How to evaluate stoves

[cnapierala]

Better start your woodpile now, they will be ready to burn in a year to a couple years once split and stacked depending on species.

We have plenty of wood ready to go and more seasoning. Ill be cutting some more trees down to help with fire mitigation late winter and spring so no worries!

 

[Trevor Tahclep]

Because of our very cold winters here in Canada everyone has at least one wood burning appliance in their house, as kids we learn to operate wood stoves early, I am in my 70's now so its been a long long time. The heat data acquired by stove manufactures is performed under specific conditions if not to say optimum conditions, which is why when friends & family request my opinion my answer is always the same, deduct 20% - 25% off the manufactures printed capacities as far as square footage heated.
3000 sq. ft minus 20% = 2400 sq. ft
25% = 2250 sq. ft
This should also be criteria to consider in ones choice, which may explain why so many people complain or post that their wood appliance is just not doing the job they expected and that they find their stove is too small.

 

[cnapierala]

Because of our very cold winters here in Canada everyone has at least one wood burning appliance in their house, as kids we learn to operate wood stoves early, I am in my 70's now so its been a long long time. The heat data acquired by stove manufactures is performed under specific conditions if not to say optimum conditions, which is why when friends & family request my opinion my answer is always the same, deduct 20% - 25% off the manufactures printed capacities as far as square footage heated.
3000 sq. ft minus 20% = 2400 sq. ft
25% = 2250 sq. ft
This should also be criteria to consider in ones choice, which may explain why so many people complain or post that their wood appliance is just not doing the job they expected and that they find their stove is too small.

Thanks and good point. Plus were at 9100' of elevation. Most everyone up here has a wood stove as well as the wood is plentiful and the weather is on the cooler side for a good part of the year and even in the evenings in the summer.

 

[Trevor Tahclep]

Thanks and good point. Plus were at 9100' of elevation. Most everyone up here has a wood stove as well as the wood is plentiful and the weather is on the cooler side for a good part of the year and even in the evenings in the summer.

At 9100 ft of elevation you also have less oxygen for the fire to burn at its maximum.

 

[cnapierala]

Thanks everyone for your help! I am going to see what the pricing comes in but have a much better feel for which stoves i want to pursue. Here is a picture of the location where it is going. The hearth shape has changed a bit in concept but same location.

 

[Hoytman]

Because the government is involved! There are different test methods, which result in different results. It’s hard to follow. I’ll say this, Lopi is by far too dog on that list. They burn so nice and are very well made. If your dealer has blaze king, look closely at those. They have the best burn times in the industry. Considering your required heat requirements, burn times probably won’t be your concern as much as heat output. The Liberty is a monster heater, if you’ve got insulation, I can’t imagine you’d have any issues.

What he said….

…and then consider the new Liberty is rated less btu and rated for less space than the Liberty prior to it. I really don’t see how, but that’s how the numbers fall.

I have the older Liberty and think the baffle is better than the new one, but there’s so many pros to the new version Lopi’s that it’s hard not to drool over them. I’ve yet to use my older Liberty, but it’s built like a tank. I just wished I had the Endeavor instead.

 

[Hoytman]

View attachment 323551
Thanks everyone for your help! I am going to see what the pricing comes in but have a much better feel for which stoves i want to pursue. Here is a picture of the location where it is going. The hearth shape has changed a bit in concept but same location.

Lopi’s have a close clearance which can be a good thing. It can also be a bad thing. ,The close clearances means you can tuck it tight to a corner or rear wall. However, I would plan on giving it far more room out away from that corner, 8”-12” or more. Why?

If you tuck it in too tight and decide you don’t like the stove and end up getting a different stove with larger clearances or the stove pipe exits in a different location on the stove (top or rear exit), then you’re not going to be able to go straight up with your pipe as it’ll end up with some degree of offset which looks terrible in my opinion. The 8”-12” of extra room is just something to consider, with the implication just being to allow some extra room juuuuuust in case you’d ever swap stoves. You can discuss how much room to allow for a future stove swap with your installer. If you tuck it tight then you lock yourself into not having much wiggle room.

My hearth in my house is too small…it’s not really deep enough at only 40” deep. The result is I have to tuck a stove tight to the wall….my Lopi will work and be too code in the rear, but my other stoves require greater clearance…greater distance from the back wall. To make matters worse, the result of a hearth built too small, none of my stoves meet the code requirements from front of stove to edge of hearth, not even the Lopi tucked close to the rear wall. Hope this makes some sense. I’d think about allowing a foot of wiggle room or more, front and back of the stove. It’ll make cleaning behind it easier anyway.

 

[BKVP]

That column is indicating if it qualifies for the 30% tax rebate.

OP, if you wish to have a more thorough understanding of the data reported on EPA's website and how it is derived, you can contact me directly. Yes, I work for Blaze King, not you do not have to buy our stove in order for me to help you. All the stoves you listed are great products. My office number is 509-522-2730

BKVP