newbie buying a used wood stove in a hurry

[revdocjim]

Sq. foot numbers published by manufacturers are sort of like mpg ratings published by car manufacturers. Take them with a big grain of salt!

 

[moosetrek]

Sounds like you are on the right track; but as mentioned the stove is the easy part of the equation. Another to consider is the Madison, as someone mentioned, or the True North, by Pacific Energy. I would definitely recommend a new stove (Englander, or the others you've seen suggested) over anything used; especially if you want to burn in the near future. I would want to minimize the risk of having to fix someone else's problem.

 

[mattmania]

Well, I ended up getting a mint 13 from a neighbor of mine for next to nothing a few days back...funny story actually. Anyhow, I am wondering about constructing a base for it. The older guy I bought it from said he had it on tile board with tiles on it. Not sure how big of a deal it is to maintain R values on the floor, since heat always travels up...manual recommends R value of 2 I believe on the floor.

 

[mattmania]

Well, I ended up getting a mint 13 from a neighbor of mine for next to nothing a few days back...funny story actually. Anyhow, I am wondering about constructing a base for it. The older guy I bought it from said he had it on tile board with tiles on it. Not sure how big of a deal it is to maintain R values on the floor, since heat always travels up...manual recommends R value of 2 I believe on the floor.

 

[begreen]

Good deal. Follow the manual's guidance for R=2.0 hearth insulation.

 

[mattmania]

another quick question...want to know if it is a good idea to have a damper on a small stretch of black pipe running horizontally into the wall. In short, trying to save money by saving this little one foot piece of black pipe my neighbor gave me with the stove. There will also be 2 feet of black pipe which goes from the stove to this horizontal piece. Good idea?

 

[begreen]

Normally a damper is not needed on an EPA stove unless the chimney is exceptionally tall.

 

[moosetrek]

Are you using single-wall or double wall stovepipe? You mentioned it's an existing masonry chimney but you may want to double-check clearances since single-wall has much larger clearance requirements than double-wall.

 

[mattmania]

Are you using single-wall or double wall stovepipe? You mentioned it's an existing masonry chimney but you may want to double-check clearances since single-wall has much larger clearance requirements than double-wall.

It is a single wall stove pipe. But the required clearances on this stove are weird...actually larger for double-walled than single walled chimney pipe. Sounds impossible, but apparently it has to do with the stove firing hotter with double walled pipe. There is one thread about this weird situation on this website. Anyhow, clearance from the stovepipe to the wall is listed as 13 with single pipe...but then in the diagram it is listed as 18 inches. With double walled pipe it is 15.5 inches....anyhow, I will just play it on the safe side and assume that 18 inch is the correct number. Seems pretty standard for stoves anyhow...

 

[begreen]

Yeah, Englander's clearance docs are unnecessarily confusing. For single wall the pipe clearance requirements trump the stove's. Single wall needs to be at least 18" from any combustible surface.

 

[mattmania]

So, I actually called up the tech support line at England stove works. The guy told me that the new manual mentions nothing of the 18inch clearance....in the old manual it is actually only listed in the diagrams, which he said were all "cut and pasted" far too many times. In the actual table itself, it lists the clearances as 13.5 and 15.5 for the stove pipe depending on whether you have double or single walled piping. The tech told me to just pay attention to the table, not the diagrams/pictures which list the clearance at 18. Furthermore he also said that I should just really pay attention to stove clearance itself, which is 10 inches for a single piped setup...which would give you about 14 inches from the stove pipe to the wall. My wall is pretty serious anyhow (1/2 inch cement board and 1/2 gypsum board), which also helps me he said, so I will just follow what he said. From the horse's mouth, for better or for worse...

 

[begreen]

That is bad information. Did you get the tech's name?

 

[stoveguy2esw]

yes, that is incorrect. I have sent a bulletin out in the service department to ensure that this is disseminated properly in the future. single wall clearance for all wood burning heaters is 18 inches unless the wall surface is protected by a shield

 

[mattmania]

That is bad information. Did you get the tech's name?

Didn't catch the guys name...if it is incorrect afterall, I will maintain the 18 inches. I do have a shield on the back of the unit itself, but that has come standard on this wood stove for years apparently.

 

[begreen]

Good deal. You'll find that single-wall pipe radiates a lot of heat.

 

[mattmania]

Hey guys...hope all your stoves are cranked up. Pretty chilly here in the northeast...happy to say my Englander has performed well this season! Had a quick question about the fiber board that is on the top of the interior of the stove, above the perforated steel rods (which I am assuming is the exhaust for the unit)....anyhow, I noticed that there is a slight hole in the mineral board (about 3 by 3 inches). I am not sure if I punctured the board or if it came like that from the guy I bought it...anyhow, I am wondering if this is something which is hindering performance and if it is something I should change. Apparently in the manual it does state that taking this board out is possible and recommended for cleaning the unit...so replacing the fiberboard is not the worst thing. Any thoughts?

 

[Simonkenton]

You fell in love with wood stoves, that is your problem. You are supposed to fall in love with a woman.

 

[begreen]

Hey guys...hope all your stoves are cranked up. Pretty chilly here in the northeast...happy to say my Englander has performed well this season! Had a quick question about the fiber board that is on the top of the interior of the stove, above the perforated steel rods (which I am assuming is the exhaust for the unit)....anyhow, I noticed that there is a slight hole in the mineral board (about 3 by 3 inches). I am not sure if I punctured the board or if it came like that from the guy I bought it...anyhow, I am wondering if this is something which is hindering performance and if it is something I should change. Apparently in the manual it does state that taking this board out is possible and recommended for cleaning the unit...so replacing the fiberboard is not the worst thing. Any thoughts?

Yes, you will want to replace it.

 

[zig]

While the stoves down replacing the boards, check the chimney. Since the stove is new to you, you can't be sure how it burns ad what it leaves behind in the pipe. Good time to clean it if you haven't yet.

 

[mattmania]

Okay, any good source for this fiber board online/locally? I am in the catskills...northern poconos/scranton also okay.

The chimney liner is new...installed it myself in October...think I should still clean it?

 

[zig]

Okay, any good source for this fiber board online/locally? I am in the catskills...northern poconos/scranton also okay.

The chimney liner is new...installed it myself in October...think I should still clean it?

My stove is very different so I can't speak to the hows but others here can. There have been threads here in replacing Englander boards for the nc30 that were aftermarket and they seemed to work fine. It wouldn't hurt to check the chimney to see what build up you may have and how to fix it.

 

[mattmania]

Okay, my chimney is pretty tall so it's a pain to get on the roof, but I will manage to get up there. Any sources whether it be online or locally I can buy this fiber board...say for just a small piece, for a good price?

 

[begreen]

There's several threads on this topic. Search on 30NC baffle. Here's a sample"
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/30-nc-ceramic-fiber-board.150005/​