# Will a Harman Accentra really heat 2,000 sq feet?



## fishwater (Apr 29, 2012)

I found a Harman Accentra FS for sale two hours away. I went to the Harman website & they claim the stove will do 2200 square feet but I also see other documents that say 1450 sq ft. The 40k btu seems a little low to heat 2000 square feet. Will it do it? Is there a new version vs an old one that would explain the two ratings?


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## SmokeyTheBear (Apr 29, 2012)

fishwater said:


> I found a Harman Accentra FS for sale two hours away. I went to the Harman website & they claim the stove will do 2200 square feet but I also see other documents that say 1450 sq ft. The 40k btu seems a little low to heat 2000 square feet. Will it do it? Is there a new version vs an old one that would explain the two ratings?


 

It depends upon your particular house and location. Can it ? Yes. Will it? Not likely unless you have a well sealed and insulated house. Oh, what a lot of people consider as well sealed and insulated my be neither.


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## Defiant (Apr 29, 2012)

fishwater said:


> I found a Harman Accentra FS for sale two hours away. I went to the Harman website & they claim the stove will do 2200 square feet but I also see other documents that say 1450 sq ft. The 40k btu seems a little low to heat 2000 square feet. Will it do it? Is there a new version vs an old one that would explain the two ratings?


What are you burning now and what do you want to accomplish


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## fishwater (Apr 29, 2012)

I am heating a 2000 sq ft cape on propane with 2 propane stoves rated at 30k each. The home is extremely tight & efficient. Both stoves are never run over 2 on the dial that goes up to 10. I am going to keep one of the stoves & replace the one at the far end of the house with the pellet stove.


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## Defiant (Apr 29, 2012)

fishwater said:


> I am heating a 2000 sq ft cape on propane with 2 propane stoves rated at 30k each. The home is extremely tight & efficient. Both stoves are never run over 2 on the dial that goes up to 10. I am going to keep one of the stoves & replace the one at the far end of the house with the pellet stove.


The Accentra is a great stove. Do you have any previous experience with wood/pellet stoves for supplemental heating?


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## fishwater (Apr 29, 2012)

No, I don't but I have been researching & reading as much as I can to be as prepared as possible. A good friend of mine has an Accentra insert that he loves but he is heating a smaller ranch.


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## Defiant (Apr 29, 2012)

The Accentra insert is one of the best, you should talk with him or do more research on pellet purchasing/usage and storage. If your only experience is gas you are either rich, old, or lazy, sorry to put it that way.


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## fishwater (Apr 29, 2012)

I am not looking at the insert, I am looking at the free standing (FS) stove. I have been researching which is why I am asking users on this forum who may have a similar size home in my geographic area for honest feedback. Sorry if that somehow comes across as lazy or rich?


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## dfolker4 (Apr 29, 2012)

If you are willing to do some work and you keep one of the propane stoves you should be way warmer than last year.


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## Defiant (Apr 29, 2012)

fishwater said:


> I am not looking at the insert, I am looking at the free standing (FS) stove. I have been researching which is why I am asking users on this forum who may have a similar size home in my geographic area for honest feedback. Sorry if that somehow comes across as lazy or rich?


Did not mean to imply rich or lazy, love the FS Accentra, had one before I got a great deal on a new XV, where are you located?


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## fishwater (Apr 29, 2012)

I am in the seacoast of NH


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## gbreda (Apr 29, 2012)

fishwater said:


> I am in the seacoast of NH


 
Go to Home and Hearth in Hampton and check one out first hand. They usually have some burning outside and will have some of the answers for you as well.


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## Defiant (Apr 29, 2012)

What is the price on a good deal FS Accentra? A great stove easy to maintain.


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## DexterDay (Apr 29, 2012)

You should ask the real question here.... 

He had a previous thread asking what stove he should buy. The Englander CPM,  Quad CB 1200, or Heatilator CAB-50 (and PS-50). 

If you want to know if the Harman will do a better job than any of those 3 stoves???? Yes. It will. Harman is the Cadillac of stoves. Has all the nice features. Will do auto On/Off and High/Low (they refer to it as Room Temp or Stove Temp and Manual and Auto, but if your not familiar, then maybe those terms ring a bell  ).

The others are good units. All have there attributes. The Classic Bay will always have a place in my heart. It was my 1st and been a trooper heating this place on Low (90% of the time). 

Whats the price??


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## fishwater (Apr 29, 2012)

It is listed for $1500 firm


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## DexterDay (Apr 29, 2012)

Snag it.... Period. You will not be disappointed.

Lots of stoves are rated around 40,000 BTU's. You must remember, that these are normally "Input" #'s.

The stoves "BTU Output" is based on how well it exchanges that heat. Harman has one the Best Exchange Systems out there. Period. 

Plus.... Its a Harman.

Ask if he will take $1,300 "Cash" (or $1,400, but I know that I always leave "wiggle room" when I sell something.  Lets the buyer think they "Got me"! But I include it in the asking price and I always put FIRM).


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## SmokeyTheBear (Apr 29, 2012)

At what temperature were you keeping your house at when running on propane?


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## fishwater (Apr 29, 2012)

On average I would say 70 degree's on the main floor & 68 upstairs.


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## DexterDay (Apr 29, 2012)

fishwater said:


> On average I would say 70 degree's on the main floor & 68 upstairs.



Pics would help a lot in this situation. But if you are set on a Pellet stove and need to stay within a certain budget. Then that stove should be fine.

Unless your heating a Super Large area, and need a 70,000 BTU stove?? It will serve you well. 

Because you are already heating with 2 stoves downstairs and you are only running them at Low settings. That leaves a lot of room for a heat increase from both units. Also, not having a heater upstairs, you know what a space heater downstairs does (pellet, wood, gas, stoves are only space heaters). 

I wish I would have found an Accentra for $1,500 three weeks ago. I wanted a Multi-Fuel agitator unit, but I would have taken a Harman in a Heartbeat. Especially at that price.


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## Eatonpcat (Apr 30, 2012)

DexterDay said:


> Pics would help a lot in this situation. But if you are set on a Pellet stove and need to stay within a certain budget. Then that stove should be fine.
> 
> Unless your heating a Super Large area, and need a 70,000 BTU stove?? It will serve you well.
> 
> ...


 
Might as well just get another stove Mad Dog...Maybe put it in the Bathroom!


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## Lousyweather (Apr 30, 2012)

I DO NOT like "this stove will heat blah-blah" square feet generalizations. There are far too many variables in regions and homes to say this. How does the heat attenuate itself within a particular home? What type of pellets? How cold is it regionally? How insulated is the home? How clean does the particular user keep the stove?What temperature does the user find comfortable? Many of these things are not quantifiable. The best you can do is get the btu/hr rating of the particular stove (40,000 btu/hr for the Accentra F/S), and compare stoves that way. As for 70 downstairs and 68 upstairs? Unlikely. I heat a 2000 square foot colonial built in 1988 with 2x6 walls with a P61, have an 8 degree difference between my first and second floor, and burn 5 tons per year in New England. I think expecting to heat 2200 square feet with a 40,000 btu/hr stove, and having only a 2 degree differential between floors is exceedingly optimistic.
As for the $1500 value? I'd need to knw the age.....if its chain drive, less. If its direct drive....maybe.


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## DexterDay (Apr 30, 2012)

Lousyweather said:


> I DO NOT like "this stove will heat blah-blah" square feet generalizations. There are far too many variables in regions and homes to say this. How does the heat attenuate itself within a particular home? What type of pellets? How cold is it regionally? How insulated is the home? How clean does the particular user keep the stove?What temperature does the user find comfortable? Many of these things are not quantifiable. The best you can do is get the btu/hr rating of the particular stove (40,000 btu/hr for the Accentra F/S), and compare stoves that way. As for 70 downstairs and 68 upstairs? Unlikely. I heat a 2000 square foot colonial built in 1988 with 2x6 walls with a P61, have an 8 degree difference between my first and second floor, and burn 5 tons per year in New England. I think expecting to heat 2200 square feet with a 40,000 btu/hr stove, and having only a 2 degree differential between floors is exceedingly optimistic.
> As for the $1500 value? I'd need to knw the age.....if its chain drive, less. If its direct drive....maybe.



He is saying that he already uses 2 propane stoves, on a very low level (2 out of 10 heat levels), to heat his entire home.

The OP is replacing one of the Propane stoves w/ a Pellet stove. So he already heats to 70 down and 68 up. 2 stoves at different ends of the house provide a better convective flow. So I have no doubt that the Accentra would succeed in heating his home. For 2 reasons. 1.) The 30,000 BTU propane stove he is replacing, is only used on level 2 of 10. So he is using a very small amount of BTU's. 2.) The other Propane stove thats run on level 2, can be turned up if needed? The Harman is merely a larger replacement stove. 

All the points you made are valid. The pellets, the user, maintenance and cleaning schedule, etc. But because he is already heating with 2 small stoves and only replacing one, I say a 40,000 BTU pellet stove is a good replacement to a 30,000 BTU Propane (Gas stove).


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## SmokeyTheBear (Apr 30, 2012)

fishwater,

You need to consider what might happen to the air flow in your house if you replace one of those gas units with a pellet stove.  The blowers are likely different both in terms of maximum CFM and actual used at any instant CFM.

In other words you are also changing your air flow system and this will have an impact on how well the new setup heats your house.

Would you please tell us the brand and model of the gas units you currently have?

Dexter and Lousyweather,

Keep up the discussion and don't assume things about how those gas units fire.


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## fishwater (Apr 30, 2012)

Smokey, I have two Charmglow propane stoves, self vent with a blower but we never run the blower. The units are run at a very low level & heat the home pretty good except for the moisture they are causing in the home. They are nothing fancy & quite frankly were installed as suplimental heat to the hydronic forced hot air system. We have heated the home exclusively with the two stoves for the last 5 years. They are on opposite ends of the house, one is in the mudroom/sunroom on one end of the house while the other is in the livingroom. I will keep the one in the livingroom & replace the one in the sunroom.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Apr 30, 2012)

fishwater said:


> Smokey, I have two Charmglow propane stoves, self vent with a blower but we never run the blower. The units are run at a very low level & heat the home pretty good except for the moisture they are causing in the home. They are nothing fancy & quite frankly were installed as suplimental heat to the hydronic forced hot air system. We have heated the home exclusively with the two stoves for the last 5 years. They are on opposite ends of the house, one is in the mudroom/sunroom on one end of the house while the other is in the livingroom. I will keep the one in the livingroom & replace the one in the sunroom.


 

I'm trying to get a copy of the manual for that propane unit you have and like a lot of things I search for it appears that Google is placing crap sites up high in its results at the moment.

Some (a very large number) of the propane (natural gas units) controls do not work as one might expect, setting a unit on a certain number is actually a desired warmth setting (t-stat) and has nothing to do with the stoves actual firing rate.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Apr 30, 2012)

As far as heat production capability the Harman unit you are talking about is for all intents the same size (heating wise) as one of your gas stoves.

How much gas did you burn this past winter?


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## fishwater (Apr 30, 2012)

I used close to 600 gallons. I am going to look at the Accentra but I think it may be too small. The seller has a similar layout & sq footage as me but he does not run the stove at night, only during the day. He uses his forced hot air to heat the upstairs bedroom at night. He is replacing the Accentra with a CB1200 or Mt Vernon & thinks it will do a better job.


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## DexterDay (Apr 30, 2012)

Some Harman owners dont fully understand the operation of the unit and how its designed to run... Not saying the current owner doesn't?  But one never knows. Stove temp, Room temp, Manual, Auto, Feed Rate, ESP, Etc. Its a lot to understand. Some owners constantly mess with the Feed rate and adjust for Mileage. 

The Classic Bay is a fantastic stove. But its only 7,500 BTU's more. And thats "Input", not Output. The Harmans have the most innovative Heat Exchanger out there. IMO. 

The Classic Bay os an underrated Beast. Just not a lot of features. It comes on and Heats like a Monster, until no more heat is needed. I dont think you would be dissatisfied with either. But the Harman has more Bells and Whistles. But if you dont like to tinker with stuff, then the Quad is a good choice.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Apr 30, 2012)

The Harman would need to run the equivalent of 134 days at it's mid point (which only the stove really gets to decide on) to cover the BTUs from burning 600 gallons of propane in those vent less units.  You need 55 million net BTU and last winter was relatively mild.

You are looking at 4.02 tons of a decent pellet.

You would exceed my druthers for dedicated pellet heating, that stove would cut your propane usage, what it would buy you may make it worth your while.


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## DexterDay (Apr 30, 2012)

SmokeyTheBear said:


> The Harman would need to run the equivalent of 134 days at it's mid point (which only the stove really gets to decide on) to cover the BTUs from burning 600 gallons of propane in those vent less units.  You need 55 million net BTU and last winter was relatively mild.
> 
> You are looking at 4.02 tons of a decent pellet.
> 
> You would exceed my druthers for dedicated pellet heating, that stove would cut your propane usage, what it would buy you may make it worth your while.



I believe he was still gonna use the one propane stove? Only trying to cut usage? I know LP is Way Expensive here.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Apr 30, 2012)

DexterDay said:


> I believe he was still gonna use the one propane stove? Only trying to cut usage? I know LP is Way Expensive here.


 

Yes, I understand that, but his question begs the answer I gave.

fishwater,

I'm heating a large chunk (> 1800 square feet) of my house (2688 square feet) using pellets from my basement (well daylight basement) which is always a catch as catch can situation.  The temperature difference between floors is between 5 and 8 degrees, my t-stat is set at 73 degrees with a swing of 3 or 0.75 degrees .   If the layout was better or I install some interior storms (currently building them) I likely could even things out a bit better.  The only air circulation aid I am using is the convection blower on the stove.


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## kinsmanstoves (Apr 30, 2012)

Remember running at a 40,000 btu setting will burn 5 lbs of fuel per hour.  This is not saying a 40,000 btu stove will only run at 5 lbs an hour but to obtain 40,000 btu you need approx 5 lbs an hour of pellets.

Eric


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## Eatonpcat (Apr 30, 2012)

kinsmanstoves said:


> Remember running at a 40,000 btu setting will burn 5 lbs of fuel per hour. This is not saying a 40,000 btu stove will only run at 5 lbs an hour but to obtain 40,000 btu you need approx 5 lbs an hour of pellets.
> 
> Eric


 
That could get pricey!  LOL


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## Hoot23 (Apr 30, 2012)

If you don't think the accentra will work, on craig's list in NH there are a few stoves on there if you are looking to buy used. A couple of p61's and a p68. 

I'm happy with the way my p61 heats our colonial(1950 sqf) keeps it 76 downstairs. And 71-72 upstairs with the t-stat at 73.


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## AbetterChimneynm (Apr 30, 2012)

I have sold many Harman Accentra's free standings to customers in the past years, With that being said, will it heat that many sq feet? maybe, but it will be running all the time to do so, i would think it would be better to find a p61 or something bigger so that the stove does not spend so much time on and uses less pellets


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## movemaine (May 6, 2012)

Check out the heat diagram in my signature below. 

I have a 2400 sq ft tri-level home, there isn't great air movement in my house, due to how things are chopped up.
But, with my Harman Accentra insert, I heat about 1900-2000 sq ft. In winter, when it's at it's coldest, I can get the back bedrooms up to 71-73 degrees. 
This is without fans, or anything.

The Harman is a brilliant stove, works well, and is easy to maintain/clean.

Pellet quality does make a difference. Although the Harman can burn anything, I got the best heat output from softwoods such as LaCrete's or Okanagans.

Also, during winter, I keep the stove on Stove Temp - 75 degrees and low. I found that this works better than using room temp/stove thermostat. Because when using the thermostat, the stove has to ramp up and down. When you are trying to heat 2000 sq feet on thermostat, the areas far away from the stove will get really cold as the thermostat doesn't register temperature in other areas of the house. So the ramping up and ramping down of the stove causes much more extreme temperature differences in the remote areas of the house.

Additionally, I found that by keeping the stove on stove temp, the amount of pellets I was burning wasn't noticeably different (even though the stove is always running) from room temp mode. 


So, in other words - BUY THE STOVE. You won't be disappointed.


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## Centurion (May 6, 2012)

fishwater said:


> I found a Harman Accentra FS for sale two hours away. I went to the Harman website & they claim the stove will do 2200 square feet but I also see other documents that say 1450 sq ft. The 40k btu seems a little low to heat 2000 square feet. Will it do it? Is there a new version vs an old one that would explain the two ratings?


 
 It is a wonderful stove and I heated roughly 1900 sq ft.  The only negative thing that I can think of is that it is a bit of a pain pulling it out to clean.  Pull your friends out, with his permission of course , and see what you think.  I guess that would be typical of all inserts but they do make a neat installation.


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## DexterDay (May 6, 2012)

Centurion said:


> It is a wonderful stove and I heated roughly 1900 sq ft.  The only negative thing that I can think of is that it is a bit of a pain pulling it out to clean.  Pull your friends out, with his permission of course , and see what you think.  I guess that would be typical of all inserts but they do make a neat installation.


 
He is looking at a FS (Freestanding unit).


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## Defiant (May 6, 2012)

DexterDay said:


> He is looking at a FS (Freestanding unit).


Remember these units are supplemental, they will take the bite off of your primary bill.


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## DexterDay (May 6, 2012)

Defiant said:


> Remember these units are supplemental, they will take the bite off of your primary bill.



 

I heat with Pellets Primarily.

My back-up is LP. Although I haven't needed it in about 4 yrs. The 1st 3 were the Quad 1200 only. 

Im to Frugal (cheap) to use LP! !! I found one of my last Bills (on the budget/ means you pay that in July as well as January). 
It was almost $400...........

No ProPain in my house 

Pellet stoves are space heaters. But depending on the size and layout????


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## smoke show (May 6, 2012)

DexterDay said:


> Pellet stoves are space heaters.


 
And the space we heat is our entire house....


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## Defiant (May 6, 2012)

DexterDay said:


> I heat with Pellets Primarily.
> 
> My back-up is LP. Although I haven't needed it in about 4 yrs. The 1st 3 were the Quad 1200 only.
> 
> ...


Mad Dog what heats your water? I guess that is what I call my primary heat source. I have an instant hot water heat oil (fossiil fuel) system for that application and subsidise (sp) that with pellet and wood to keep the house cozy, cooking is with electric oven and propane gas top.
The Accentra is a great supplemental heater, do not see it doing more than that.


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## DexterDay (May 6, 2012)

Defiant said:


> Mad Dog what heats your water? I guess that is what I call my primary heat source. I have an instant hot water heat oil (fossiil fuel) system for that application and subsidise (sp) that with pellet and wood to keep the house cozy, cooking is with electric oven and propane gas top.
> The Accentra is a great supplemental heater, do not see it doing more than that.



We used to go through about 3-4 tanks of LP a year. ($4,000 give or take)

My hot water has been switched to electric. Cooking is still LP. But its been since Nov 09 since my Tank was filled and its still at 45%. 

So Primary is Pellet (and Wood starting this last season). My Cooking is LP. But I have thought about electric stove as well.

So 3-4 tanks a yr (500 gal) to 1 tank every 4 yrs ( prob a lil longer). 

With an electric Stove. I wouldnt need LP. Period. But I am to big of a Pyro to get rid of Fire for Cooking


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## Crane Stoves (May 6, 2012)

I walked into the family pet and garden center in Hanover , Ma. today and watched one of these harman units in action... I was amazed at the heat this thing was putting out (i always found these pellet stoker stoves to fail at producing the kind of heat output of a conventional stove until i saw this thing thing in action! I was so intrigued by it i asked the owner Jim how its reliability has been (mind you he is NOT a dealer of stoves but he has owned and ran many). Jim said this Harmon Unit is his main heat source (and his center is a whole lot bigger then 2000 sq'! Not sure if your from south east Ma. but he seems to keep thing cooking all the time and he would let you play around with the settings and check it out im sure.


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## Defiant (May 6, 2012)

doug crane said:


> I walked into the family pet and garden center in Hanover , Ma. today and watched one of these harmon units in action... I was amazed at the heat this thing was putting out (i always found these pellet stoker stoves to fail at producing the kind of heat output of a conventional stove until i saw this thing thing in action! I was so intrigued by it i asked the owner Jim how its reliability has been (mind you he is NOT a dealer of stoves but he has owned and ran many). Jim said this Harmon Unit is his main heat source (and his center is a whole lot bigger then 2000 sq'! Not sure if your from south east Ma. but he seems to keep thing cooking all the time and he would let you play around with the settings and check it out im sure.


Doug it is spelled Harman, sorry could not let it slip by.


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## Crane Stoves (May 6, 2012)

Defiant said:


> Doug it is spelled Harman, sorry could not let it slip by.


 
Im a drop out, so people better start getting used to my typo's around here  fixing now....


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## DexterDay (May 6, 2012)

doug crane said:


> Im a drop out, so people better start getting used to my typo's around here  fixing now....



Harmon... Hormone? ? 

HARMAN....  

(I suck at spelling too)


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## Defiant (May 6, 2012)

DexterDay said:


> Harmon... Hormone? ?
> 
> HARMAN....
> 
> (I suck at spelling too)


Sorry had to do it, I am a Harming man.


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## cchilly (May 8, 2012)

Fishwater - I have a Accentra insert at my house.  I have a 2400 sq ft colonial with a pretty open floor plan.  It was built in 2002 so its pretty tight and insulated.  The stove works fine.  I don't even use the oil heat in the winter time.  The house stays at roughly 75 in the room that has the stove and the bedrooms upstairs are roughly 68-70.  For some reason we get a real cold spell I might need to turn on the upstairs heat just incase it gets below a certain temp.  I think I only did that once 2 years ago.  I'm located in central MA. 

So I think it would work for you just fine.  But if you want to be 100% sure I would go for a slightly bigger model.  I didn't have an option since this is the biggest insert Harman makes.  I also lived in a 1800 sq ft house before this one and the stove came with me since the new owners were not interested in it. 

Chris


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## AbetterChimneynm (May 8, 2012)

IMO the harman accentra insert vs the accentra fs the insert puts out more heat (We have tested down here) BUt they are both great stoves but if you can get a bigger one i would the advance, XXV, or p68 are all great options but again this is just my thoughts not fact...

Shawn


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