Older stove, Tuneup or replace?

[Osm3um]

Question is should I try to tuneup a stove built in 1999 or simply replace it? More information follows. Has the efficiency of the stoves increased that much in the last 10 years?

We have purchased a home with, what seems to be a nice wood stove. It is a Dovre "Cape Cod". Manual is (broken link removed to http://www.quadrafire.com/downloads/installManuals/man_capecod.pdf)

The previous owner did not maintain it at all but used it heavily. The chimney sweep was a bit shocked by the buildup and stated it had probably never been cleaned. It seems to me, I have no experience with wood stoves, that when I shut the door and opened the primary air controller the fire was not receiving enough oxygen.

I cleaned it out completely, took off the top and removed a bunch of buildup off of the Kaowool. The Kaowool had ripped, folded etc and seems a bit delicate and thin. Once again I have no experience, that is just my impression.

My next possible step is to dig in further, replace the kaowool, try to remove the manifold tube (to clean them).

Should I bother or just work on replacing it?
Thanks,
Bob

 

[begreen]

This should be a fine stove that should match current EPA stove efficiencies. If the stove is still in good shape, I'd put a new kaowool blanket in it and replace the gaskets.

 

[madrone]

Oh yeah, fix it. It won't take much time or money compared to a new stove. Mine's that old, and I love it. Do some reading here, stockpile some DRY wood, and learn to burn that thing.

 

[Osm3um]

This should be a fine stove that should match current EPA stove efficiencies. If the stove is still in good shape, I'd put a new kaowool blanket in it and replace the gaskets.

OK, I will tear into it and see what I can accomplish.

I have searched for an explanation as to why the Kaowool separating the primary and secondary/upper chambers (not sure about the verbiage), but that is for another thread!

Thanks,
Bob

 

[Fsappo]

Yup, thats a decent stove. With a little TLC it would be close enough in efficiency to the higher end stoves that you would need lab equipment to see the difference.

 

[Pagey]

This should be a fine stove that should match current EPA stove efficiencies. If the stove is still in good shape, I'd put a new kaowool blanket in it and replace the gaskets.

OK, I will tear into it and see what I can accomplish.

I have searched for an explanation as to why the Kaowool separating the primary and secondary/upper chambers (not sure about the verbiage), but that is for another thread!

Thanks,
Bob

My understanding is that those Kaowool "blankets" sit on top of the baffle material (fire brick, ceramic baffle boards, etc.) to provide insulation and to help the baffle material reflect heat back into the firebox to achieve/sustain secondary combustion.