Rookie questions

[Bnilsson]

1. I am contemplating installing a woodstove and have a few questions. I am looking at Pacific Energy Alderlea T4 woodstove. Found very little reviews for this stove. Any comments on this stove would be great?

2. I looked at the installation instructions for this stove. I plan to put it in the corner of my living room. Installation instructions show the the stove can be 3 inches from the wall when installed in a corner with a double wall connector. I have tounge and groove boards on the wall. This seems to be a little close to me. Am I reading these instructions correctly? Can the corners of this stove be 3 inches from my wall?

3. Lastly, I have looked at many different websites about firewood storage. There are many different ideas on the best storage. I am planning to build a woodshed in the shape of a U. Plans are to make it 24' wide, and each side 8' long. Back row will be 24' and the side rows 8' the row itself will be 4' wide so I can store a cords width on it. Essentially it should hold 6 cords or more if I stack it higher than 4' high. The only thing I was questioning about my plan is whether the wood will get enough air for seasoning. I see most people have wood stored in one continuous row. Is one continuous row the best storage practice? The shed would look more like half an H. There would be 16' of space between the inside rows. Plans are to have log splitter in the shed placed in the middle. Anyone see any objections to this plan. I do live on top a mountain and there is always a breeze blowing.

 

[allstihl]

well to start off, the only dumb question is the one you dont ask.my wood shed is 12x50. open on 3 sides and runs east .west.i try to stack loose.sugar maple hits20% in 10-12 months.

 

[groundup]

If it's covered and getting air it'll dry

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Good air circulation is THE key for drying wood in a shed. First off get your floor off the ground and space your floor boards so there is some gap between the boards. Put your siding on with a gap between them as well. My shed is brick on tamped gravel then PT 4 by 4's on the brick with 2 by 6 Pt flooring nailed down through the 4 by 4's. Side walls were framed, then green hemlock planks butted tight on the exterior. Once the hemlock dried out I had the gaps between the boards that allowed air flow through the building. Metal roof with open eves and it works well. Mine is three sided with the open side into the morning sun. I put screening on the side foundation to a few inches below grade to keep vermin out from under neath the shed. The shed gets air flow up through the floor as well as side to side with moisture being able to get out at the top as well. My avatar shows the shed. Well kinda does sunshine on the wood is a plus but airflow is the key IMO.

 

[Bnilsson]

Thanks for the reply, your shed sounds close to what I am planning to do. Titus 2:13

 

[Uncle John]

I usually leave mine outside till its seasoned Then move it under a roof.

Also old skids make an excellent base to stack wood on.

When they get unusable you can burn them too.

 

[rmount]

I have a Pacific Energy Alderlea stove and am very happy with it. This will be our 6th winter with it and no complaints or problems at all. The only issue i have is that it is difficult to start and maintain a small fire, but this is a problem with all EPA stoves, they are meant to burn hot. As for clearances, ours is against a flat wall (with double wall stove pipe) with 7" clearance behind and no heat build up. Just because I would rather be safe than sorry I took the recommended clearance, hearth size etc. and added 1" to those numbers.

For your wood shed, air circulation is what you need if you are stacking green wood in there. Stack on skids to let air move under the stacks, slat the outsides with 6" or so space between the slats, leave space between the end of your side stacks and the back stack, and have big overhang on the roof to get the rain off. I stack mine outside to dry, 3 rows deep on skids, for 16 months or so then move it into a closed woodshed to use the next winter.

 

[autoimage]

you cant put a stove that close to a combustable wall. things that can get a stove closer are building a noncombustable hearth with an air gap, using the double wall pipe like you mentioned and the use of heat sheilds on the stove

 

[autoimage]

another point is i see your in pa so am i and in my last house i built a hearth similar to what you want, in a corner through a combustable wall to a masonry chimney. i contacted my insurance agent and im glad i did cause they wanted pictures of all the steps of my build to make sure a loss would be covered...just some food for thought

 

[rmount]

you cant put a stove that close to a combustable wall. things that can get a stove closer are building a noncombustable hearth with an air gap, using the double wall pipe like you mentioned and the use of heat sheilds on the stove

That distance (3") is spec for corner clearance. The Alderlea has built in heat shields.

 

[Bnilsson]

I am planning to install in a corner. Specifications say three inches from a combustable corner with a double wall pipe, but three inches just sounds a little to close to something combustable, but I guess if that is what specifications call for then it would be okay. I have room to keep it out farther so I think I will have it about 6 inches away from the corner.

"another point is i see your in pa so am i and in my last house i built a hearth similar to what you want, in a corner through a combustable wall to a masonry chimney."

I am planning to go straight up through the roof, no masonary chimney. I will definetly check with our insurance compay before I do anything, thanks for the tip.

The only issue i have is that it is difficult to start and maintain a small fire, but this is a problem with all EPA stoves, they are meant to burn hot

This may not be the stove for me or I may need to go smaller. House is 1250 sq. ft on a crawl space and is very well insulated. I use around 150 gallons of heating fuel a year. This stove may blast us out.

 

[rmount]

This may not be the stove for me or I may need to go smaller. House is 1250 sq. ft on a crawl space and is very well insulated. I use around 150 gallons of heating fuel a year. This stove may blast us out.

Your house sounds similar to ours. Just over 1200 sq ft and very well insulated, 4"+ of high density spray foam in all walls plus 2" foam cladding on outside under stucco. We have the T5 and it is a little big except for the coldest days in February. The T4 should be good for you. I was going to buy the T4 but was talked into going bigger with the "it's better to be too hot than too cold" argument, i should have stayed with my original choice.

 

[Jules083]

In regards to the clearance question, 3" sounds way too close to me. I was looking at some smaller cheap stoves at lowes today out of curiosity, most were saying between 12 and 16 inches.

I would keep it farther away and see just how much heat comes off the corners first. It's easier to move the stove closer than it is to re-build the house.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[Bnilsson]

I was looking through the specs for the T4 and saw that with trailors you need to hook up a vent line for combustion air. It also said that you can not leave the door open for viewing. Considering my house is on a crawl space would it be like a trailor in this aspect. Would I have to install this combustion air hookup? Would I also be unable to have the screen in it and leave the door hang open?

 

[stihly dan]

In regards to the clearance question, 3" sounds way too close to me. I was looking at some smaller cheap stoves at lowes today out of curiosity, most were saying between 12 and 16 inches.

I would keep it farther away and see just how much heat comes off the corners first. It's easier to move the stove closer than it is to re-build the house.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

Thats not fair, lowes does not carry quality. There is a difference.

 

[Jules083]

Thats not fair, lowes does not carry quality. There is a difference.

True.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

 

[rmount]

I was looking through the specs for the T4 and saw that with trailors you need to hook up a vent line for combustion air. It also said that you can not leave the door open for viewing. Considering my house is on a crawl space would it be like a trailor in this aspect. Would I have to install this combustion air hookup? Would I also be unable to have the screen in it and leave the door hang open?

I don't think you need to worry about the specs for installing in a trailer unless you are in a trailer - you have 1200 sq ft. Unless your house is so tightly sealed that you can't suck enough combustion air from inside you shouldn't need the outside air. Why would you want to leave the door open? It has a glass front so you can see the fire.

 

[Bnilsson]

Just a pesonal preference. My parents had fireplace growing up and I love the open fire. I would like to have the option to leave the dooropen at times.

 

[rmount]

Just a pesonal preference. My parents had fireplace growing up and I love the open fire. I would like to have the option to leave the dooropen at times.

I've never tried with the door open but I know a screen is available. My daughter has a PE Vista and runs it with the door open much of the time, never has a problem but the efficiency is less.

 

[howellhandmade]

Just a pesonal preference. My parents had fireplace growing up and I love the open fire. I would like to have the option to leave the dooropen at times.

Fireplace is different, doesn't get that hot. Looks nice but wood burns fast and doesn't transfer heat efficiently. A wood stove is meant to transfer heat efficiently, and needs to have the air controlled or it will run away and overheat.