Let me primer this question by saying we have used a 100 year old parlor stove for our primary heat in a 200 year old farm house (stone and wood addition). Old bessie is hot and hungry so two years ago we bought an Equinox soapstone. We read reviews, directions and had the dealer come to test it. It never worked properly and we ran our pellet stove almost every day that winter (it was one of the warmest on record). So the dealer did take it back and prorated our return.
We re-installed Bessie. We get about 4 hours of burn time with a full load (3-4 cu ft firebox). We burn a variety of wood, black locust, hickory, oak and elm. Bessie is not sealed so the soot and fly ash is all over my dinning room. I have nasty sinus issues all fall and winter.
So, we started looking again. Decided to try a few small local hearth shops. We found a left over DutchWest by Vermont Castings XL 2462. It is catalytic which is one of the concerns after reading a ton of reviews as well as cat vs non cat.
The side load door is just about a deal breaker for me when choosing a stove. Bessie has side load. At this point we are extremely nervous about buying and don't want to blow 4Gs again. The 2462 is on sale for $1700 but they are new store owners looking to unload it.
I have read that the catalyst has to be replaced but the reviews were all over the board, some at each year and some at 5 or 6 years. Bottom line is I need some sound advice.
I should also state that the 10" chimney is interior and draws like a monster. Bessie has a 6" flue. The 2462 has an 8. We've been burning wood as our primary heat for 6 or 7 years and use a multi-fuel Magnum Pellet stove (3:1 pellet/oats or wheat) for supplemental heat.
I am a researchaholic so I am on info overload. I have read multiple threads here and else where. I hope I have given all info needed to give me some pro advice. Thank you for any advice!
We re-installed Bessie. We get about 4 hours of burn time with a full load (3-4 cu ft firebox). We burn a variety of wood, black locust, hickory, oak and elm. Bessie is not sealed so the soot and fly ash is all over my dinning room. I have nasty sinus issues all fall and winter.
So, we started looking again. Decided to try a few small local hearth shops. We found a left over DutchWest by Vermont Castings XL 2462. It is catalytic which is one of the concerns after reading a ton of reviews as well as cat vs non cat.
The side load door is just about a deal breaker for me when choosing a stove. Bessie has side load. At this point we are extremely nervous about buying and don't want to blow 4Gs again. The 2462 is on sale for $1700 but they are new store owners looking to unload it.
I have read that the catalyst has to be replaced but the reviews were all over the board, some at each year and some at 5 or 6 years. Bottom line is I need some sound advice.
I should also state that the 10" chimney is interior and draws like a monster. Bessie has a 6" flue. The 2462 has an 8. We've been burning wood as our primary heat for 6 or 7 years and use a multi-fuel Magnum Pellet stove (3:1 pellet/oats or wheat) for supplemental heat.
I am a researchaholic so I am on info overload. I have read multiple threads here and else where. I hope I have given all info needed to give me some pro advice. Thank you for any advice!