Dear Hearth.com-ers,
Looking for your advice and input on choosing a wood burning stove. We have done research on-line, talked to local dealers, and our choices are boiled down to 2: VC Defiant or Hearthstone Phoenix. Here is a bit of background:
- We bought our house 3 years ago; it's a 1980's ranch with a finished basement, so technically we have 2 floors, about 2800 sf total. - The house is well-insulated and tight. It has water-heat, so no central heating and no air circulation.
- Our current wood burner, all steel Englander, is in the basement and is probably about the age of the house. We had it inspected when we moved in, chimney and all, seemed to be up to code etc. We have been using it consistently every winter, it's doing its job, but now it's time to replace the stove and the chimney as there was a chimney fire some time along the way, and the chimney pipe is now warped. The old chimney pipe is the A-type 8".
- We would use the stove from mid-fall to mid-spring, when outside temps are between 50F to minus 20F, and would be using the stove to heat our whole house.
- The stove will stay in the basement, and we will be running a few ducts to the upstairs. Even now, with just one duct to the main floor and the fan installed in it, the old Englander is doing the job of keeping the house at about 78 degrees, which is comfortable for us.
So, here is (finally) the question: We are looking at VC Defiant and Hearthstone Phoenix. Which stove would be a good match and would give us consistent heat, with not too much fiddling around with it, not too picky about the wood, preferably loading 2x a day around 6 am and 4-5 pm, would hold heat between then, and we could re-start the fire without needing to chart the complex fire formulas on the chalkboard I know there are more variables that you would need to know, too, so any questions or requests for clarification are welcome. We are newbies in woodburning, but would definitely like to get a stove that would be safe and joy to operate for years to come.
Your input as well as pro's and con's of owning either stove, are highly appreciated!
Auggie from WI
Looking for your advice and input on choosing a wood burning stove. We have done research on-line, talked to local dealers, and our choices are boiled down to 2: VC Defiant or Hearthstone Phoenix. Here is a bit of background:
- We bought our house 3 years ago; it's a 1980's ranch with a finished basement, so technically we have 2 floors, about 2800 sf total. - The house is well-insulated and tight. It has water-heat, so no central heating and no air circulation.
- Our current wood burner, all steel Englander, is in the basement and is probably about the age of the house. We had it inspected when we moved in, chimney and all, seemed to be up to code etc. We have been using it consistently every winter, it's doing its job, but now it's time to replace the stove and the chimney as there was a chimney fire some time along the way, and the chimney pipe is now warped. The old chimney pipe is the A-type 8".
- We would use the stove from mid-fall to mid-spring, when outside temps are between 50F to minus 20F, and would be using the stove to heat our whole house.
- The stove will stay in the basement, and we will be running a few ducts to the upstairs. Even now, with just one duct to the main floor and the fan installed in it, the old Englander is doing the job of keeping the house at about 78 degrees, which is comfortable for us.
So, here is (finally) the question: We are looking at VC Defiant and Hearthstone Phoenix. Which stove would be a good match and would give us consistent heat, with not too much fiddling around with it, not too picky about the wood, preferably loading 2x a day around 6 am and 4-5 pm, would hold heat between then, and we could re-start the fire without needing to chart the complex fire formulas on the chalkboard I know there are more variables that you would need to know, too, so any questions or requests for clarification are welcome. We are newbies in woodburning, but would definitely like to get a stove that would be safe and joy to operate for years to come.
Your input as well as pro's and con's of owning either stove, are highly appreciated!
Auggie from WI