First of all, hello everyone. I have been lurking here for a while trying to educate myself before purchasing a new stove.
I have 1,600 square feet of space to heat in Southern WV and have decided on the Country Performer ST210 to handle the job. The Performer is rated to heat between 1,200 and 2,000 square feet. I'm hoping that since I fall right into the middle of that range with good (not great) insulation and an open floor plan, the little stove will be up to the task. The stove will be profesionaly installed.
The wood I have seasoned for this year are poplar, cherry, maple, and locust. The poplar and cherry have seasoned for 1 to 2 years and will be fine. The maple and locust on the other hand, have been cut and split for 3 months so I'm doubting the maple will be ready by Jan. when I predict I will need it.
My questions are
1. Should I buy a cord of hardwood and save the maple and locust for next year? Just how seasoned does wood have to be to burn in the EPA non-cat stoves?
2. I grew up with a warm morning coal stove, a fisher wood stove, and have used a stove made in Taiwan for the last two years that looks very simular to a stove I have seen on this sight reffered to as a "death box". From the pictures and You-Tube videos I have seen of the EPA non-cat stoves burning the right way (flaming, never smoldering or choked down) I have a hard time believing that I will actualy use less wood with one of these. What am I missing.
3. Did I purchase the right size stove? I know the only true answer to this is "you will find out in December" but my decision was based on going up in size to the Legacy would be to much heat or to low of a burn in the shoulder months. I plan on using the stove for my only source of heat.
4. What about the Country brand stove? Aside from the fact that they are owned by Lennox and parts could become scarce there is not much info on them.
My descision to purchase this stove was based on how well it seemed to be built(436 lb. and a machined door with no nuts were two features I liked) a good discount off the original price of the stove, and admiditly without much knowledge of the EPA stoves , some of my descision was based on the fact that it is steel and has a familure look to it.
I have yet to talk to anyone in my area that seems to have much if any experience with the EPA stoves (including the sales staff at my local dealers) so all help is much appreciated.
I have 1,600 square feet of space to heat in Southern WV and have decided on the Country Performer ST210 to handle the job. The Performer is rated to heat between 1,200 and 2,000 square feet. I'm hoping that since I fall right into the middle of that range with good (not great) insulation and an open floor plan, the little stove will be up to the task. The stove will be profesionaly installed.
The wood I have seasoned for this year are poplar, cherry, maple, and locust. The poplar and cherry have seasoned for 1 to 2 years and will be fine. The maple and locust on the other hand, have been cut and split for 3 months so I'm doubting the maple will be ready by Jan. when I predict I will need it.
My questions are
1. Should I buy a cord of hardwood and save the maple and locust for next year? Just how seasoned does wood have to be to burn in the EPA non-cat stoves?
2. I grew up with a warm morning coal stove, a fisher wood stove, and have used a stove made in Taiwan for the last two years that looks very simular to a stove I have seen on this sight reffered to as a "death box". From the pictures and You-Tube videos I have seen of the EPA non-cat stoves burning the right way (flaming, never smoldering or choked down) I have a hard time believing that I will actualy use less wood with one of these. What am I missing.
3. Did I purchase the right size stove? I know the only true answer to this is "you will find out in December" but my decision was based on going up in size to the Legacy would be to much heat or to low of a burn in the shoulder months. I plan on using the stove for my only source of heat.
4. What about the Country brand stove? Aside from the fact that they are owned by Lennox and parts could become scarce there is not much info on them.
My descision to purchase this stove was based on how well it seemed to be built(436 lb. and a machined door with no nuts were two features I liked) a good discount off the original price of the stove, and admiditly without much knowledge of the EPA stoves , some of my descision was based on the fact that it is steel and has a familure look to it.
I have yet to talk to anyone in my area that seems to have much if any experience with the EPA stoves (including the sales staff at my local dealers) so all help is much appreciated.