Coalpail.com Forum

I have read a lot of the posts and am learning a lot. Can someone out there suggest a particular model stove to use in/hook up to a fireplace? These are my specs and what I am trying to do:

1. Install either a coal insert or a coal stove in front of the fireplace
2. I am concerned because my neightbor has a wood stove insert for his fireplace and it does not put out much heat. Will a coal stove insert send off a comparable amount of heat as a free standing stove?
3. The top of the fireplace opening is 31 inches tall. Is this enough to make the flu connections?
4. I would prefer a unit I can get at least 24 hours without adding coal
5. The house is a ranch, coal stove in the basement about in the middle of the house. Upstairs is 2600 sqft and down is 1500 sqft. Can I heat the whole house or am I dreaming? I don't mind if the furnace runs a bit on really cold days.

Anyone have a similar situation? Can anyone suggest a brand and model? Advice is appreciated!

I guess if you want to go 24 hours between touching of the stove you would want a stoker type and not a hand load stove. There are several manufacturers that make stoker to set infront of a fire place. No one makes a stoker insert but there are some hand load inserts. Leisure line has 2 models that will set in front of a fire place ( hearth and econo side winder), Alaska makes a cast console II , and kestoker makes a hearth model as well. Jerry the owner of leisureline frequents the forum and he has a section you can post in and he can help you with the dimension requirements and such.

If I understand what you were saying the proposed unit would be in the middle of the house in a 1.500 sq ft basement? Also the main floor is 2,600 sq ft. No coal stove is going to heat that much space on it's own, unless of course you just want to keep it above freezing.

It can certainly reduce the reliance on whatever heating system you have. The inserts I have seen are usually less than 65,000 btus, you really want at least 85,000 btus as long as there is away to circulate the heat between floors and to the far reaches of the house. Some of the units Jpen mentioned are of this size.

As Jpen said Jerry, the owner of Leisure Line is a member of this forum and has a special section. He is a super helpful guy and might have some ideas for your particular situation.

In answer to your question about installing an insert vs a stove. I would suggest that stove is better suited to your large area and higher heat demands.

Your situation is not an easy one to solve, but with a little patience and listening to ideas from the members you just might find a decent solution.

Hope this helps a little.

Hi Jewarog Check out this sites
http://www.alaskastove.com
http://www.hitzer.com
http://www.harmanstoves.com
http://www.bakerstoves.com
http://www.keystoker.com
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This will give a idea what is out there as far size and B.T.U.s output and burn times good luck on you hunt