ᐅ New Construction, Wood-Burning Stove, Nominal Heat Output—What Now?

Hello everyone,

We are currently planning a new build and would like to include a wood-burning stove (a heating insert built with firebrick) in the open living/dining/kitchen area. The goal is to slightly reduce the load on the air-to-water heat pump and create a cozy atmosphere.

My heat load calculation based on the U-value shows that for 64m² (living/dining/kitchen + hallway connected by two doors) we need a maximum heating capacity of about 2.3 kW. This includes all external walls (approximately U-value 0.19) and floor construction (0.16).

If I install a stove with a nominal heat output of 9 kW and an output range of 3.2 to 10.9 kW, won’t I overheat the space even at the minimum wood feed rate (3.2 kW)? According to the stove fitter, this is not a problem because the heat output can be controlled by adjusting the amount of wood.

The 2.3 kW figure also refers to the worst-case scenario of -16°C (3°F) outside and +23°C (73°F) inside, without any other heat sources. So, in reality, the required heating capacity will likely be much lower than 2.3 kW.

What is the best approach? Should I choose a stove insert with the lowest possible heat output range?

Best regards.

Everything would be too much.
Cozy comfort cannot be calculated. Heating only half of the fireplace interior does not work either.
Therefore: either do without it, use an ethanol fireplace, or expect heat when lighting the fireplace and eventually have to open the windows wide.

I can only agree with ypg. We have a KfW 70 house (2 floors, we live on the ground floor). We use an air-to-water heat pump and a fireplace for comfort.

You can forget about easing the load on the air-to-water heat pump. Our living room and kitchen together are 40 m² (430 sq ft). When the fireplace is on, it feels like a sauna. And you don’t turn the air-to-water heat pump off or on—it runs continuously, heating the floor and providing hot water.

So this falls under the category of “romance, watching the fire burn in the fireplace.”

This topic has come up here several times, and some users have already confirmed your suspicion:
In new buildings, a wood stove doesn't make much sense. If it is lit correctly and without producing soot, you need to ventilate again right away.

Finally, someone who got it right!

We were fully aware that the fireplace, unless it is truly integrated into hot water or heat recovery systems, does not contribute to cost reduction.

One shouldn’t be surprised later if it ends up feeling like a sauna ^^ we like it. Sometimes I walk around in just shorts in the evening^^