# Help Me Find a Low Clearance Stove!!!!



## BurnIt13 (Sep 23, 2010)

Hey guys!  It looks like I am finally going to go after a stove.....but I have a problem.  I live in an old 1800sqft two story colonial that doesn't have a woodstove friendly floor plan.  The only place a stove will fit is in the corner of our dining room.  The dining room isnt that huge so we _absolutely_ need a low corner clearance stove.   I need help finding some!

*Here are the constraints:*
1.  Corner clearance of 6" or less for an unprotected surface.  We will be using double wall pipe.
2.  Width of no more than 25"ish.
3.  Depth no more than 22" but the smaller the better.  The more corner clearance needed, the narrower the stove will have to be.
4.  The closer to a 2.0cf firebox (or larger) the better.
5.  Can't cost more than $1,500....we're on a budget 

*The Goal:*
1.  To have a stove that will be the main source of heat while we are home.  When we are away the existing heat stays at 55.
2.  To have as close to an overnight burn as possible.  I don't need a roaring fire when I wake up, just enough coals to start a new fire.

I'm a woodstove newbie and could really use your help!  Thanks!


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## madison (Sep 23, 2010)

You have a bunch of conflicting requirements.  ie the width and depth lead to a smaller firebox, and will not be overnight burn capable.

PE Alderlea's have low clearances, T4 would be the lowest cost,  http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/pacaldert4.htm

specs for others available at the site....


Layout, house description, area, location (ie northern canada vs georgia) and you will get some better advice/


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## pen (Sep 23, 2010)

I would also recommend a blower.  I find the low clearance stoves w/ the extra shields don't generally "feel" like they give off as much heat since so much of their radiant heat is blocked.  

How about using wall protection?  A non combustable shield w/ 1 inch airspace will let you cut clearances in 1/2.

pen


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## BurnIt13 (Sep 23, 2010)

Thanks for the quick replies guys!  Bear with me...I'm new at this.  I knew I didn't have an ideal installation which is why I've turned to the pros!

I'm located in central MA and we usually design our heating systems around a 0 degree typical max low.  The house is a 1800 sqft 2-story colonial with "somewhat" open first floor.  As open as a 110 year old house can be that is.  The dining room is in the middle of the first floor, and the stove will be installed in the corner of that room.  The house is reletively well insulated for its age, but not perfect.

I will definetely be using a blower.  I won't be using a wall protector.  As far as an overnight burn..... I've used plenty of wood stoves before but have never maintained my own so maybe I'm overestimating the capabilities of a 2cuft firebox.  I don't need the stove to be producing heat after 7 or so hours, just enough coals to get the next fire going.  Does that make sense?  Thanks!


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## firefighterjake (Sep 23, 2010)

Doesn't Skier76 have an A-frame chalet in Vermont . . . maybe he could offer some insight here.


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## BurnIt13 (Sep 23, 2010)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> Doesn't Skier76 have an A-frame chalet in Vermont . . . maybe he could offer some insight here.



I've updated my original post.  Its not an A-frame, I've been using the term incorrectly.  For all intents and purposes its a two story house with a high pitch gable roof.


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## begreen (Sep 23, 2010)

Napoleon 1400, PE Super or Alderlea T5, Quadrafire 3100 all seem to fit the bill here if you factor in the tax credit and are practical about the tradeoff's for depth vs usability and burn time. Otherwise, look at the next size down for these makes: Napoleon 1100, PE Vista, Quad 2100.


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## madrone (Sep 23, 2010)

Lopi Endeavor. Depth is more like 26", but clearance is right and it does overnights.


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## madison (Sep 23, 2010)

madrone said:
			
		

> Lopi Endeavor. Depth is more like 26", but clearance is right and it does overnights.



I'll agree with Madrone and the Lopi,  and retract my T4/5 suggestion, upon further review of the new PE brochure, the T6 has the 4" corner clearance and the T4/5's is 10-11"

Seems sorta weird to me that the larger firebox of the t6 has the smaller clearance requirements?

PE Brochure link (contains EBT description ; ))   -- http://www.pacificenergy.net/PDF/AlderleaCatJuly2010.pdf

Side note, new brochure has a pic of the new T5 insert


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## BurnIt13 (Sep 23, 2010)

You guys are quick!  The Lopi Endeavor looks amazing!  It would also fit the best, taking up very little space.  The only problem is that it looks to be way over budget.  Without getting an official quote from a dealer, it looks to be about $2,400+.  I'd be looking at Hearthstone's or Jotul's if I had that type of cake 

The Napoleon 1400 appears to be sweet too.  You can buy them anywhere for about $1,500 and includes a blower and shipping (if I don't get it from a dealer).  The specs are very similar to the Endeavor, only the Napoleon is a few inches deeper.   I imagine with practice and the right wood I should be able to get a 7 hour burn from a 2.25cuft firebox.


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## RNLA (Sep 23, 2010)

I'll throw my hat in the ring with a little S160 Country... All the small Jotul free standing units make great heat.


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## summit (Sep 23, 2010)

PE all day.


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## madrone (Sep 24, 2010)

Lopi 1750? It's a little cheaper...


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## Creature (Sep 24, 2010)

madison said:
			
		

> madrone said:
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Double wall connector on the T4/T5 gets you down to 3" and 4" respectively with a corner install (which I need in my little townhouse).


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## branchburner (Sep 24, 2010)

BurnIt13 said:
			
		

> The only problem is that it looks to be way over budget.  Without getting an official quote from a dealer, it looks to be about $2,400+.  I'd be looking at Hearthstone's or Jotul's if I had that type of cake.



Keep an eye out for used stoves that are 1-3 years young.


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## madrone (Sep 24, 2010)

Creature said:
			
		

> Double wall connector on the T4/T5 gets you down to 3" and 4" respectively with a corner install (which I need in my little townhouse).



Wow. It's true. T5 seems like a mighty nice stove.


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## Creature (Sep 24, 2010)

madrone said:
			
		

> Wow. It's true. T5 seems like a mighty nice stove.



I'd love to have a T5 (black enamel, yum), but it's just too big for me (both physical size and heat).  Hopefully, I'll have the T4 install done in the next month.


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## 70marlin (Sep 24, 2010)

Sounds like a Hearth stone Tribute.


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## humpin iron (Sep 24, 2010)

small budget for stove......how much do you plan to spend for the chimney??


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## BurnIt13 (Sep 24, 2010)

humpin iron said:
			
		

> small budget for stove......how much do you plan to spend for the chimney??



About $1000, installed myself.  It has to go through the dining room ceiling, through an upstairs bedroom, and out through the dormer in that bedroom.  Overall about 20 feet of chimney pipe and 6 feet of stove pipe.

$2,500 is our total budget.  Money is tight to begin with, we're planning on starting a family soon and can't have the house at 60 degrees during the winter with a newborn rolling around.  Plus, there is no heat on the second floor (bedrooms).  We can't afford to upgrade our ancient steam heating system but since I have an unlimited supply of free Oak and Black Cherry, the wood stove seems like the best short term option.


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## branchburner (Sep 24, 2010)

BurnIt13 said:
			
		

> since I have an unlimited supply of free Oak and Black Cherry, the wood stove seems like the best short term option.



To me, it also sounds like the best long term option!


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## BurnIt13 (Sep 24, 2010)

After your reccomendations and some quick internet searching it looks like I am going to go with one of these stoves:

PE Super 27
Napoleon 1400
Quadrafire 3100
Lopi 1750

Those stoves have a good combination of firebox size 2.0+ and the clearances I need.  The stove I end up with will probably be determined by price....


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## BurnIt13 (Sep 24, 2010)

Change of plans.  I mocked these stoves up in the corner at a 45 degree angle and it just doesn't work.  The stoves protrude too much into the dining room.  Instead, I mocked them up again straight against the wall instead of at an angle.  HUGE difference.

BTW, my wife came home and declared me a complete geek for mocking the stoves up with cardboard boxes and drawing everything out.  I am going to have to agree with her.   Just in case someone in the future finds themselves in the same situation, I'm posting the comparison of all the stoves.  The Lopi Republic 1750 by far takes up the least amount of space.

The left side is the clearance of the actual stove, the right side is the clearances of the chimney pipe since this has to go through the upstairs bedroom and out a cathedral ceiling.


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## firefighterjake (Sep 27, 2010)

BurnIt13 said:
			
		

> Change of plans.  I mocked these stoves up in the corner at a 45 degree angle and it just doesn't work.  The stoves protrude too much into the dining room.  Instead, I mocked them up again straight against the wall instead of at an angle.  HUGE difference.
> 
> BTW, my wife came home and declared me a complete geek for mocking the stoves up with cardboard boxes and drawing everything out.  I am going to have to agree with her.    . . .



Then in this case a lot of us are geeks since I know I did the same thing . . . and many other folks have reported doing the same thing when they were planning out their stove, clearance distances and hearths. 

Great info by the way for anyone considering these stoves for their home.


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## CountryBoy19 (Sep 27, 2010)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> BurnIt13 said:
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I wanted to mock it up when my wife insisted on having a 2 foot (yes, that's 24 inches) raised hearth. I told her she was freaking nuts and I wanted to show her what a 2' hearth would look like and she said I was nuts for trying to do a cardboard mockup and she said she wasn't going to pay any attention to anything I make out of cardboard so I didn't waste my time. I eventually got her talked down to 1 foot, and after I got the tile laid this weekend she said, "Wow, what was I thinking when I wanted a 2 foot high hearth? 1 foot is almost too high but I think it will work out perfect." I just had to laugh "with" her... she can be quite silly sometimes... The good news is that we don't have a 2 foot high hearth, the bad news, I think a cardboard mockup would have saved it from even being as high as it is now. I wanted it to be no more than 8" high; I think if I would have done the mockup anyways she would have seen it and I could have talked her down to 8". But I'm ok with it now.

Sorry if this seems like a threadjack, just pointing out that sometimes cardboard mockups can save a lot of hassle. I do plan to do an AAR thread on my hearth construction (start to finish pictures of everything) as soon as I get it done.


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## firefighterjake (Sep 27, 2010)

CountryBoy19 said:
			
		

> firefighterjake said:
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2 feet? For some reason I can see you grabbing a climber's ax, crampons and 50 feet of coiled rope every time you need to mount the hearth to load your stove . . . sorry . . . just a funny picture of you all geared up popped into my head.


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## madison (Sep 27, 2010)

burnit,

I spent literally a couple weeks with the cardboard layouts, masking tape, various stove and chimney specs.  Tell your wife you could be saving a couple grand when that "big ass stove" gets delivered and it doesn't match up with your walls and chimney.

As countryboy found out, it is time and cardboard well spent.

There is a link in my sig for pics and comments regarding our hearth/stove construction/install.... In our case, the 45 degree helped reduce the wall clearance and projection of the raise hearth into the room.


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## begreen (Sep 27, 2010)

I like to mock up anything that is going to be expensive or heavy. Our corner install worked out great this way and was flexible enough to accommodate a larger stove upgrade. For our house having the stove face into the room was the best plan.


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## sixman (Sep 27, 2010)

Cardboard and tape for me too!! I just installed a Lopi Endeavor in a corner install as you drew out. I had planned on a 45 degree install but it put it too far out in the floor and ended up putting in in sideways as you drew it. Built our first real fire in it last night, I love the free heat,, sorry propane man. By the way, I had tons of red hot coals this morning at 6:00 am after loading it at 10:30 last night.


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## CountryBoy19 (Sep 28, 2010)

firefighterjake said:
			
		

> 2 feet? For some reason I can see you grabbing a climber's ax, crampons and 50 feet of coiled rope every time you need to mount the hearth to load your stove . . . sorry . . . just a funny picture of you all geared up popped into my head.



Yeah, same here... I just sort of scratched my head.... and thought to myself, "I really think she is insane".

After the whole firewood stacking fiasco and then wanting a 2 foot tall hearth, I was beginning to think that she just agreed to burn wood to make me happy but then she was trying to make me not want to burn wood.

It's a little taller than I initially wanted it but it's going to work out good and I've come to like it. I can kneel on the carpet in front of it, set my ash-can/tools/wood-carrier on the hearth, and I'll be working at a manageable height rather than bending down a lot. Also, the tile pattern we chose for the front/side wouldn't have worked out if it was shorter.

BTW, she let me leave the wood where it was if I let her get 1 cat; a cat that wouldn't rub up on my legs (I hate cats that are friendly, the only good cat is one that runs away when it sees a person). Well, I let her get the cat, the wood stayed where it was, and the cat either ran away or it got eaten by coyotes... It all worked out in the end, because I didn't have to move the wood and I don't have to worry about a cat getting too friendly with me.

Wow... I am really ADD, how did I manage to side-track a thread from talking about low clearance stoves to talking about cats?


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## begreen (Sep 28, 2010)

CountryBoy19 said:
			
		

> Wow... I am really ADD, how did I manage to side-track a thread from talking about low clearance stoves to talking about cats?



No worry mate, the Fireview/BK crew do it all the time.  :coolsmirk:


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