Which wood burning stove?

[amd7000]

Hi. We currently have a Stovax insert riva burner with fan which is nice but only outputs around 8kw. We are trying to heat the house solely with this and it manages O.K. when the temperature outside is above 5/6 degrees but any colder and it takes a couple of hours of full capacity burning to get the house bearable. The draw from the flue is excellent and can suck the flame straight up the chimney easily, so I'd assume it would handle a larger burner?

 

We would like a modern style burner with a big viewing door that doesn't look too modern, if you know what I mean :-/

 

Are there any woodburners out there that are around 20kw+ without heat exchangers as I would like to keep it simple and only rely on the heat outputted from the burner directly to the open plan house?

 

We would only want to spend 1500 max really. Thanks

[Stubby]

Some of the problem is because it is an insert rather than free standing . There will be loads of people with good recommendations I can only speak from what I have and that is a Burley . They have a large picture glass and a swirling flame . The largest I think is the Wakerley at 12KW . All the Burley stoves are basically the same they just get bigger . Very efficient stoves and i would say meet your requirements description wise . Look em up

[amd7000]

Thanks Stubby. Yeah, I would go for a free standing burner. Any good ones around the 20kw output to room range?

Edited December 8, 2014 by amd7000

[Woodworks]

The snag with a large stove is running them in the shoulder months. Most stoves work best when worked hard. A big stove running half tilt will smoulder and soot up the glass. Any chance you could have a second stove? If no I can wholeheartedly recommend the larger Woodwarms.

[sqirrel21]

Look up ecco thermal mass store stoves, I am looking into one, lots of money but a great idea, I buy heating oil and use a stove, being a woodcutter it hurts to buy oil doesn't it..

[StephF]

An Aarow stratford tf 9OB boiler stove heats 4 bed farm house with 23 rads, does pretty well and the hot water.

[amd7000]

Yeah, I could probably install a new flue,etc if I had to. But really wanted to keep costs down, but if needs must....

 

Yes, Buying in lots of fuel is quite irritating indeed! Would be brilliant to heat my house with the free wood I've chopped down myself and not have to pay the rich energy companies. Will look at those thermal mass stoves.

 

I was looking at those gasification boilers but they are way to expensive and seem like to much hassle to me!

 

All I've come across which seems O.K to me is a firebelly fb3. 18kw output to room without the hassle/cost of boiler stoves etc.

Edited December 8, 2014 by amd7000

[amd7000]

Nice stove stephf. But I wouldn't trust my central heating system, its always has problems.

[Stubby]

Nice stove stephf. But I wouldn't trust my central heating system, its always has problems.

 

One thing to consider If you have just about been managing to heat the house with an 8kw insert stove and echo fan then a free standing 20kw is probably going to be tooooo much ! Sitting in your shorts with the patio door open is daft ! Also as has been pointed out a big stove continually ticking over is not burning efficiently and can lead to problems with gummed up flue liner dirty glass etc . Much better to have a smaller one burning a bit harder . I recon if you have been getting by with 8 kw then 12kw would work a treat . All a bit sketchy I know but having a big stove not burning properly is not good . just a thought .

[amd7000]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, I suppose we've been getting by, but it does stay quite cool upstairs still. Will look around a bit more to see if a smaller burner will be better. Cheers