Best way to stop burning

[jetsam]

I think people who are afraid to let their stove burn unattended don't understand their stove very well.

I also think there's nothing wrong with that. The guy who doesn't want to get into the details of how the stove works is the guy who is likely to have an overfire or a chimney fire. He really should be afraid of the stove.

Remember that we all started out in this position.

...so all is well in this thread. Keep on burnin' (or don't)!

 

[MissMac]

Well, gas/oil appliances are engineered for very controlled combustion so that you don't have to do anything, unlike a wood stove. A wood stove is engineered to control combustion, but left unattended or burned without understanding it, as we all know, the stove will get away from you and lead to over firing and/or chimney fires. When's the last time a gas/oil furnace was out of control?

well mine was leaking propane one winter, all winter, unbeknownst to me. not good. thank God we didn't blow up.

 

[Ashful]

Uhmmm.....End of Month?

Error of Measurement. Essentially, known innacuracy.

 

[Diabel]

well mine was leaking propane one winter, all winter, unbeknownst to me. not good. thank God we didn't blow up.

Your co2 did not detect the leak?

 

[jetsam]

Your co2 did not detect the leak?

A carbon dioxide detector won't pick up propane/natural gas.

There are combo alarms that do both.

 

[begreen]

Also, you should have co2 detectors in the house!

Make that CO detectors. Carbon Monoxide.

 

[MissMac]

Your co2 did not detect the leak?

nope.

 

[Diabel]

Sorry
So what does co detector pick up?

 

[Diabel]

Sorry guys
Stupid questions.

I am cleaning my chimney and posting at the same time. Bad combo of multi tasking!!

 

[MissMac]

Sorry
So what does co detector pick up?

only carbon monoxide. after that incident however, i promptly went out and bought a multi-sensor unit that can detect carbon monoxide, propane and natural gas.

 

[LMGCT]

Thank you all for your input! I'm definitely a worst case scenario thinker but more and more comfortable everyday. Even slept with it running last night... baby steps hahaha. We had the chimney swept and stove cleaned but we went with more affordable option and they didn't know much about the stove. After learning more and more about the stove I'm thinking the people who came didn't actually clean/ inspect appropriately. After getting input from others in our area we're having someone very familiar with our stove come out for a full inspection/ stove cleaning and mostly to put my mind at ease. Looking forward to getting the hang of this. Thanks again everyone!!

 

[bholler]

That depends. Was the furnace made by Vermont Castings?

bholler, what’s the skinny on this VC model?

I have had two stoves going 24/7 for seven winters, now. But I sleep much better now that I’ve ditched the iron stoves with aging cement in every joint, and gone to modern welded steel boxes.

I would have to look up the number but I am not a fan of any of their toploaders other than the originals

 

[bholler]

Thank you all for your input! I'm definitely a worst case scenario thinker but more and more comfortable everyday. Even slept with it running last night... baby steps hahaha. We had the chimney swept and stove cleaned but we went with more affordable option and they didn't know much about the stove. After learning more and more about the stove I'm thinking the people who came didn't actually clean/ inspect appropriately. After getting input from others in our area we're having someone very familiar with our stove come out for a full inspection/ stove cleaning and mostly to put my mind at ease. Looking forward to getting the hang of this. Thanks again everyone!!

Yes a full inspection should be done for sure

 

[LMGCT]

I would have to look up the number but I am not a fan of any of their toploaders other than the originals

I'm not seeing great reviews on Vermomt Castings so we may be looking for a new stove for next year.

 

[Ashful]

I'm not seeing great reviews on Vermomt Castings so we may be looking for a new stove for next year.

40 years of history in two sentences: Vermont Castings was one of the greatest quality stove manufacturers in the 1970’s, but have been in an almost continuous downhill slide over the last 35 years. They receive a lot of discussion on this forum, and elsewhere, and very little of it is positive.

Hunt this forum for posts specific to your model, but if I were a betting man, I’d be putting money on “disappointment”.

If it were mine, I’d get it inspected, and pick up whatever pointers you can from a competent sweep. Hang out on this forum, specifically the Vermont Castings thread, and learn what you can. Use the free stove and this year to make a decision as to whether this wood burning thing is for you, and if so, at what level. If you catch the bug, and decide you enjoy free heat (and the lifestyle that comes with it), then start shopping for a good deal on a modern stove this spring.

 

[jetsam]

Make that CO detectors. Carbon Monoxide.

Oof. I read "CO2" and said "carbon dioxide detector", which is not something you can buy off the shelf at home depot. (You can buy them; greenhouses use them to make sure their plants stay happy, so they are commercially available.)

Should have dropped on oxygen for my response, thank you for pointing that out.

 

[therealdbeau]

I'm not seeing great reviews on Vermomt Castings so we may be looking for a new stove for next year.

FWIW I have a Vermont Castings insert and we like it just fine.

While I'm chiming in I'll say that I too was uneasy at first about having a 1000 degree ball of fire in my living room while I was asleep or not at home but as you get more comfortable with the whole thing you'll ease up.

 

[LMGCT]

40 years of history in two sentences: Vermont Castings was one of the greatest quality stove manufacturers in the 1970’s, but have been in an almost continuous downhill slide over the last 35 years. They receive a lot of discussion on this forum, and elsewhere, and very little of it is positive.
Hunt this forum for posts specific to your model, but if I were a betting man, I’d be putting money on “disappointment”.

If it were mine, I’d get it inspected, and pick up whatever pointers you can from a competent sweep. Hang out on this forum, specifically the Vermont Castings thread, and learn what you can. Use the free stove and this year to make a decision as to whether this wood burning thing is for you, and if so, at what level. If you catch the bug, and decide you enjoy free heat (and the lifestyle that comes with it), then start shopping for a good deal on a modern stove this spring.

We are definitely going to be burning hopefully for primary heat. We have electric and that can get very expensive for CT winters. My husband does landscaping and tree removal so it's pretty much a no brainer to heat as much as we can with the stove.

I'll have to do some research and start looking around. But would also love to hear any recommendations on here... Our stove is in the basement and we have just under 2000sq ft ranch. We keep 3 rooms closed that don't need to be heated. Any recommendations on something new that would be able to heat potentially the whole house if need?

 

[bholler]

FWIW I have a Vermont Castings insert and we like it just fine.

While I'm chiming in I'll say that I too was uneasy at first about having a 1000 degree ball of fire in my living room while I was asleep or not at home but as you get more comfortable with the whole thing you'll ease up.

Which insert?

 

[HomeinPA]

Error of Measurement. Essentially, known innacuracy.

Ahh...I see. I'm sorry but I'm not up on all the acronyms out there anymore. My numbers were checked by the marketing firm Willie, Cheatum & Howell. I'm sure they're correct.

 

[bholler]

Ahh...I see. I'm sorry but I'm not up on all the acronyms out there anymore. My numbers were checked by the marketing firm Willie, Cheatum & Howell. I'm sure they're correct.

I loved that show

 

[Ludlow]

Any home with a propane appliance should have a propane leak detection alarm.

 

[therealdbeau]

Which insert?

Merrimack

 

[bholler]

Merrimack

Yes that is a very good stove. It is a tube stove and doesn't use their goofy downraft system

 

[Dix]

We are definitely going to be burning hopefully for primary heat. We have electric and that can get very expensive for CT winters. My husband does landscaping and tree removal so it's pretty much a no brainer to heat as much as we can with the stove.

I'll have to do some research and start looking around. But would also love to hear any recommendations on here... Our stove is in the basement and we have just under 2000sq ft ranch. We keep 3 rooms closed that don't need to be heated. Any recommendations on something new that would be able to heat potentially the whole house if need?

Welcome to the forums, LMG !! Alwas nice to see another sistah here

IMHO... do what you can with what you have, get wayyyyyy ahead on firewood, and shop a new stove.