# Anyone run a Jøtul F 55 Carrabassett



## metalsped (Dec 15, 2012)

And is this pretty much the same stove as the F50 Rangeley? Looks like it...


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## raybonz (Dec 16, 2012)

metalsped said:


> And is this pretty much the same stove as the F50 Rangeley? Looks like it...


Looks like a larger version of the F50 stove.. I like this stove! Couldn't find info on the firebox at Jotul site. Wonder what the MSRP is going to be.. The warranty looks great too. Very similar to the T5 I run here..

Ray


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## jotulguy (Dec 16, 2012)

Firebox is listed as 2.95. They were able to raise the baffle since it doesnt have a a top load mechanism. The foot print is exactly the same as the 
TL-50. MSRP is $2,199.00. The other difference is there is not an ash pan on the F-55.


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## raybonz (Dec 16, 2012)

jotulguy said:


> Firebox is listed as 2.95. They were able to raise the baffle since it doesnt have a a top load mechanism. The foot print is exactly the same as the
> TL-50. MSRP is $2,199.00. The other difference is there is not an ash pan on the F-55.


That is a big stove! Does that MSRP include the cast iron skin? If so that's a decent price.. Ash pans are something I don't care about and don't use on my T5..

Ray


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## jotulguy (Dec 16, 2012)

It is only offer with cast sides. They have discontinued the steel sides for both TL-50 and F-55.


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## raybonz (Dec 16, 2012)

That is a decent deal then! I like the idea of a welded steel firebox with cast iron exterior! No seams that need resealing with the look of cast iron and the main reason I liked the Aldealea stove line from PE..

Ray


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## Todd 2 (Dec 16, 2012)

The 55 was on my short list, sounds like a solid low maintenance stove. Ash pans usually require more gasket involvement also.  Todd


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## metalsped (Dec 16, 2012)

It also only requires ember protection... I just wish it was a cat stove


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## Dutch (Dec 16, 2012)

I have been running an F55 since October.  I do not think the stove is as large as some perceive it to be.  Measured from fire brick to fire brick it is 20 in wide.  Measured from firebrick to doghouse air is 18 in.  the baffle is tapered up from back to front and at the lowest point it is about 11 in.  There are also two protruding firebricks in the back that I will try to get pictures of for you.  Using these measurements I get about 2.25 sq ft.  I am measuring this relatively conservatively.  Should I be measuring to the glass, and also should I include the extra under the tapered baffle?  I am heating a two story 1600 sf house in southern Wisconsin.  My conservative nature even got the best of me and I decided not to open the door to the upstairs.  Don't get me wrong this stove would probably heat a 2000 plus home if ran 24/7.  I usually just run the stove once a day when I get home from work.  I am happy as I have only used just shy ofa face cord so far.  The stove did require some modifying of the secondary air due to strong draft issues.  Any particular questions feel free to ask.


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## raybonz (Dec 16, 2012)

Todd 2 said:


> The 55 was on my short list, sounds like a solid low maintenance stove. Ash pans usually require more gasket involvement also. Todd


No gasket on the T5 ashpan Todd but I don't use it anyway.. Shovel into ashbin works just as well...

Ray


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## raybonz (Dec 16, 2012)

metalsped said:


> It also only requires ember protection... I just wish it was a cat stove


Ran a cat stove for 2 decades and like them both for different reasons. I do prefer watching the secondary burns and my burn times are surprisingly long and better than expected..

Ray


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## VT F55 (Dec 16, 2012)

I have run the F55 for a couple weeks now...sold my Oslo.  Like that I can load EW and NS.  I'd say the claimed firebox volume is pretty accurate...loading NS I can cram almost 2.5 cu ft (16" splits) on top of a coal bed (~2 cu ft EW).  I too have a strong draft and the secondaries have gotten away from me a couple times while burning NS with the air control shut down at ~300* stove top (stove top temps hit 650*-700* for a good hour plus until secondaries started to slow down)...still seeing if I can get better control by shutting down the air sooner to avoid off gassing the whole load at once...possibly a different mix of wood (some of my wood is maybe too dry ~12% moisture).  This has not really been a problem though as the outside temps on these nights (in the low teens and upper single digits) warranted the extra heat and the burn time was not significantly affected.  It would be nice if the firebox was completely square (as previously mentioned the back firebrick protrudes ~1" into the firebox on each side making the back 4-5" of the firebox ~2" narrower than the front).  Loading NS and EW I have not had a problem keeping ~1900 sq ft of my house (built 1980 with average ceiling height ~11-12 ft., somewhere between tight and drafty) toasty on 2 loads/day (ash/maple/cherry/other mixed hardwoods).  I get about 8 hours useable heat (stove top >/= 300*) and have no problem starting from coals up to 12 hours later.  A few nights ago (with temps in the low teens) I loaded up NS at 8pm with the stove room at 71* (upstairs bedrooms 67* - 70*), was cruising at 500* by 9pm...when I got up at 6am the room temp was 69* (bedrooms ranged from 62*-67*), stove top was ~200 and there were plenty of hot coals to throw in a full load and have her cruising by 7am.   I think with a little more time with the stove (possibly a damper to reduce the draft on those really cold nights) this stove will be everything I dreamed it would be...for the price I don't think I could be happier!


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## raybonz (Dec 17, 2012)

VT F55 said:


> I have run the F55 for a couple weeks now...sold my Oslo. Like that I can load EW and NS. I'd say the claimed firebox volume is pretty accurate...loading NS I can cram almost 2.5 cu ft (16" splits) on top of a coal bed (~2 cu ft EW). I too have a strong draft and the secondaries have gotten away from me a couple times while burning NS with the air control shut down at ~300* stove top (stove top temps hit 650*-700* for a good hour plus until secondaries started to slow down)...still seeing if I can get better control by shutting down the air sooner to avoid off gassing the whole load at once...possibly a different mix of wood (some of my wood is maybe too dry ~12% moisture). This has not really been a problem though as the outside temps on these nights (in the low teens and upper single digits) warranted the extra heat and the burn time was not significantly affected. It would be nice if the firebox was completely square (as previously mentioned the back firebrick protrudes ~1" into the firebox on each side making the back 4-5" of the firebox ~2" narrower than the front). Loading NS and EW I have not had a problem keeping ~1900 sq ft of my house (built 1980 with average ceiling height ~11-12 ft., somewhere between tight and drafty) toasty on 2 loads/day (ash/maple/cherry/other mixed hardwoods). I get about 8 hours useable heat (stove top >/= 300*) and have no problem starting from coals up to 12 hours later. A few nights ago (with temps in the low teens) I loaded up NS at 8pm with the stove room at 71* (upstairs bedrooms 67* - 70*), was cruising at 500* by 9pm...when I got up at 6am the room temp was 69* (bedrooms ranged from 62*-67*), stove top was ~200 and there were plenty of hot coals to throw in a full load and have her cruising by 7am. I think with a little more time with the stove (possibly a damper to reduce the draft on those really cold nights) this stove will be everything I dreamed it would be...for the price I don't think I could be happier!


Welcome to the forum VT and thanx for the info! Please post some pics of your stove/hearth when you get a chance  I suggest burning larger splits to reduce the offgassing and high peaks with good dry hardwoods.. Smaller splits get very hot quickly and can be harder to control.. BTW the T5 firebox is a clean rectangle and loads easily with no obstructions..

Ray


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## BrowningBAR (Dec 17, 2012)

metalsped said:


> It also only requires ember protection... I just wish it was a cat stove


How big is your house?


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## VT F55 (Dec 17, 2012)

Hi Ray, I have been burning some pretty beefy splits with some success, but even when it got away from me there were 4 splits 6" to 8" in there...I think I'm just new to burning NS after running an Oslo and am still figuring it out.  I attached a picture of the stove (not much of a hearth and have to cage her in cause of the little ones).  I did look long and hard at the T6, but in the end selling my Oslo almost completely covered the cost of this stove and I didn't have to move any pipe to meet clearances...


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## Dutch (Dec 17, 2012)

Ray

Would you be able to take some rough measurements of your firebox for comparative reasons?


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## raybonz (Dec 17, 2012)

Dutch said:


> Ray
> 
> Would you be able to take some rough measurements of your firebox for comparative reasons?


Will have to wait until it is not in use Dutch maybe tomorrow?

Ray


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## Dutch (Dec 17, 2012)

At your convenience Ray, no hurry at all.  I'm just curious whether this stove is closer to the T5 or T6.


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## raybonz (Dec 18, 2012)

Dutch said:


> At your convenience Ray, no hurry at all. I'm just curious whether this stove is closer to the T5 or T6.


I would say it is in between the T5 and T6 but cu. footwise closer to the T6. The T5 is 2 cu. ft. and the T6 is 3 cu. ft. with the T6 being wider and more square than the T5. OK here are the dimensions:

18" deep X 15 1/2" wide X 13" high approximate

I think the T6 is around 18" wide but I will let someone who has one give their info..

Ray


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## Hawkeye (Dec 18, 2012)

metalsped said:


> It also only requires ember protection... I just wish it was a cat stove


I just started running the F50.....had a VC encore cat stove for 7 years before.  

So far, I get just as long if not longer burns with the F50 than I did with the encore cat (although the encore is a little smaller).  As for me, I never really liked the cat - lots of maintenance and also I had to replace it 3 times until they went to steel (the porcelain ones broke apart), and each time they were expensive.

So in summary, for me I would take the F50 (in your case F55) non-cat stove over the cat stove I had previously any day.  Hope this helps and sorry if I offended any cat lovers.


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## metalsped (Dec 18, 2012)

raybonz said:


> Ran a cat stove for 2 decades and like them both for different reasons. I do prefer watching the secondary burns and my burn times are surprisingly long and better than expected..
> 
> Ray


 
What are you seeing for times Ray?


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## metalsped (Dec 18, 2012)

BrowningBAR said:


> How big is your house?


 
About 1900. The end of the house that I am looking to put a stove in has one large room, approx 525sq, with 13' cathedral ceilings. I am going to put it just outside of this room (it flows into a common area then into the rest of the house). That large room is probably 50% windows (Ill up a picture at some point)... room definitely chills of. My stoves main purpose will be to heat that room, and of course whatever else I can draft through the house... all the better.


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## raybonz (Dec 18, 2012)

metalsped said:


> What are you seeing for times Ray?


8+ hr. burns is easy with this stove..

Ray


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## raybonz (Dec 18, 2012)

metalsped said:


> About 1900. The end of the house that I am looking to put a stove in has one large room, approx 525sq, with 13' cathedral ceilings. I am going to put it just outside of this room (it flows into a common area then into the rest of the house). That large room is probably 50% windows (Ill up a picture at some point)... room definitely chills of. My stoves main purpose will be to heat that room, and of course whatever else I can draft through the house... all the better.


You may want to consider the T6 or the Jotul F55 with that size home and it tends to get a bit colder there. Hard to say but the T-5 might work for you.

Ray


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## VT F55 (Dec 18, 2012)

Just wanted to mention a couple things:
1) just fired up the F55 after 13 hours (loaded EW this morning)...stove top was still at 200*...just shoveled some ash from the front, raked the coals forward, loaded EW and1/2 hour later she is just about cruising!  Was warm today so there was no need to push the stove or get the stove top temps up when I got home from work...it's just nice to be able to let her run and not have to worry about getting the fire going from coals.
2) I like the air wash on this thing!  The Oslo didn't have an air wash so I have nothing to compare it too, but my glass is clean as new after burning 24/7 for 2 and 1/2 weeks.  It is also nice that the primary air hits the entire front of the coal bed and not just in front of the doghouse...it really gets the load lit quick!


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## VT F55 (Dec 18, 2012)

metalsped, my F 55 is in a 480 sq ft room with ceilings that peak at 20 ft (average ceiling height of 14 ft) and lots of glass...this room gets pretty hot (>80*) if I'm not actively moving cold air in from other parts of the house and outdoor temps are not too low.  The F 55 puts out some heat...even burning low.  If your goal is mostly to heat that large room the F 55 might be overkill.


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## Todd 2 (Dec 18, 2012)

VT F55 said:


> metalsped, my F 55 is in a 480 sq ft room with ceilings that peak at 20 ft (average ceiling height of 14 ft) and lots of glass...this room gets pretty hot (>80*) if I'm not actively moving cold air in from other parts of the house and outdoor temps are not too low. The F 55 puts out some heat...even burning low. If your goal is mostly to heat that large room the F 55 might be overkill.


Hi VT, and welcome, the room your 55 is in, is it newer construction, insulated well, good windows, drafty ?
Does the stove have a blower ?    Thanks,    Todd


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## ddddddden (Dec 19, 2012)

VT F55 said:


> . . .The F 55 puts out some heat...even burning low. If your goal is mostly to heat that large room the F 55 might be overkill.


 

Sounds like what Bub381 found with the F 50.  It might be a good idea to make sure that you can move the heat out of that room before putting an F 55 in there.


Bub381 said:


> 1300 sq ft 2 story here, small rooms, house built in 1800 and a little drafty,poor insulation.I moved the air around and checked the airflow it was fine.We had the F 50 Rangeley which is almost the exact same size as the Oslo and we couldn't run it over 400 in the coldest part of last winter.We ran it most of the time at 300 or it roasted us out.The lower stove temp caused a creosote problem and it resulted in hot coals dropping on the roof (burning creosote under chimney cap).I loved that stove but it was too big.We got the Fireview and man what control i have with this cat stove.250 degree stove i engage the cat and it burns clean as can be.No smoke in chimney,no creosote or burnt down house.12 hr burn times and easily got hot coals in the morn.This thing is the cats meow.Now this is for my situation and we only have had this stove since spring when the weather only dipped into the 30's so haven't tried it in cold weather yet but if you get it and it's not the right size,take it back yourself and exchange it at no extra cost.This return is only good for 6 months so time it right. I sure hope i helped.All houses and situations are different.Best i can tell you.


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## VT F55 (Dec 19, 2012)

Todd 2 said:


> Hi VT, and welcome, the room your 55 is in, is it newer construction, insulated well, good windows, drafty ?
> Does the stove have a blower ? Thanks, Todd


Hi Todd, my house was built in 1980 and is above average construction...it seems to be insulated well (I was told that the ceiling was very well insulated when I had the chimney installed). The room with the stove has several groups of 2' x 6' casement windows with a couple of drafts (8 individual windows), a 8' x 7' sliding glass door, and two custom windows measuring 3' x 8' and 3' x 10'...all double pane glass, but still quite a bit of glass. The sliding glass door has a window quilt that we keep down overnight and when it gets cold during the day, but all the other windows have no coverings and - like I said previously - there are a couple of drafts. If my goal was not to heat my entire home (~1900 sq ft of it anyway) exclusively with wood I would want a smaller stove than the F55, BUT if metalsped is willing to move some cold air back into the stove room from the further reaches of the house (I use 1 small Vornado and it works great for my situation) the F55 would certainly heat more of his house and temps in the stove room will not peak as high.  
Edit: forgot to add that the stove does not have a blower, but there is a ceiling fan always running in the stove room and a small Vornado air circulator blowing into the stove room from a second floor bedroom where heat does not flow to well naturally.


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## Bub381 (Dec 19, 2012)

What i seemed to experience with this so called medium sized stove (Rangeley) was it heated like a large stove.Loved that N S loading.


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## cmperry (Dec 19, 2012)

I'm heating 1800 sq/ft full 2 story average insulation home north of Bub381 with a Rangeley w/o fan and haven't  used a drop of oil yet. This horse will run!!


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## FullCompliment (Dec 19, 2012)

VT F55 said:


> 2) I like the air wash on this thing! The Oslo didn't have an air wash so I have nothing to compare it too, but my glass is clean as new after burning 24/7 for 2 and 1/2 weeks. It is also nice that the primary air hits the entire front of the coal bed and not just in front of the doghouse...it really gets the load lit quick!


 
The Oslo does have an air wash--a pretty good one.  I can't compare it to the F55, though.  Maybe it's better.  I only get dust/ash on my door glass.  Just curious, why did you get rid of the Oslo?

The F55 would be my next stove (if I ever move) just based on it's simple, straight-forward design and lack of an ashcan which I see as a definite benefit.  I'm glad you're happy!


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## VT F55 (Dec 19, 2012)

FullCompliment said:


> The Oslo does have an air wash--a pretty good one. I can't compare it to the F55, though. Maybe it's better. I only get dust/ash on my door glass. Just curious, why did you get rid of the Oslo?
> 
> The F55 would be my next stove (if I ever move) just based on it's simple, straight-forward design and lack of an ashcan which I see as a definite benefit. I'm glad you're happy!


I'm not aware that any primary air is introduced into the firebox above the glass in the Oslo...maybe in a newer version. I never had a problem with the Oslo glass (only cleaned once a month or so) but the way the air wash works on the F55 the primary air introduced above the glass (air wash) drops down the front of the stove and hits the coals almost the entire width of the stove and things take off real quick (there is additional air introduced at the dog house - as in the Oslo).

As for the reason I got rid of the Oslo...wanted a deeper more square firebox so I could load EW and NW. Also, I never managed to get a good supply of 22" wood to realy take advantage of the full size of the Oslo firebox...most of the wood I get is 16-18" and I find it easier to split and handle shorter splits anyway. The steel/cast baffle on the F55 is also super durable...it is not a problem loading her to the gills...not worried about damaging it as I was with the Oslo. Never used the ash pan on the Oslo. Hated the placement of the front door gasket on the Oslo...always collected ash if I let it build up in the firebox and dumped all over when I opened the front door (rarely used the front door because of this). I like to rake coals to the front of the stove and it is much easier to do when I can use the front door! I like the fact that the F55 is a welded steel box with one door gasket to worry about (3 door gaskets on the Oslo).

Wow...just read back through that and it comes off that I really hated the Oslo...not the case...I just really love this F55!


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## cmperry (Dec 20, 2012)

The F55 would be my next stove (if I ever move) just based on it's simple, straight-forward design and lack of an ashcan which I see as a definite benefit. I'm glad you're happy![/quote]
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I've had both, stove without ash pan and my f50 that has one. I'm just curious on how the stove without the ash pan is a benefit (maybe one less gasket?). This stove (f50) has a slotted firebox bottom (grates?). Get up..open draft..rake a fireplace hook through the coals 2 or 3 times and ash falls into the pan..load stove..open ash door..take ash pan outside and dump (once a day)...replace and close damper and done for 5-6 hrs. Jotul even supplies the long heat resistant gloves with the stove. We found its quicker and less messy with an ash pan. If simplicity and one less gasket to deal with is your reason I totally understand.


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## raybonz (Dec 20, 2012)

The way I see it is I like this stove for several reasons:

It has a large firebox.
It's a welded steel firebox so no cement seams to leak.
It has a cast iron skin for aesthetics and radiates a softer heat and retains it well with the mass it has.
It's a convection stove so it's comfortable sitting near the stove.
It has a nice heavy baffle which I believe is lifetime guaranteed.
The price is reasonable.
It requires a hearth with ember protection only.
It's a Jotul a name that everyone knows and respects.
The only downside I have seen so far is some protruding firebricks inside the firebox.

Ray


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## Newmann (Dec 20, 2012)

VT F55 said:


> I have run the F55 for a couple weeks now...sold my Oslo. Like that I can load EW and NS. I'd say the claimed firebox volume is pretty accurate...loading NS I can cram almost 2.5 cu ft (16" splits) on top of a coal bed (~2 cu ft EW). I too have a strong draft and the secondaries have gotten away from me a couple times while burning NS with the air control shut down at ~300* stove top (stove top temps hit 650*-700* for a good hour plus until secondaries started to slow down)...still seeing if I can get better control by shutting down the air sooner to avoid off gassing the whole load at once...possibly a different mix of wood (some of my wood is maybe too dry ~12% moisture). This has not really been a problem though as the outside temps on these nights (in the low teens and upper single digits) warranted the extra heat and the burn time was not significantly affected. It would be nice if the firebox was completely square (as previously mentioned the back firebrick protrudes ~1" into the firebox on each side making the back 4-5" of the firebox ~2" narrower than the front). Loading NS and EW I have not had a problem keeping ~1900 sq ft of my house (built 1980 with average ceiling height ~11-12 ft., somewhere between tight and drafty) toasty on 2 loads/day (ash/maple/cherry/other mixed hardwoods). I get about 8 hours useable heat (stove top >/= 300*) and have no problem starting from coals up to 12 hours later. A few nights ago (with temps in the low teens) I loaded up NS at 8pm with the stove room at 71* (upstairs bedrooms 67* - 70*), was cruising at 500* by 9pm...when I got up at 6am the room temp was 69* (bedrooms ranged from 62*-67*), stove top was ~200 and there were plenty of hot coals to throw in a full load and have her cruising by 7am. I think with a little more time with the stove (possibly a damper to reduce the draft on those really cold nights) this stove will be everything I dreamed it would be...for the price I don't think I could be happier!


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## raybonz (Dec 20, 2012)

Newmann welcome to the forum! Did you try to post something? The only thing I see a previous post in your post..

Ray


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## Newmann (Dec 20, 2012)

Hi all;

New here and new to wood stove heating. Bought an F55 for our old drafty farmhouse in Woodbine, Maryland and my intent is to heat 24/7 with the stove. I did the break in and then some, but I'm sort of struggling trying to get a handle on a few things. I  get smoke in the house at times when I go to reload during the day, even after just cracking the door open for about 10-15 secs. Wood is mostly seasoned, but some of it's a bit green. Mixed oaks.

How do you folks who heat 24/7 run the stove ? In other words, do you load completely up in the morning or burn smaller fires through the day ? How often are you removing the ashes/coals and when ? At night, before you turn in do you load the box N/S all the way up ? Then, when your overnight load gets going, how do you gauge when to turn the air inlet down, and do you eventually close it entirely ? Mine creaks and bangs a bit on the way up and down

Any suggestions to make the stove operate at its best are greatly appreciated. Many thanks


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## raybonz (Dec 20, 2012)

Newman it's all about having good dry wood or you will be disappointed.. Modern EPA stoves rely on this for secondary and cat burn plus you lose lots of BTU's driving the moisture out of the wood.. Beware of creosote in your chimney flue as well.. I suggest you clean your flue monthly minimum if you're burning wet wood..

Ray


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## cmperry (Dec 20, 2012)

We have the Rangely so similar to yours. If your getting smoke when reloading and have the air completely open you have a draft issue (warm outside,chimney height, etc..) or smoldering splits without a good bed of coals. You don't state your burn temps but on a typical burn cycle I hit 600 regularly. This stove seems to love to burn with a full firebox. My routine is open air..spread coals around/front..load 3 splits n/s then 3 e/w on top..close draft half way to minimize overheating stove pipe but plenty of draft to get the load going good...after 10-15 minutes come back, close air completely off. The stove is around 400-450 degrees when I close off air, it will increase to around 550-650 degrees at the top of the burn and then slowly decrease without me touching a thing. My suspicion is you don't have a good coal bed or your running just a couple of splits at a time. Mine doesn't like to run on just a couple splits it likes a full firebox, but on a warm day I will just throw a couple in at a time just to keep coals in the stove for the full box in the evening but its not running great (probably would if I opened air more but I kinda let it smolder along until nightfall). We normally do the full load routine 2 or 3 times a day depending on temps. We both are not home all the time and this stove will have good coals after a LONG time..We empty the ash tray once a day. Don't  be afraid to get the temperature up with  this stove, I find it doesn't even start burning good until around 450 degrees. Everyone has an opinion but I wouldn't be concerned with temps hitting 700-750. Good luck and I bet with colder temps she'll come around.


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## cmperry (Dec 20, 2012)

raybonz said:


> Newman it's all about having good dry wood or you will be disappointed.. Modern EPA stoves rely on this for secondary and cat burn plus you lose lots of BTU's driving the moisture out of the wood.. Beware of creosote in your chimney flue as well.. I suggest you clean your flue monthly minimum if you're burning wet wood..
> 
> Ray


If there was ever an epa stove that would be forgiving with not optimal wood these Jotuls would be it. This is the 3rd stove connected to this chimney through the years and its a drafting monster compared to the 2 previous ones (both epa's). Great advise on the chimney cleaning.


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## raybonz (Dec 20, 2012)

cmperry said:


> If there was ever an epa stove that would be forgiving with not optimal wood these Jotuls would be it. This is the 3rd stove connected to this chimney through the years and its a drafting monster compared to the 2 previous ones (both epa's). Great advise on the chimney cleaning.


Secondaries will not light off with wet wood because of the cooling effect the moisture has on the reburn chamber. If the OP has very wet wood and he could by the sound of it he will experience smoke issues too if the flue doesn't get hot to get the draft going plus the mentioned creosote potential add this to living in a milder climate. This could be the recipe for disappointment and issues... I guess what I am trying to say is to get everything to ideal conditions and see what happens.. My T5 drafts well too but I do not run wet wood in it..

Ray


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## cmperry (Dec 20, 2012)

Yup..totally agree Ray..Its 33 degrees here now, Maryland must be a tad warmer and adding to poor draft. Good info on secondaries, thanks.


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## raybonz (Dec 20, 2012)

cmperry said:


> Yup..totally agree Ray..Its 33 degrees here now, Maryland must be a tad warmer and adding to poor draft. Good info on secondaries, thanks.


NP and welcome to the forum CMP! Please post a pic of your setup when you have a chance because we love pics here !  

Ray


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## cmperry (Dec 20, 2012)

Stove just loaded for the night..f50 Jotul Rangeley


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## VT F55 (Dec 20, 2012)

Newmann said:


> Hi all;
> 
> New here and new to wood stove heating. Bought an F55 for our old drafty farmhouse in Woodbine, Maryland and my intent is to heat 24/7 with the stove. I did the break in and then some, but I'm sort of struggling trying to get a handle on a few things. I get smoke in the house at times when I go to reload during the day, even after just cracking the door open for about 10-15 secs. Wood is mostly seasoned, but some of it's a bit green. Mixed oaks.
> 
> ...


Hi Newmann,

I did have an issue with smoke escaping from the latch side of the door on the first couple warm days burning the stove...now I just open up the air a little longer to reestablish a good draft and I have not had a problem.  I burn 24/7 and depending on the outside temps have only needed to load 2-3 times a day (a full night and morning load and a 3-4 split load early evening if its in the teens/single digits - haven't seen lower temps with this stove yet).  The past few days have been mild (mid 30s day 20s night) so I have only needed to load twice a day. My routine has been: around 8pm (stove top temp ~200*) shovel ash out from the front of the stove, rake coals to the front (the entire width of the front of the stove, up to the top of the dog house, 6", 8", 10" deep depending on the amount of coals), load EW starting on the floor of the firebox in the back (usually get 2 splits flat on the floor behind the coals) and add wood up to the baffle.  At the front of the stove I have 1 split directly on the coals almost right up to the dog house and stack 1 or 2 splits on top of that set back an inch or two deeper into the firebox.  Shut the door...most of the time I get flames in seconds (never longer than a minute) and 10 - 15 minutes later secondaries are rolling (stove top 250* - 300*) and I move the air control to the middle position.  I watch the flames to determine when to shut the air down more, but usually by 350*-400* I move the air control 3/4 of the way to the left and that is where I leave it (on colder nights I have had to move the air control all the way to the left).  The next morning I get up around 6am and do the same routine without emptying any ash (I empty ash nightly or every other night)...usually have the stove cruising at 7-7:30.  I have needed to burn the coals down a couple of times in the morning...just rake forward with the air fully open and let it go for 30min - 1hr.

I did load NS a couple of times (using essentially the same technique described above) and stove top temps got up there real quick (600*-700*) but it burned all night...about the same cycle as my EW burns, but with more heat.  I estimate that I can cram about 25% more wood in the firebox NS...can't wait for the temps to drop again so I can burn NS again!

My stove creaked and banged the first couple nights, but I haven't noticed it lately...I'll listen for it tonight.  Good luck!


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## VT F55 (Dec 20, 2012)

raybonz said:


> The way I see it is I like this stove for several reasons:
> 
> It has a large firebox.
> It's a welded steel firebox so no cement seams to leak.
> ...


Summarized nicely Ray! A couple additions:
1. Roughly square firebox (can burn EW or NS)
2. Long burn times for a non-cat
3. Made in the USA - in my home state of Maine!


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## raybonz (Dec 20, 2012)

VT F55 said:


> Summarized nicely Ray! A couple additions:
> 1. Roughly square firebox (can burn EW or NS)
> 2. Long burn times for a non-cat


Secondary burn stoves can and do burn as long as a cat stove in normal burn situations. By this I mean it's cold out and you need heat.. I can burn NS and EW with the T5 but the splits must be about 15" for that and I only do this for smaller hotter quick fires.. For overnight I pack it full NS only with the coals raked forward..

Ray


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## cmperry (Dec 20, 2012)

Glad you thought of #3..That did factor into our initial buying desicion


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## VT F55 (Dec 20, 2012)

cmperry said:


> I've had both, stove without ash pan and my f50 that has one. I'm just curious on how the stove without the ash pan is a benefit (maybe one less gasket?). This stove (f50) has a slotted firebox bottom (grates?). Get up..open draft..rake a fireplace hook through the coals 2 or 3 times and ash falls into the pan..load stove..open ash door..take ash pan outside and dump (once a day)...replace and close damper and done for 5-6 hrs. Jotul even supplies the long heat resistant gloves with the stove. We found its quicker and less messy with an ash pan. If simplicity and one less gasket to deal with is your reason I totally understand.


My Oslo burned better with the ash pan full so I never used it...I just got used to shoveling into a bucket.


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## cmperry (Dec 20, 2012)

Oh,I see..I understand now, thanks


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## raybonz (Dec 20, 2012)

My CDW was the same way so I left it full.. The T5 ashpan is not sealed to the firebox, they employ an ash chute door but I find it easy to just shovel it out..

Ray


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## Dutch (Dec 21, 2012)

I think I finally have this stove dialed in.  I had a little frustration with unregulated secondary air but I definitely have it solved.  I have two magnets covering 80% of the secondary air inlet due to a tall system and the high winds.  Today was about 18* with 40 mph wind gusts.  I reloaded this morning at 5:30 which was a piece of cake restart after 9 hours. Came home once at about 10 and noticed small wisps of smoke coming from the chimney, went inside and closed off even more of the secondary air (due to extreme winds) which in my understanding slows the gasses down enough to allow them to preheat to a higher temp.  Result was instant secondaries, and no more wisps of smoke.  Came home at 5:30 and stove top was at 300* with lots of coals for another easy restart.  As a matter of fact, I am getting secondary activity within a minute of reloading, and by the time I get my boots on and go outside, no smoke.  Very happy.


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## Bub381 (Dec 27, 2012)

My wood had only dried for about 8 months and i had dirty glass in both lower corners,i did have to tighten my door a couple times due to the gasket flattening out.This was operator error on the wood and normal activity i believe on the gasket.


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## Rusnakes (Feb 6, 2013)

Hi everyone--

Thanks for this thread; it has been extremely helpful in our decision to purchase an F 55.  I was interested to hear any updates from you all now that you are further through the heating season.

We ended up choosing the F 55 because of hearth clearances.  Our home is "blessed" with lots of doorways and windows, which made a stove site in the house more difficult to determine.  However, with the 40 3/4 x 33 minimum hearth size, we'll be able to place it comfortably in the room where we'd like it to go (whew!).

Any updates would be great!  Thanks again for all of the great info.

Emily


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## ThinAir (Feb 25, 2014)

Hello folks, I'll begin with this being my first post to this wonderful site, I've gained a tremendous insight into the world of wood stoves, burning technique, and moreover a respect for all the fine contributors to this site.  For openers, my wife and I live in Bozeman, MT and are about to undertake a major remodel/addition to a very tiny 1920's bungalow in town.  The finished first floor sq. ft. will be approx. 1,300, and will be very open with an open stairwell going up.  The upper sq. footage will be around 800 to 1,000, which will house bedrooms and bathrooms.  The basement is 28x28, the current size of the home and will remain that size (no basement addition, just crawl under new addition.  Because I've never owned a stove before, I'll state that I know I don't know how exactly I'll utilize it, but our hopes would be that if desired we could heat the house with it.  On the other hand I want comfortable heat that we can enjoy sitting near for the purpose of soaking in the heat for our old bones and being able to enjoy the flame.  Because we are adding on a 16x36 rectangle on to our 28x28 home, the stove will be sitting at the transition point and centered between new and old, probably on the backside of a stairwell.  The addition will house the new living and dining space, and adjacent to that in the old part of the house will be the kitchen.

The house is getting a whole new lid, all new windows, and insulation (all plaster is coming off the existing interior walls for electrical in insulation purposes)

The reason I'm posing here is that it is prevalent to the stove type that I'm interested in.  We have the great fortune of having most stove mfg's represented here and have visited each dealer to get a feel for what we think we like.  After reading in this website for a week or more on and off, I believe we'd like a cast iron or steel wrapped in cast iron stove.  Our favorite local dealer represents Jotul, Pacific Energy, Vermont Casting, Hearthstone.  We viewed the "new" PE T5 with the clean glass and like the looks of the stove very much.  He also had the Jotul Oslo sitting right next to it.  When asked about the Oslo he stated that it may be too much stove for us to sit by and enjoy and perhaps overkill.  After visiting the Jotul site, I saw the new F50 and F55 stoves.  He did not have them nor did he mention them.

Now after all that above....I know... I ramble, my questions are at to the noted or perceived differences between the PE Alderlea T5/6 and the Jotul F55 for our desired needs.   Each stove mfg. has differences, but not having owned a stove before I really don't know how those differences would impact our desires in a stove.  A bit of feedback here would be fabulous.


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## raybonz (Feb 25, 2014)

ThinAir said:


> differences between the PE Alderlea T5/6 and the Jotul F55 for our desired needs.


I'd say these 3 stoves are quite similar in heating capabilities.. Based on this I'd go with which look you prefer. I can tell you that you can sit near the T-5 and not feel cooked because the cast iron sides have an air space between the firebox and the cast iron so the cast iron always stays under 300 degrees. Add a blower to keep the heat more uniform and they help alot in colder weather.. The T-5 blower is fairly quiet as blowers go and I can't speak to the F55.. I heat 1600+ sq. ft. in SE Mass. with the T-5 and it heats my home very well..

Good Luck!
Ray


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## ThinAir (Feb 26, 2014)

raybonz said:


> I'd say these 3 stoves are quite similar in heating capabilities.. Based on this I'd go with which look you prefer. I can tell you that you can sit near the T-5 and not feel cooked because the cast iron sides have an air space between the firebox and the cast iron so the cast iron always stays under 300 degrees. Add a blower to keep the heat more uniform and they help alot in colder weather.. The T-5 blower is fairly quiet as blowers go and I can't speak to the F55.. I heat 1600+ sq. ft. in SE Mass. with the T-5 and it heats my home very well..
> 
> Good Luck!
> Ray


I just looked at our plan again and we'll be just over 1,200 sq. ft. on the main level and another 700 up.  I plan to have a look at the new Carabassett by Jotul in the next few days, looking forward to bringing a tape measure and check out the interior dimensions.  The Jotul appears to be 15% or less expensive than the PET5.  I'm getting a quote of $2,495.00 for the T5.   Seems a bit high.  
Thanks for the reply, Brian


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## Mnpole (Apr 1, 2016)

raybonz said:


> That is a big stove! Does that MSRP include the cast iron skin? If so that's a decent price.. Ash pans are something I don't care about and don't use on my T5..
> I've got a PE Neo 1.6 and the ash pan and the stoves ash lip are useless.Excellent firebox though.
> Ray


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## Mnpole (Apr 1, 2016)

VT F55 said:


> I have run the F55 for a couple weeks now...sold my Oslo.  Like that I can load EW and NS.  I'd say the claimed firebox volume is pretty accurate...loading NS I can cram almost 2.5 cu ft (16" splits) on top of a coal bed (~2 cu ft EW).  I too have a strong draft and the secondaries have gotten away from me a couple times while burning NS with the air control shut down at ~300* stove top (stove top temps hit 650*-700* for a good hour plus until secondaries started to slow down)...still seeing if I can get better control by shutting down the air sooner to avoid off gassing the whole load at once...possibly a different mix of wood (some of my wood is maybe too dry ~12% moisture).  This has not really been a problem though as the outside temps on these nights (in the low teens and upper single digits) warranted the extra heat and the burn time was not significantly affected.  It would be nice if the firebox was completely square (as previously mentioned the back firebrick protrudes ~1" into the firebox on each side making the back 4-5" of the firebox ~2" narrower than the front).  Loading NS and EW I have not had a problem keeping ~1900 sq ft of my house (built 1980 with average ceiling height ~11-12 ft., somewhere between tight and drafty) toasty on 2 loads/day (ash/maple/cherry/other mixed hardwoods).  I get about 8 hours useable heat (stove top >/= 300*) and have no problem starting from coals up to 12 hours later.  A few nights ago (with temps in the low teens) I loaded up NS at 8pm with the stove room at 71* (upstairs bedrooms 67* - 70*), was cruising at 500* by 9pm...when I got up at 6am the room temp was 69* (bedrooms ranged from 62*-67*), stove top was ~200 and there were plenty of hot coals to throw in a full load and have her cruising by 7am.   I think with a little more time with the stove (possibly a damper to reduce the draft on those really cold nights) this stove will be everything I dreamed it would be...for the price I don't think I could be happier!


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## Mnpole (Apr 1, 2016)

Dutch said:


> I have been running an F55 since October.  I do not think the stove is as large as some perceive it to be.  Measured from fire brick to fire brick it is 20 in wide.  Measured from firebrick to doghouse air is 18 in.  the baffle is tapered up from back to front and at the lowest point it is about 11 in.  There are also two protruding firebricks in the back that I will try to get pictures of for you.  Using these measurements I get about 2.25 sq ft.  I am measuring this relatively conservatively.  Should I be measuring to the glass, and also should I include the extra under the tapered baffle?  I am heating a two story 1600 sf house in southern Wisconsin.  My conservative nature even got the best of me and I decided not to open the door to the upstairs.  Don't get me wrong this stove would probably heat a 2000 plus home if ran 24/7.  I usually just run the stove once a day when I get home from work.  I am happy as I have only used just shy ofa face cord so far.  The stove did require some modifying of the secondary air due to strong draft issues.  Any particular questions feel free to ask.


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## Tom Martin (Oct 29, 2017)

We had an F55 installed 2 years ago and we are having problems with smoke escaping into the room when we add wood. To start the stove we have to open a window and leave the stove door cracked a bit or the flame will go out after the paper burns. I installed an outdoor air feed system and the problem still exists, any ideas.


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## saydinli (Oct 29, 2017)

How tall is your chimney? Is most of it on the outside ? Where is your stove located ? Is it in the basement or on the main level?  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## begreen (Oct 29, 2017)

Tom Martin said:


> We had an F55 installed 2 years ago and we are having problems with smoke escaping into the room when we add wood. To start the stove we have to open a window and leave the stove door cracked a bit or the flame will go out after the paper burns. I installed an outdoor air feed system and the problem still exists, any ideas.


A couple more questions in addition to the good ones by saydinli. Has the stove always behaved this way or is it better once it gets very cold outside. Can you describe the flue setup in detail, starting at the stove and all the way up to the chimney cap?


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## Tom Martin (Oct 29, 2017)

begreen said:


> A couple more questions in addition to the good ones by saydinli. Has the stove always behaved this way or is it better once it gets very cold outside. Can you describe the flue setup in detail, starting at the stove and all the way up to the chimney cap?


24” up from the stove to a 45, 21” to another 45 and straight up the chimney. The stove has always behaved this way no matter of the outside temperature


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## Tom Martin (Oct 29, 2017)

saydinli said:


> How tall is your chimney? Is most of it on the outside ? Where is your stove located ? Is it in the basement or on the main level?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


the chimney is 6', 2' above the peak of the house. We have a single level house so most of the most of the chimney is outside.


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## begreen (Oct 29, 2017)

About how high is it from the thimble to the top of the chimney?  Does the chimney have a 6"  stainless liner in it or is it just a clay liner? If just a clay liner, what are the approximate inside dimensions?


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## Tom Martin (Oct 29, 2017)

begreen said:


> About how high is it from the thimble to the top of the chimney?  Does the chimney have a 6"  stainless liner in it or is it just a clay liner? If just a clay liner, what are the approximate inside dimensions?


It is a little over 6’ from the thimble to the top, it’s an insulated stainless chimney


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## begreen (Oct 29, 2017)

You have done the right steps on the interior and the insulated liner is great, but it seems like there is too little total flue system height on the stove for it to draft well. Most modern stoves need stronger draft. The F55 wants about 15' total.  If possible, it sounds like the chimney need an extension. In lieu of that it may take a change the stove to one that can work ok with a shorter flue system. 

From the F55 manual:
"Chimneys shorter than 14 feet (4.27 m) may not provide adequate draft. Inadequate draft can result in smoke spillage when loading the stove, or when the door is open. Poor draft can also cause back puffing (ignition of gas build-up inside the firebox) and sluggish performance. The minimum height does not, in itself, guarantee proper chimney performance. Optimum draft force should be in the .05 - .10 in. w.c. range measured by a Magnahelic gauge. Draft at .07 w.c. is ideal."


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## Tom Martin (Oct 30, 2017)

begreen said:


> You have done the right steps on the interior and the insulated liner is great, but it seems like there is too little total flue system height on the stove for it to draft well. Most modern stoves need stronger draft. The F55 wants about 15' total.  If possible, it sounds like the chimney need an extension. In lieu of that it may take a change the stove to one that can work ok with a shorter flue system.
> 
> From the F55 manual:
> "Chimneys shorter than 14 feet (4.27 m) may not provide adequate draft. Inadequate draft can result in smoke spillage when loading the stove, or when the door is open. Poor draft can also cause back puffing (ignition of gas build-up inside the firebox) and sluggish performance. The minimum height does not, in itself, guarantee proper chimney performance. Optimum draft force should be in the .05 - .10 in. w.c. range measured by a Magnahelic gauge. Draft at .07 w.c. is ideal."


Thank you so much for this, I do have another smaller stove in our garage so I will switch them out, the chimney in the garage is over 14 feet so it should be toasty in there this winter.


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## Tom Martin (Oct 30, 2017)

Tom Martin said:


> Thank you so much for this, I do have another smaller stove in our garage so I will switch them out, the chimney in the garage is over 14 feet so it should be toasty in there this winter.


Instead of the hassle of moving the stove I added a 3’ extension and brace outside. Even though it is a rainy day here we can see the difference, we can open the door without any smoke coming back into the house. The chimney is now about 16’, I only wish I would have thought of seeking advice here when we installed this unit. Going to be a toasty winter here, thank you again.


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## Tom Martin (Nov 20, 2017)

Tom Martin said:


> Instead of the hassle of moving the stove I added a 3’ extension and brace outside. Even though it is a rainy day here we can see the difference, we can open the door without any smoke coming back into the house. The chimney is now about 16’, I only wish I would have thought of seeking advice here when we installed this unit. Going to be a toasty winter here, thank you again.



Yotul is purring, thanks again folks. Anyone know the optimum operating range for beat efficiency.


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