Wood Stove Opinions Wanted

[Highbeam]

Yes, the stoves are more than a utilitarian device to make cheap heat. They can be a very attractive piece of furniture to gather around to have a fireside chat. The stove itself is nice to look at plus the large windows allow you to watch that full orange EPA fire lazily flittering around in the box.

 

[2nstonge]

We have a Hearthstone too, the one pictured is the exact model. I added the blower to it to help push the hot air out into the room. Our house is 1900sq ft; first floor is all wide open (well, except for the bathroom), 2nd floor is 3 smallish bedrooms & a bath. Our goal wasn't to heat by wood but that's what happened by default. We have a fire every night just because we like it, the side benefit is that it heats the entire house. We'll use 3 cords of wood this winter, although we've had some nice mild stretches. The furnace kicks on in the morning & then again in late afternoon but if one us is home the woodstove is going. We've used ~400 gallons of propane since last June; that's heat, hot water, stove/oven and clothes dryer. A friend of a friend is a wood stove distributor, carries 6 lines and sells only to stove shops. He didn't bad-mouth other stoves outright, he just strongly recommended the Hearthstone - several times.

-Norm

 

[ByronBob]

For the intended use would it be easier to just get a generator? You might find it a less costly idea....

 

[scott_vt]

Gosh Norm,
That is one beautiful stove!!! When my addition goes on Im gettin one of those /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Is there a dealer in Bennington?

scotty

 

[geneP]

I've got to share my newly installed stove. It's a Vermont Castings Intrepid. It's the smallest of their stoves and rated to heat 500 sf. It's Installed in one extreme end of our ~2000 sf single story home. Although our climate is not the coldest, temps get into the lower 20's frequently at night. If we had a larger stove it would have to be choked down, thereby producing more creosote. This one will keep the house warm enough that the central heat will not come on if I get up one time and refuel it during the night.

 

[MX5000]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( For the intended use would it be easier to just get a generator? You might find it a less costly idea.... )</font>

Generators can get pretty costly depending on how far you want to take it. A wood stove is pretty straight forward and I can spend a little or alot. I'd like to get a nice wood stove first and then a generator with auto transfer switch and everything that goes with it. I already have an unused flue in the livingroom with a cap over it. I found some dealers in my area for the type of wood stove Norm has. I'll be checking them out in the next couple of days if time permits.

Howard

 

[MX5000]

Norm, I visited the Hearthstone website and located some dealers near me. I don't know how good their displays are, but plan on checking them out. Thanks for the info.

Howard

 

[MX5000]

geneP, nice stove. I looked on the web at some wood stoves from Vermont Castings. They carry some nice ones.

Howard

 

[geneP]

Thanks Howard. I've burned wood for heat for 33 years, with the exception of a short period before I got this stove. I used a fireplace, a wood heater (the type with a steel firebox inside a porcelain cabinet), a fireplace insert, and now the wood stove. By far the wood circulator used less wood and had a more even heat than any of the rest. The intake air was controled by a bi-metalic strip and would open and close the damper as needed. I could load it and forget it for about 10 hours. It did produce more creosote because it would simmer the fire when the room got warm.

 

[2nstonge]

Scotty - I bought it from Friends of the Sun in Manchester. Great selection of stoves, knowledgeable and friendly. They've actually had some sales this year on wood burners since pellet stoves seem to be the hot item.

-Norm