either the stove of the pavers (want to keep those in good shape, they were kind pricey)

Does this make sense at all? Anyone do this already?

 

[Festus Haggen]

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/lee108.html

While I wouldn't use a drum stove in my house, the general principle is there and sound. How are you putting stone/brick behind an insert? You mention a liner and insulating, is it in a fireplace? Just not getting a clear picture of your setup.

 

[curdy]

Be very careful with that idea.

Some materials may crack or shatter sending hot material to flammable areas near your stove and they could easily be hot enough to start a fire.

I don't plan to use anything that would shatter. Even so, its all behind the metal surround, so all combustables are blocked off.

 

[Wood Scrounge]

My father had a slab of soapstone cut that he put on top of the stove for decades. It was ~2" thick and cut to the same size as the top of the stove. Not sure if it helped or not

 

[curdy]

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/lee108.html

While I wouldn't use a drum stove in my house, the general principle is there and sound. How are you putting stone/brick behind an insert? You mention a liner and insulating, is it in a fireplace? Just not getting a clear picture of your setup.

Interesting article, I'll have to read it later. I'll post some pictures later...but I'll try to explain it again...

insert is in the fireplace

I'll be blocking off the rest of the chimney around the liner with a plate and insulation so it'll be more efficient regardless if I put something extra on top of the stove itself or not. (where the damper used to be)

Question is regarding material on top not sides.

 

[curdy]

My father had a slab of soapstone cut that he put on top of the stove for decades. It was ~2" thick and cut to the same size as the top of the stove. Not sure if it helped or not

That's what I had in mind except I'm not too sure where to get a slab like that...plus, I have to imagine it would be a little expensive these days. Soapstone is nice looking stuff too, would rather pay less for ugly instead of pay for pretty since it'll be behind the surround.

But if you know where your dad got it, by all means, let me know. I think I'll call Bucks County SoapStone and see if they'd be willing to part with some scraps for the right price.

 

[curdy]

Just called Bucks County and it actually sounds pretty reasonable. I'll get some more exact figures after I take some measurements and send them over there.

Think this will help accomplish what I'm trying to do, or am I better off just placing some layers of hi temp insulation on top instead?

 

[curdy]

What is it you are trying to achieve with this?

"help maintain a little more consistent heat between the peaks of my fires."

When I say between fires, I'm reloading when there's still a good coal bed and its hot in the stove.

First, you must use soapstone or firebrick. Pavers are different.

Firebrick is a good idea too, thanks.

If you are trying to get your internal temp up to 1100 for a secondary burn, you need to be damn sure your stove can handle that.

Well, its been up there so far and nothing bad has happened!

If you are trying to make a heatsink for when the fire is out, that might be fine, however, when starting fires and getting a good burn, if your stove is not made for this, your burn is going to be worse and take longer to set the heat for a good burn as well as taking much longer to release heat into the room.

The heatsink, after the fire is started and depending on your setup can also impair release of heat into the room and send it up the stack which could actually make your performance worse!

You lost me a little bit here, but I think I understand what you're saying. I don't let the fire go out before loading it again, so I probably wouldn't worry about taking long having to re-heat any firebrick or soapstone.

I was kinda going off this:

Figuring that since the soapstone maintains the heat longer, it may help to keep the heat output more consistent. (If by heatsink you mean using the soapston or bricks to be a secondary heat source with a fan...no, that's not what I'm trying to do)

I think the first order of business is to install the insulation plate and see how I like the performance then. From there, decide if I need to take additional measures.

 

[habanero]

...If you are trying to get your internal temp up to 1100 for a secondary burn, you need to be damn sure your stove can handle that...

I was kind of thinking the same thing. If the steel on top of the stove is designed to be cooled by the ambient air, it may not be designed to handle the kind of temps it could reach by being constantly insulated.

 

[Mike Van]

habanero's got a good point - I've seen some stoves with a 1/4" thick steel top turn cherry red from a hot fire - That was with free air over them. Covered up, who knows how hot it can get? Underwriters Laboratory maybe?

 

[ric5141]

Curdy, just curious if you went ahead with this idea. I am new to the whole fireplace insert thing and was wondering the same thing. It also seems like there is a lot of space behind the surround/shroud that may be getting heated. Love to start getting some of that heat out on a cold day.

One thought is modifying the Top piece to allow air flow from around the insert. Of course I would want to have a means to close it down to prevent cold from coming in when the insert was off.

 

[curdy]

Nope, never did. I worked on enclosing the old damper area with the metal and insulation...but I was rushed and it didn't go well. I just said to heck with it and left it as is. Had too many other projects to worry about.

Funny this is coming back up though...because we're in rough planning stages right now for building a new home and I am looking into building a masonry heater. So the whole heat retention idea has still been on my mind

 

[Drago 100]

Hello, if it can help you, I few years ago, I put in the oven refractory cement (60 kg) employs over 'time to warm up, but then it keeps you warm for hours

 

[KodiakKen]

I have no proof nor genius ideas

but I actually recommeded this technique to a firewood customer that wanted better burn times. he has a steel freestanding stove..older than dirt..cobbled together blackpipe..no gaskets in anything and one of the dampers is missing totally from the door. I told him to seek professional advice..that stove is not going to do it..no way to control the burn..replace the flippin pipe before you burn your house down. maybe add some gaskets, make your stove look like it should, all parts are needed..and if he wasn't willing to do any of that..I told him to get some big river rocks and line the top..that would hold more heat longer. just an example..look at the chart between steel and cast..it is a thicker material..takes longer to heat up..takes longer to cool down. theory is sound as long as you don't burn out the insert

 

[getwood]

I try to keep the stove temperature around 650°. I used to keep a cast iron teapot on the stove. I had the temp get away from me and boiled all of the water out and discolored the top of the stove. I would be concerned that you would trap the heat in the stainless steel top and potential warp your stove. If you want a heat mass I would sit the bricks stones along the side and allow the radiant heat to heat the bricks. If you want a put a bricks on top get a stovetop thermometer and keep a close eye on it.

 

[KodiakKen]

good thought..thought about that too.

keep the heat into the steel isn't real smart. it is designed to disipate the heat ..best option would be to make an air gap between the stove and whatever material you want to keep the heat and make sure there is air travel(a fan blowing across) that area of space to keep the stove from overfiring..it is kinda a catch 22..the fire brick or stone would act as a heat sink but without a solid bond..it might create too much heat to try to heat the extra and over fire the actual metal on the stove..IF and only IF you try this..put the extra heat keeper around the outside away from the main flue outlet and see how much difference that makes and go from there