Picked up our free (!) Jotul F600

[53flyer]

...there was a time (and I certainly grew up in this environment) when you did everything yourself. My dad rewired half our house, and a home-owner's permit was easy to obtain, and was even collaborative--the inspector helped you get it right.

But now we've lost our faith that the average person of good will and intelligence can do stuff--and we should leave it all to "professionals."

Well, I've had to clean up after some of them, and just because you paid a lot of money does not mean the job has been done correctly or is safer.

And as far as insurance companies go, a lawyer friend who has some recent dealings with one, came to the realization mid-trial, that really, their business model is predicated on not paying claims and using that money to invest, and pay themselves handsomely...

My $ .02...

I completely agree. It'd be interesting to hear from anyone who knew (1st or second hand) of experiences where insurance co's were particularly bad irt trying to get out of paying a claim (for whatever). I've heard from a few people that they had good experiences with AllState and I've heard more good than bad things irt USAA. I think state farms one of the ones that I had heard could be a pain but I don't remember for sure.

 

[cycloxer]

Of course, where that breaks down is, there was a time (and I certainly grew up in this environment) when you did everything yourself. My dad rewired half our house, and a home-owner's permit was easy to obtain, and was even collaborative--the inspector helped you get it right.

But now we've lost our faith that the average person of good will and intelligence can do stuff--and we should leave it all to "professionals."

I emphatically agree 100%. My grandfather and my father taught me to do everything yourself. My grandfather did it out of necessity after WWII and my father did it because he refused to pay the 'professionals' for shoddy work. My grandfather had accumulated virtually every hand tool known to man at the time. He made me a car oil funnel out of brazed sheet steel that I still have to this day. That was the mentality back then. You did things yourself and you repaired things when they broke. Today we just throw things away and bust out the check book. That is pretty much how I operate today - learning and doing things myself. You can do pretty much anything you want if you are willing to invest the time to learn and do it right and you can save a lot of money. What does stove install cost? $500? $1,000? Anybody with moderate skills and intelligence can install a wood stove. This isn't rocket science. It's even easier with the internet where you have access to so many resources.

 

[tiber]

State Farmer here - actually when I called to ask a bunch of questions before even starting this project they simply told me if the building people were fine with it, they were fine with it. They're pretty tolerant of wacky stuff, I have an MR2 in the garage which was entirely a DIY project and they knew the house had wacky wiring (and plumbing) when we bought it. As far as the insurance goes, they said they already knew I had a fireplace so they wouldn't ding me for having a woodstove, they just requested I call them when we finally put it in.

Grain of Salt Warning: Your agent may be different and your local laws may be different. I'm in PA by Valley Forge.

 

[logger]

Wipe your feet partner, you stepped in some sh*t right there.

 

[WNY PAT]

My insurance company wanted a copy of the building inspector's paperwork showing it passed. In my town, we had to get a permit and have the inspector came out to measure clearances. I had it professionally installed - so the inspection was all of 90 seconds - he didn't even take his boots off - just eyeballed the clearances which are double manufacturer requirements front, back and every corner anyway since we had lots of extra room. Sent copy to insurance company and all was fine. Peace of mind I guess.

 

[paredown]

Well I'm a convert--this Jotul stove rocks my world.

I haven't even pushed it hard yet, while I'm waiting on some 1/4" rope gasket for the seal between the front doors.

Even with my less than prime wood, I'm having no trouble starting and maintaining a good fire, & can keep the great room where it sits at mid 60s (and we had frost last night. And the furnace that heats the far rooms runs less, since it's main return draws out of that room

You guys reminded me--the installers did not mention permits & I forgot to ask. Oops. I'll have to follow up once I have my spark floor "installed."

FWIW, I have a 3x5 1/2" Durock cement board laid down with some dry-stacked 12x12 slate for interim spark protection. My wife has talked me out of the permanent solution, since the next owners may not want a stove...

And for Mr. BeGreen (moderator)--I checked and recheck the front of the stove. I actually think that what I thought was a crack, was the edge of the ashpan casting where it attaches to the main body of the stove--it has a factory divot out of the edge where the ash pan door closes against it. Since I didn't take it apart, I was "inspecting" without knowing quite what I was looking at. Once I had all the parts back on after painting, the logic of how it went back together was clear.

My dad sounds like your grandfather Cycloxer--WW II vet, mechanic, machinist, tool and die maker & welder extraordinaire. I feel like I have only a fraction of his talents for these kinds of projects, but that still puts me ahead of a lot of folks I meet.

 

[meathead]

ou should really grab a hearth rug or something to cover that wood flooring up until you get a chance to do something more permanent. What does the pipe do when it comes out of the stove just out of curiosity? It looks like a silver flex pipe that goes straight back, takes a 90 to the right, and then takes another 90 up the flue?

 

[begreen]

paredown, I would say you've SCORED! Congratulations. Sounds like the stove and you are going to have a long and beautiful friendship.

 

[paredown]

ou should really grab a hearth rug or something to cover that wood flooring up until you get a chance to do something more permanent. What does the pipe do when it comes out of the stove just out of curiosity? It looks like a silver flex pipe that goes straight back, takes a 90 to the right, and then takes another 90 up the flue?

I laid down a 3'x5' piece of 1/2" hardi and dry laid some 12x12 slate on top for fire protection for now. That way when I finish the floors (which should be soon) I can pick it up myself without popping the slates off. I'll do it permanently when I put it back down. The full piece of Hardi fits nicely from stone face to the required amount past the existing hearth extension, and gives me a little more side to side than what the manual calls for if you use the side door.

I see what you are seeing in the picture--but it must have been some kind of reflection from the flash. We went with a 7" S/S flex making a lazy bend through the throat and into a 7" "T". Then 7" to 6" reducer to the stove. It doesn't come through perfectly straight or perfectly level, but it's not bad & it's not ovalized!

Everything I read about the 600 made me think we should do a tidy installation--too much heat to mess around with. But there was no good way to set the stove back much further because there is a lip from hearth extension to hearth. Since it had to sit out anyways by my calculation (I didn't want to butcher the legs) we went with the "T" and larger pipe.

As it turns out that was probably a good choice since the chimney length is shorter than I first calculated...Jotul says 14' minimum and we are a little shy of that...

 

[paredown]

paredown, I would say you've SCORED! Congratulations. Sounds like the stove and you are going to have a long and beautiful friendship.

You said it, Rick! (Casablanca, possibly my favorite movie of all time...)

The stove guys were idiots--they saw the chance to make a good $ refurbing the stove, and then got greedy when they tacked on a $150 charge to haul the stove away. I'm sure they charged well for the install, plus they made some markup on the new Jotul they were putting in.

The PO made the calculation--"If I give it away, then I'm a $150 ahead." The stove shop lost the chance to sell it for $1500 or more if they painted it and replaced gaskets.

Mind you, I deeply grateful to be the beneficiary of their mistake. We're still struggling with an unsold house and an uncertain income stream & it looks like it is going to be a cold winter.

BTW, I picked up the 1/4" gasket and put that in today. Front doors seal real nice now. I think I will redo the side loading door in the spring--it's not leaking but now it doesn't feel quite as snug as the others.

 

[meathead]

The hardi with slate sounds like a perfect sollution over the wood floors for as long as you need it there. Perfect timing on finishing things up - sounds like we'll finally start seeing some cold weather! Enjoy the stove!

 

[paredown]

...sounds like we'll finally start seeing some cold weather!

Crazy--the day started off so warm & then it has been dropping like mad. I have some serious tiling to do tomorrow, so I checked the weather, since I'm cutting and mixing outside.

Thought I was looking at the wrong page! Can we really go from mid 60s to snow in 4 days?

And thanks, I'm enjoying it right now--got a nice burn going--she's holding a steady 400 and talking quietly to me...