Thankful for Steady Heat This Winter!

It has been quite a winter here in SEPA and we are not done yet. The Hitzer 503 insert has been a steady companion and the steadily warm house is much appreciated when returning home from work, getting up in the morning to single digit temps, and just when spending time at home.

The Hitzer heats our 3000 square foot home and generally does a great job unless it is trying to cope with endless days of very low temps. In those days, I tend it 3x rather than 2x and this helps a lot, but does chew through more coal. Also on those days, I try to use coal that is as free of fines as possible to get more air through the fire. The fines are very helpful in fall and spring when I try to slow the heat output.

This year, I intentionally ordered less coal than I though I would use so that I could totally clean out the coal bin. It should work out about right, but we will see how many more storms roll through. Hard to imagine, but spring is just around the corner.

steady heat, no worries about power outages, minimal tending time..... PRICELESS!!!

I agree, I have had to be away from home a lot the last month and half. It was nice to come home to a warm house with lots of coal left to restart. Never could do that with the wood stove!

Randy

COAL........ Nothing else like it

Like preaching to the choir here.

My first year burning coal and I couldn't be happier. Never had it so cozy here, not even back in the days of the wood stove.

Only wish I discovered coal sooner. Thanks to everyone here that contributes to the knowledge base.

In a singing voice,...Though it's been said, many times, many ways, coal, it's what's for winter,...it's warm....... Don't worry,...not giving up the day job.

Love coming home to the warm house and seeing two stoves running and even heat in a big old farmhouse. We have a huge ceiling fan in one room and a large fan aimed at the ceiling in the other and that does the trick. Other rooms have ceiling fans. This summer I need to switch out the big ceiling fan and put one in with 5 blades and a reverse.

I like your ceiling fan ideas, BP. We have one over our kitchen dinette. Unfortunately it's in a room away from the living area stove heat. The wife wants to put one in the living room, but our ceilings are only 7 1/2 feet. 1' off the ceiling, the temps are 78*. 1' off the floor, the temps are 67*. Not that I'm complaining. If the oil was on, all rooms would be 66*. (And I used to live with this...with lots of couch blankets.)

Had out of town visitors to our place in the U.P. of Michigan this past weekend. They were from lower Michigan and couldn't believe I kept the house @ 73-75deg heating with coal, and with that even heat permeating everywhere. While it is more labor intensive than simply turning a thermostat up or down, it's a heckuva lot cheaper. They said it's all they can do to keep their house @ 65deg and not go over budget. I started burning 15 Oct, but took the wife on a 30th anniversary trip for 10 days in Nov. Have been part of the one match club since Nov 28th. 84 days so far!

Joeq,

With those low of ceilings you don't need a ceiling fan. Get a fan on a stand that you can angle up more than 45 degrees and aim it towards the center of the room. You can use a floor fan as well, just a decent sized fan. Don't have the fan raised too high as your blowing the cooler air up and forcing the warmer air to circulate and warm the entire room temps. You don't need to run this fan on high, rather the low setting uses less power and does the job without creating the drafty feeling. You'll notice a warmer house without cool spots.

BPatrick wrote:Joeq,

With those low of ceilings you don't need a ceiling fan. Get a fan on a stand that you can angle up more than 45 degrees and aim it towards the center of the room. You can use a floor fan as well, just a decent sized fan. Don't have the fan raised too high as your blowing the cooler air up and forcing the warmer air to circulate and warm the entire room temps. You don't need to run this fan on high, rather the low setting uses less power and does the job without creating the drafty feeling. You'll notice a warmer house without cool spots.

Mr. Patrick, can you see the 12" oscillating fan on the mantel to the upper left of the photo? It takes the hot air up high, and blows it into the living area to the right of the pic. Do you think a floor fan beside the stove, blowing the air "up-wards" would be beneficial? I once had a floor fan situated next to it, "along" with the mantel fan, but the wife complained the floor fan was making her feel cool. Maybe I should try aiming it up?