cheapest way to install a wood stove in a home?

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The reason why I suggested the new Madison instead of the 13NC is that the Madison only needs ember protection easily achieved with a $100 stove board. The 13NC needs a hearth with a r-value of 2.0 if the floor is made from combustibles. That is a pretty hefty requirement and usually requires the use of several layers of durock or special materials like Micore. Not really close to your goal of easy and cheap. Other budget stoves to look at would be Drolet stoves or Timberwolf, the new budget line of Napoleon: http://www.timberwolffireplaces.com/products/


Ahh! I was thinking the Madison was another name for the 13NC. Seems like it's hard a little bit difficult to find the Madison now that I'm looking. I was planning to put down tile and possibly Wonderboard under that. Haven't done the required research yet. Seems like every stove has different requirements. We have tile atop of OSB in our bathrooms and it's held up great. Currently we have linoleum in the area where the stove would go. Obviously that will have to change.
 
Here is a list of common hearth materials and their r-values:(broken link removed) Just tile and a layer of wonderboard won't be enough. If a stove says "ember-protection" or a layer of non-combustible material it usually means you don't need any thermal protection. That will be the easiest.

The Madison is just being distributed to the stores. You may need to call Englander and ask if and where it is being sold in your area.
 
A little late to the game and most questions have been answered, but . . .

As mentioned . . . insurance premiums may or may not go up. Mine went up 0 dollars, but I did have to have a professional installation and have it signed off by the fire department. Other folks have seen an increase in the premium, but it typically is less than you might think . . . certainly less money than it would cost to continue to heat with most other heating fuels.

I like the idea of moving this to the first floor. Putting the stove where you spend most of your time makes a lot of sense. Not only can you monitor the stove better, but you will get more heat into the area where you are most of the time . . . plus with "modern" stoves being able to see the fire is a visual treat. I cannot tell you how often I turn off the TV in the winter and just watch the fire.

As mentioned . . . many of the older stoves required large clearance distances and/or rugged hearths. Depending on the make/model that may or may not be the case. Most manufacturers have significantly cut down on the clearances (in some cases we're talking inches) even without wall protection . . . and some manufacturers only require non-combustible floor protection (which honestly could be a sheet of metal . . . although that would be a bit ugly in my opinion.) Even if you have to make your own hearth and need to have one with a certain insulation value you will find you can make a very good looking one for $250-$350 with a bit of work . . . and it's not even that hard work . . . trust me . . . I'm a mechanical/construction idiot and I was able to make what I think is a decent looking hearth.

As mentioned . . . most folks will say placing the stove at the center of the home is best for cost and heat distribution. That said, you can still get by with one elsewhere. I have one located in a corner and it does fine . . . did cost me a bit more though with the Class A chimney (although a co-worker who is a sweep got me a decent deal).

Good budget stoves: Englander, Napoleon and Drolet.
 
One thing to keep in mind when picking the location and installing the flue, if possible is it's generally easier to install it so it penetrates the roof close to the peak of the roof (assuming you have a sloping roof and not a flat roof). This accomplishes a few things. It gives you more attic space to do the install inside the attic area. It allows your flue section to stick high enough above the peak of the house for good draft without any need for any extra chimney bracing. And it usually makes flashing on top of the roof around the roof penetration much easier as you can often run the flashing right up under the ridge cap without disturbing the rest of the roof.
 
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