Bought some new land with a 300 sqft cabin on it with just a wide open fire place in it. Went to stay up there one night (I think it was -5 out and no wind) light the fire and in an hour or two had it liveable. Just buning some dead elm that was standing dead cut and split a month earlier. Had to feed the fire every two hours and had to relight it a few times too. So with it being wide open I thought about and got some glass doors for the front. Next stay it was 10ish out and windy but as soon as you close those doors it took that warm feeling away but could get 3 hours and have some cools left to relight the reload. Not having a fireplace and having a stove at home is this all I am going to get out of it? My stove at home is 8+ hours and plenty of heat and coals still. Are options are replace it with a stove before next winter, or add more electric heat to make it up? Also this is a oak and hickery timber that we are loading up on wood for next year. Would burning better wood help? Thanks
Got a new cabin with wood heat problem.
- Thread starter ancy
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
One Shot Will
ArboristSite Operative
Sounds about right for an open fireplace.
We have one in a small room in our house have a screen on it when we burn and close the doors when we do not use it.
Probably sucks more air out than it heats but ma likes the fire so no big deal.
We have the fireplace wood and then we have the wood furnace wood she gets the nicer stuff.
We have one in a small room in our house have a screen on it when we burn and close the doors when we do not use it.
Probably sucks more air out than it heats but ma likes the fire so no big deal.
We have the fireplace wood and then we have the wood furnace wood she gets the nicer stuff.
For a small cabin, maybe try a small barrel stove (Vogelzang type)? Block off the fireplace opening and run the stack through whatever you used to block the opening. Even not blocking the opening, and running the stack to the fireplace would probably get you more heat than just the fireplace itself...
There isn't much better wood than that!
There isn't much better wood than that!
Last edited:
outdoorlivin247
Addicted to ArboristSite
The best bet is to use the doors only when you go to bed...Open them and get as much over flow as possible when you are awake and keep the flames a flying...The less valuable the wood the better...At night load it up with a better more dense wood and close the doors..
cford
ArboristSite Lurker
Yep, regular fireplaces are only for show. Used wood stoves go for dirt cheap around here .. a little piping and you should be good to go.
Always, have a smoke alarm
Always, have a smoke alarm
One Shot Will
ArboristSite Operative
This is what we haveView attachment 216906
Looked at an old Blaze King for $50 but there was no way it would fit. It will only be heated 5-6 nights out of a month and it is fine during the day when you can feed it.
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
If you're using a gate/log holder thingy, throw it out. Build the fire right on the hearth, otherwise the grate holds the logs up in the air and you just burn up the logs fast and send all the heat up the chimney.
kykayaker27
ArboristSite Member
wonder if theres a way to damper it prob not just a idea ,my wifey loves the looks of a fireplace me they just eat way to much wood ,upside u can put some pretty knarley peices in it though,dave
zogger
Tree Freak
Well, fireplaces** are serious energy hogs and you don't get much heat from them for what you burn. Ya, nice to look at and technically better than sitting in the cold.
Upside is, no one is going to steal your fireplace when you aren't there, whereas a woodstove makes a dandy grab and go target, even if they just want it to sell as scrap metal. Just something to consider for a remote little used camp.
**I meant traditional old fashioned fireplaces. The new ones they have now are really wood heaters, with all the new designs, encased in masonry, rock or brick, they just still call them fireplaces because of the looks and how they are sitting in the room, either flush with the wall and the chimney all outside the house, or sitting a little inside the room surrounded by the masonry.
I looked at a video last night of how those russian fireplaces are built, now THAT is a cool design. I have never seen one in real life, but if I ever move and go for wood heat (which I will) that is what is happening. I can't weld for snot, and buying new high end heaters is spendy, but I can lay up some stone or brick pretty fair, and can always scrounge the stone or brick and then just have to pop for the mortar mix.
Upside is, no one is going to steal your fireplace when you aren't there, whereas a woodstove makes a dandy grab and go target, even if they just want it to sell as scrap metal. Just something to consider for a remote little used camp.
**I meant traditional old fashioned fireplaces. The new ones they have now are really wood heaters, with all the new designs, encased in masonry, rock or brick, they just still call them fireplaces because of the looks and how they are sitting in the room, either flush with the wall and the chimney all outside the house, or sitting a little inside the room surrounded by the masonry.
I looked at a video last night of how those russian fireplaces are built, now THAT is a cool design. I have never seen one in real life, but if I ever move and go for wood heat (which I will) that is what is happening. I can't weld for snot, and buying new high end heaters is spendy, but I can lay up some stone or brick pretty fair, and can always scrounge the stone or brick and then just have to pop for the mortar mix.
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
LOL - that's what I save those really nasty pieces for! As a result when we burn the fireplace I tend to put some pretty big pieces of wood in there. When the coals get cranking you get some SERIOUS radiant heat coming off, even if the heated air is going up the flue. it's later when the fire burns down but the damper still needs to stay open that's the problem. Sometimes I"ll drown what's left just so I can close the damper sooner.
Henry and Wanda
ArboristSite Operative
I would get a wood stove and install it on the hearth in front of the fireplace or even an insert. With only 300 Sq. ft. any decent stove will probably heat it up very easily !!!!! What is the size of the room 15 x 20 ?????
Henry and Wanda
Henry and Wanda
c5rulz
Addicted to ArboristSite
Hey Ancy,
Look at Craigslist or want ads and find a small stove somebody wants to get rid of or has to because of insurance. You can get a good one for not a lot of money.
I bought an airtight stove for $75 and removing it myself. Block off the chimney.
Bird hunting in Iowa has become dismal.
Look at Craigslist or want ads and find a small stove somebody wants to get rid of or has to because of insurance. You can get a good one for not a lot of money.
I bought an airtight stove for $75 and removing it myself. Block off the chimney.
Bird hunting in Iowa has become dismal.
Hey Ancy,
Look at Craigslist or want ads and find a small stove somebody wants to get rid of or has to because of insurance. You can get a good one for not a lot of money.
I bought an airtight stove for $75 and removing it myself. Block off the chimney.
Bird hunting in Iowa has become dismal.
Been watching with a few options. Talking about changing a few things in there and just adding a stove. The fireplace does look awesome in there and works great when your awake. Got 2 this year:frown: let the third one go to do his job this spring. Deer hunting was a big downer too, normaly have 4-5 in the freezer, got 1 and I didn't get it. Writing this year off, wait got high power yet at the end of the month. Check out the other post about the kids http://www.arboristsite.com/off-topic-forum/190320.htm
there so much fun! Have a good one.
Look at This...
... Hard to believe but this concoction would probably heat your cabin better than an open fireplace:
... Hard to believe but this concoction would probably heat your cabin better than an open fireplace:
Chris-PA
Where the Wild Things Are
OK. What the hell is that?... Hard to believe but this concoction would probably heat your cabin better than an open fireplace:
branchbuzzer
Undiagnosed
OK, I give. What does it mean when you put the flag up?
Is that Ted Kaczynski's cabin heating design?
Last edited:
WETWILLIEWET
ArboristSite Lurker
Air flow
You may need a outside air pipe to feed the fire more air then the room volume.
You may need a outside air pipe to feed the fire more air then the room volume.
Similar threads
