Old 1983 VC Defiant or 2003 WS Fireview 205?

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NewStoveGuy

New Member
Jul 11, 2014
48
The South
I'm a newbie here but I've read enough posts to realize what many, if not most, of you would probably have to say to this but bear with me...

1. As an adult I'm also a newb to wood stove heating, but I grew up in a 1300 square foot house that was heated by passive solar and a wood stove, so I do remember some stuff.

2. I am currently living in that same house with my family, having moved back home to the Upper South and am caring for my elderly and ailing father who lives in a detached apartment that he built 10-15 years ago or so.

3. The house has a large 6.5'w x 6.5'h x 1.3'd masonry wall that contains an 8" flue opening with thimble at 32" (bottom) off the floor. It was designed to trap heat from the Morso 1125 that we had in my childhood and radiate it throughout the main living space which is a large open area that forms living, dining, and kitchen areas. The living and dining areas are divided by the masonry wall. The house is one story with a loft and highish ceilings in the living dining area. The bedrooms are on the northside and a large open foyer & library runs down the middle spine of the house. One half of that has high ceilings and the other half is the loft area.

4. The big difference between now and then is that the living and dining areas used to lead to a greenhouse with solar panels that stored heat during the day. The greenhouse is now gone, but the huge single pane glass doors that basically comprise the southside wall where the greenhouse was now lose heat to the exterior.

So, I realize that the WS Fireview 205 is a peach of a stove that everybody seems to love and will be more efficient, but the memories of that Morso 1125 from my youth are telling me that I need a huge firebox stove that can pour out enough heat to compensate for those big windows, reach the master bedroom in back, and be more flexible with less than perfectly seasoned wood. The specs seem to indicate that the Fireview 205 would be at its max capacity heating the home whereas the VC would be well within its max. Besides, people do seem to love the old VCs and their ability to throw off heat right?

Ask on both stoves is $1200 and both are in good shape. Seems high to me.

Your thoughts and opinions would be very much appreciated.
 
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Welcome. How large an area will the stove be heating? Where is the south, central NC?
 
Call it 1400 square feet in Richmond Virginia climate.
 
Heating that space is a walk in the park for that Fireview. And less punishing when the weather in winter takes the weird shifts that it takes here in VA.
 
Heating that space is a walk in the park for that Fireview. And less punishing when the weather in winter takes the weird shifts that it takes here in VA.

Thanks. Why "less punishing?" And yes, the shifts are very weird at times. When I lived in New England it got cold and stayed that way until April. You knew what you were getting at least.
 
Yeah. Here it is freezing one day and mud the next. The softer heat of a stone stove works well in our climate. Especially in smaller houses. No need to get blasted out of the room with the stove to maintain heat in the rest of the joint.

I have a large steel stove in this 2,500 sq. ft. barn in Northern VA but it is in one end of the downstairs area and when we need to kick it we just stay out of that room. With the Fireview and the cat you can run it at a more even temp maintaining the temp in the house. With milder radiant heat because of the soapstone. And longer residual heat when it burns down.
 
Any other opinions on this? Looking to buy one of the two this weekend. Opinions on appropriate pricing would also be welcomed.

Thanks folks.

NSG
 
I'd go for the Fireview if it's been well cared for. It''ll be easier to maintain and they have great support.
Offer $1000 cash.
 
Bought the Fireview, and boy is it one heavy mutha. Looking forward to the first fires in 4 months. Betwixt now and then have some stove cleaning, cat changing, chimney sweeping, and wood stacking to do!
 
Congratulations! Yes, stone stoves are heavy but come winter you will love that steady gentle heat. Take some pictures if you get a chance.
 
This Fireview isn't one of those round barrel types that was popular in the west about 40 years ago, I'm guessing. I just re read your post.

I just had a look at the WS fireview, looks nice, glass door, Yep! Are they going for $1000?

Nah, this one is a 2005 vintage Woodstock Soapstone that needs a good cleaning, maybe some paint touch up, and a new cat combustor. I paid $900 which I think was a pretty good deal.
 
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