How do you size a RMH for my house?

Where to begin ... . I have a 2,000 sqft, 1.5 story farm house (see earlier post for picture). I have heated it for many winters with a woodstove. I have a limited space to build a RMH in the same area the woodstove took up. So I'm thinking I have to be able to produce X btu's and store it in x sqfeet of mass and/or surface area that will return the heat at some rate over time. My head already hurts. Am I on the right track?

Bob

Yes.

If you have been using a wood stove, you should know pretty well how many BTUs it takes to heat the house. How much wood have you burned in the past? How much M is the RMH going to have? The big difference between the old wood stove and the RMH is going to be the amount of BTUs that get exhausted to the outside. If the RMH is more efficient than the wood stove, that will mean you lose fewer BTUs to the outside and you will need to burn less wood to maintain the same temperature (all other factors being equal).

Check this one out

http://technologieforum.forumatic.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27

I think Peter van der Berg and the dutch guys are on the right track for the vertical type with visible fire

Bob Brocious : I waited to jump in so that you could get an answer from a few other members, as this is your 1st Build and you are building over a Wood floor / Basement
You will find all the challenge you will want building in the two most popular sizes 6'' and 8'', for the number of sq. ft you are planing on heating, 6'' is to small, for your location
and climate (Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get! ) the 8'' should cover your heating needs, and you have a Heat Pump for Back-up? You should be just fine !

For the Craft! As always Your Comments and Questions are Solicited and are Welcome. Think like Fire,flow like a Gas, Don't be the Marshmallow- PYRO-Logically Big AL