Looking to heat a 1200 sq ft home, have a Lowes special now, won't burn thru the night, would like something with a long burn, able to see the fire, and something that won't eat wood alive, am I asking too much. I kinda like the cat soapstones, like Woodstock, but wonder if they take too long to heat up, also considered Blaze King, PE Alderlea, and Hearthstone, but I'm just confused now. Was considering used, but if I'm buying someones old technology, I'm probably wasting money. Any ideas.
Long Burn Woodstove Choice
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All your choices are decent stoves. If you want a good overnight burn, your going to need a stove with a firebox of 2 cu ft or better. Your right, soapstone take a little longer to heat up than steel, but it's more even and last longer after the fire dies out. I always plan ahead and it takes about an hour to get my stove up from a cold start to where it's giving off good heat. But when it's cold and your burning 24/7 it's always hot, so that's not an issue.
I too have a Woodstock soapstone, Todd's put it correctly. A larger firebox of at least 2 cubic feet will help. You might also look at Vermont Castings line of cat stoves. Great for long burns, buut give you quick heat if tha tis important to your situation.
Thanks guys, on another idea, I am bldg a new home with a oil/wood furnace hot water system, in the basement and a fireplace unit with blowers for my heat. So' I only need this for about 2-3 years, is there anything less costly that would do the job for a short amount of time, or are the more reasonable stoves gonna take small wood and be inefficient. Does anyone make a reasonable 2 cu ft cat stove,even if it's not soapstone? Also, how can I estimate the amount of cubic feet in a stove I am looking at, new or used, if the person selling it does not know, I hate math, but there must be a formula!
If you are looking for quick heat then stay clear of ALL cat stoves and especially soapstone. Round the clock burn then no matter. Many nice stoves out there, Jotul, Regency,Travis, & Morso are just a few I have had first hand experience with. Most importantly buy from a store that will service you and is nice to work with.
I do not think the Avalons get enough press. My Olympic (insert) is just friggin fantastic. The overnight burn is easy. The all day burn is a bit tougher - but everyday I leave the house by 7 and am home around 6 or 7 and I have plenty to get the thing ripping again - quickly too!
G
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I've got a HS Phoenix in a slightly larger house ~1800 sq ft. It does an awsome job at heating the house. It's a nice blend of a cast iron/soapstone stove. An 8 hour burn (defined by usable hot coals) is easily attainable. I load up at 7:00 PM and reload at 5:00 AM (10 hours) with just enough coals to get things going again w/kindling. The stove is up to temp in ~45-50 minutes from a dead cold start. ~20-30 minutes on a morning reload. The only time my furnace cycles on is if the temps are in the low digits, generally around 3-4 AM with thermostat set at 60. Here's a "real world" example...
Last night the temps were in the mid-teens. I loaded up (oak/hickory) 3 large splits, a smaller round of some other wood, maybe maple. When I got up at 5:00 AM, the room temps were all around 64 maybe a degree or 2 less upsatirs. I refired at 5:30, did a full re-load at 6:20, when I left the house at 6:45 the room temps were in the low 70's in the stove room. The rest of the house will aclimate w/in an hour or so. I have a VERY open floor plan which is ideal for a big space heater.
Hope this helps.
Last night the temps were in the mid-teens. I loaded up (oak/hickory) 3 large splits, a smaller round of some other wood, maybe maple. When I got up at 5:00 AM, the room temps were all around 64 maybe a degree or 2 less upsatirs. I refired at 5:30, did a full re-load at 6:20, when I left the house at 6:45 the room temps were in the low 70's in the stove room. The rest of the house will aclimate w/in an hour or so. I have a VERY open floor plan which is ideal for a big space heater.
Hope this helps.
mtnxtreme said:
I'd think about putting something more efficient on the main level. Fireplaces are great but running up and down those stairs along with hauling wood to the basement may become a drag. Good luck with the design of the new home and welcome aboard.
Alright, since none of the Englander guys have chimed in yet, for low cost many members here love their Englander stoves. And they make some with large fireboxes for long overnight burns.
- Nov 21, 2005
- 827
I was going to chime in like jpl1nh and say bang for buck Englander is pretty hard to beat and often you get specials at Home Depot. You want an EPA approved stove, so stick with Englander brand. You can get the (broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100157775&langId;=-1&catalogId=10053&cm_sp=BazVoice-_-RLP-_-100157775-_-x) for $739 delivered to your door BUT it's usually at least $100 cheaper if you pick it up yourself. Don't listen to that idiots review that their burn lasts 2 hours that's ridiculous, Englander has an excellent reputation. That one listed will heat your house, but isn't big enough for an overnight burn my guess it will top off at around 5-6 hours. For $1039 delivered you can get the (broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId;=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100291302) which has a HUGE firebox definete overnight burn but may be a little too much for your house. That sive firebox you're probably talking 9-10 hours. Again, probably at least $100 - $200 cheaper if you pick it up at the store as shipping 400+ lbs to your house is expensive to say the least.
Jim Walsh said:
I picked a prefab unit that is low clearance so I can surround it and have that fireplace look, it was reccomended to me on here as being one of the most efficient units out there, several people have them and no bad words were said abt. them, able to heat a 2500 sq ft. home and capable of hooking duct work to it, I am at work so don't have the name here, but can post it later and you guys can let me know how much I am losing versus a woodstove. Also my basement is gonna be one large open room with garage doors, so I can pull a small wagon load of wood in every couple days, and the upstairs unit will have a built in wood box where I can load thru the outside via a small door.
I have a little Lowes/ Home Depot stove and wanted to upgrade to one that will take bigger logs and burn longer,was under the assumption Cats were more efficient than a regular stove?? Also are fan kits worth the extra cash?Webwidow said:
Typically no one really feels the deference between a cat or non cat stove. Labs test can lie. Personally I rather burn a non cat stove as I find that it heats up faster and not as finicky with draft. As far as a blower, a blower can move the air (heat) around the stove quicker, however, I am a simple gal and rather not listen to a motor blowing. Stove blowers are not a fix all either, a ceiling fan can help move air, a small fan between rooms can help if need be.
In some stoves you can add the fan later. If it is part of the unit then you need it as it part of the design.
If this unit is only going to be used for two years get yourself a simple cheap used one and save your $$$.
What central boiler are you purchasing?
In some stoves you can add the fan later. If it is part of the unit then you need it as it part of the design.
If this unit is only going to be used for two years get yourself a simple cheap used one and save your $$$.
What central boiler are you purchasing?
mtnxtreme said:
Is a Volzegang Mountaineer a decent stove, check this out http://cgi.ebay.com/Mountaineer-Woo...ryZ41987QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Let me be the 1st to say HECK NO. The members of this forum talked me out of this hazard for my home. Elk will definitely let you know about this thing, or search this forum for info.
If your going to consider a VZ, you should really step up and look at the Englander. Most underrated inexpensive stove made.
Caviar heater on a shoestring budget.
Caviar heater on a shoestring budget.
Yes I did some searching and it seems the VZ has very few friends/ OK I think this is an Englander renamed for Lowes, seems to be better and a little cheaper than the comparable Home Depot unit, heres the link, can anyone confirm http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=268086-76845-50-SNC30LC&lpage=none
Thanks for your help
Thanks for your help
The VZ Mountaineer is an EPA exempt stove, and thin skinned next to the Englander (which is about the same price). I'd say this is a no brainer, head down to Home Despot and check out an Englander 13NC.
Have you seen a non cat have a 24 hr clean burn? Which one if you have? The finicky draft issues must of been on non-thermostatic stoves. So far as warm up time,compared to the napolian, my cat stove will lite off faster than getting the secondariesWebwidow said:
on the napolian going. :question:
[quote author="Webwidow" date="1197094427"]Typically no one really feels the deference between a cat or non cat stove. Labs test can lie. Personally I rather burn a non cat stove as I find that it heats up faster and not as finicky with draft. As far as a blower, a blower can move the air (heat) around the stove quicker, however, I am a simple gal and rather not listen to a motor blowing. Stove blowers are not a fix all either, a ceiling fan can help move air, a small fan between rooms can help if need be.
In some stoves you can add the fan later. If it is part of the unit then you need it as it part of the design.
If this unit is only going to be used for two years get yourself a simple cheap used one and save your $$$.
What central boiler are you purchasing?
I figired the same thing with the stove, go cheap, as long as it's not ugly and a wood waster. The boiler is still up in the air, was looking at the Tarm or AHS, but now someone on here told me abt. the EKO which us a little cheaper.
In some stoves you can add the fan later. If it is part of the unit then you need it as it part of the design.
If this unit is only going to be used for two years get yourself a simple cheap used one and save your $$$.
What central boiler are you purchasing?
I figired the same thing with the stove, go cheap, as long as it's not ugly and a wood waster. The boiler is still up in the air, was looking at the Tarm or AHS, but now someone on here told me abt. the EKO which us a little cheaper.
I have the PE Alderlea T5 and about the same sq ft to heat. The T5 heats up quick and will burn very long. See my review:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/11957/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/11957/
It is the same company. The finishing trim is the difference. I am looking at the same stove. Seems like a smoking deal and the tech help available to us on this forum is great.
www.englandsstoveworks.com
www.englandsstoveworks.com
mtnxtreme said:
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