What to do?

[mattjm1017]

Hello everybody Im new here and seeking some advice. I grew up using a wood stove and am familiar with their use but Im not sure about buying one and installing it. Im looking at buying a used on I found on craigslist (broken link removed to http://norfolk.craigslist.org/for/3358102240.html) but Im not sure what I should look for when I go to look at it and if I do buy this one or another what do I need to install it? I know I need a peice of duct and some type of shroud to prevent smoke from coming back around into the house wheres a good place to purchase this stuff? I had my chimney inspected the other day and the guy said that it looks good and is ready to be burned in just need to get the insert but since then my research has brought about more questions. Do I need to install a liner all the way up or is the 6" piece of flexi duct run up a couple feet into the chimney good enough? I know this is a lot of questions for my first post but I really appreciate any feed back.

 

[dafattkidd]

Hey Matt, Welcome to the forum. If you're looking to install an insert in your fireplace you will definitely want to install a liner (6" or 8" depending on the unit) from the unit all the way to the top of the chimney. What is the square footage of the area you are looking to heat? Buying used can be tricky.

 

[mattjm1017]

Thanks Im looking to heat a about 1400 sq ft the den kitchen and hopefully down the hall to the bedroom. Is the liner something I could do myself with basic tools or would I need to get a proffesional? I take it you recomend lining all the way to the top what are the advantages of that over just installing up to the first flue tile?

 

[BrotherBart]

Take it from a guy that burned for many years without the liner all the way up. Pulling a stove out to clean a chimney is a major pain in the butt, legs and arms. Just brushing the stuff down into the stove and done with it is worth more than any extra length of liner could cost if it was made out of gold.

 

[fossil]

...what are the advantages of that over just installing up to the first flue tile?

System performance, efficiency, and ease of flue cleaning. It's a no-brainer...stainless liner from the insert to daylight. Many have done it themselves, but then, many have paid a professional to do it. That all, of course, depends on your capabilities and a host of other factors. Welcome to the forums! Rick

 

[dafattkidd]

Matt where are you located? Newer units burn much more efficiently with significant increases in burn time. If you have it in your budget you may want to look at some of the less expensive EPA certified inserts.

 

[jjs777_fzr]

I don't know the vintage of the stove you referenced on CL - but becareful its not a 'slammer'. The older wood stove inserts simply slammed into the chimney face and let the smoke exit out a rectangular opening into the chimney flu - making it a bit of a pain to then try to install a typical round flex liner.
Since you said you were not sure about buying one - just be sure to becareful when inspecting any used stove regardless of what the seller states.
Best to bring a friend along to point out things you may not notice.
Look for cracks and missing firebrick. Look for white spots on exterior that could hint at overfiring. Try to know the stove you are looking at - knowing if there are any missing interior baffles etc.
Otherwise I do think sourcing from the used market is a wise idea to keep costs down.
I suppose an important piece of info when looking at used stoves is to know the manufacture date - whether is post 1989 etc and/or epa certified or epa certified as exempt.
Pre-89 stoves generally will smoke a bit more - put more unburned particulate matter into the air - and not be quite as efficient as post '89 stoves.

 

[mattjm1017]

Thanks for all the replies and advice I see the benefit of a full liner and am also now leaning towards buying a new stove. Any opinions on this century from Northern http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200442426_200442426

 

[begreen]

I haven't had my hands on one yet, but on paper this insert presents a heckuva a good value.

 

[jjs777_fzr]

Thanks for all the replies and advice I see the benefit of a full liner and am also now leaning towards buying a new stove. Any opinions on this century from Northern http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200442426_200442426

I installed this for my parents on jan 1 of this year - so we haven't used it for a long period of time. I have nothing but good things to say. My parents house is a normal size ranch and this unit heated it with ease. It is considered a smaller firebox - but I can still load it up pretty good. It has very good secondary burn behavior. Yes the fan is a bit noisy on high - but we just turn it down. It throws off a lot of heat.

Although only burning with the insert for half a winter season - I do have a Century free standing unit I been using since 2006 at my house. Its a workhorse. It just puts out heat and I see no defects after 6 years of burning - at about 1.5 cords a year.

In my opinion - this insert is one of the best bangs for the buck.
Read the reviews - that should help you with your decision.
One drawback - you must purchase the surround separately - but they do this likely because there is two options - a larger surround and a smaller surround depending on how large a fireplace it is being installed in.

This unit is made by SBI in Canada - formerly CFM Corp.
You may think Canadians know how to build a wood stove - in this case I think they nailed it for a cost effective unit that won't break the bank.

 

[begreen]

Thanks for that info. I think the firebox is almost 2 cu ft according to spec. How much of that is actually usable with this stove? What's a full load of wood in it?

 

[mattjm1017]

jjs777 thanks for all the info I think Im sold on the century stove from Northern and begreen thanks for those additional questions. Ive got one more question do i have to install the surround right away before I burn or can I wait a little while?

 

[BrotherBart]

Northern shows them in stock at Norfolk, VA. 40 miles from ya.

 

[dafattkidd]

jjs777 thanks for all the info I think Im sold on the century stove from Northern and begreen thanks for those additional questions. Ive got one more question do i have to install the surround right away before I burn or can I wait a little while?

Sounds like you're on your way to a good clean burning unit. The surround is cosmetic. You do not need it to burn safely. You better get your hands on some seasoned wood. These newer units burn much more effectively ciently, but require dry wood. You can burn wet wood in them, but dry wood is far superior. Good luck!

 

[jjs777_fzr]

Thanks for that info. I think the firebox is almost 2 cu ft according to spec. How much of that is actually usable with this stove? What's a full load of wood in it?

I think its a bit under the 2.0 cu ft mark - and you must becareful when loading wood so as to not whack the secondary burn tubes on top.
I mean just don't try to throw a split in from 2 feet away
The interior roof is angled down as it goes to the rear - so with average sized splits you can fit about three pieces. Thats not alot compared to some stoves - but it is what it is - a smaller stove.
Note - as of recently I found Century now offers a slightly larger insert that I didnt see last year. No doubt in response to folks commenting about the smaller firebox.
What I installed was in fact the smaller unit. You can expect 4-6 hours - where at the end of 6 theres at least some hot embers left - possibly enough to get another fire going without lighting another match. (assuming the draft lever is at the lowest setting).
Honestly - the secondary burn flame is quite impressive with this unit. Much better than my 2006 free standing unit.
It really lights them up on all three burn tubes - and when drafted all the way down - the fire goes extrememely lazy - making for a nice long burn.

Note the use of the fan does in fact have a noticable effect on stove temps.
So if I was trying to get maximum burn times I'd probably have to set the fan to off or lowest speed.
To me this just means the fan is really doing its job nicely.


I am a fan of supplementing wood splits with biobricks or similarly made products. For the smaller firebox - throw in a split or two and fill in the gaps with 1,2 or 3 bricks. Then you may get past the 6hr mark as well.

Edit - one of the nicest features has to be the large viewing glass door.

 

[mattjm1017]

Alright how about a chimney liner any suggestions on a good affordable one? Also do I need to buy the insulation for the liner too or is the flexi steel good enough? Do I just shove it down the chimney and let it hang? I really appreciate all the answers and help Ive been getting from yall I hope that one day I will be able to return the help.

 

[jjs777_fzr]

I ended up buying one from ebay - dureflex 6" liner - it was the cheapest and included shipping - it came with the 'kit' so clamps and top cap were included - much cheaper than the mom and pop stores.
The chimney was an interior chimney - which means it was not adjacent to the exterior. Some folks recommend adding the insulation liner if the latter applies. Yes - you can just drop it down from the top and carefully guide it till it meets the stove top. It's simple. Attach the cap at the top and then clamp the other end to the stove. The 'kit' will provide you a adapter to affix to the flex liner and the stove outlet. You could even google this flex liner install and come up with examples on youtube if it paints a better picture.

here is a quick ex selling on ebay which is what I bought - but not necessarily from the seller - and I have no relation to the seller in the following link
(broken link removed to http://www.ebay.com/itm/105022-6-in-x-25-ft-Kit-of-DuraFlex-Light-Liner-/390485155492?forcev4exp=true&forceRpt=true#ht_3993wt_1333)

I just checked how much I paid only 10 months ago for the same flex kit - and it was $396 which at the time I thought was a good deal. Right now the prices appear a bit higher.

 

[mattjm1017]

I just checked how much I paid only 10 months ago for the same flex kit - and it was $396 which at the time I thought was a good deal. Right now the prices appear a bit higher.

Ouch thats going to hurt the wallet! Im gathering that the insulation liner isnt 100% neccesary but since I have an exterior chimney it wouldnt be a bad idea. Could I install the liner this year and then after the winter pull it out and insulate it?