wood stoves

Topic: wood stoves (Read 6483 times) previous topic - next topic

Reply #15 – February 13, 2007, 04:56:21 PM

I want to add one even though I live in a warm climate. Be nice to have for a couple of months and it's cheaper than replacing the heat pump with geothermal.... never been thrilled with the heating capacity of a heat pump. BUT I have a couple of things I can't figure out...

My problem is finding a stove and someone that knows how to install it here in sunny Florida (actually it's Lower Alabama) . I could install it but I'm not sure it wouldn't burn the house down first time I lit it. Where do I find the codes and what would I ask a contractor to verify he really knows what he's doing? Is there a good online source for stoves other than Harbor Freight? All the local hardware stores sell the same make and model stove as HF (Vogelstang) and that's about all I can find. Used market is sparse as you might expect.

wood stoves

Reply #16 – February 13, 2007, 10:00:02 PM

Today we were told not to buy any Dutchwest stove. We were reccomended the Quadra-Fire 4300 Millennium and / or the 4300 Step Top, both are non-catalyst. Quadra-Fire is to be ranked the cleanest burning and most efficient on the market according to the research we have done on the internet. We have read a lot of review and everyone seems to be satisfied and would buy another Quadra-Fire stove. There were a few that wished the fire box was bigger.

wood stoves

Reply #17 – February 13, 2007, 10:03:15 PM

ive installed a few quads not either of those, but they are nice stoves.

wood stoves

Reply #18 – February 13, 2007, 11:44:55 PM

I have an old sealed non catalyst stove, and it heats my 1100sqfoot place all winter on about a 1 1/2 - 2 cords a year (of birch,poplar,spruce mix). Just to clarify, y'all call 4'X4'X8' of quartered timber a cord right?

Some of the newer models of wood stove have a small fan built into them to give a small improvement over just air movement through convection alone and they are much cheaper than a newer forced air wood setup. A friend has this type and he likes it, made by "Century American" I think (and still sold at "Canadian" Tire?). Around here the code requirements on wood stoves are quite strict, so check your local regulations carefully. You don't want to put a stove in and then not be able to get insurance or something like that.

I didn't even realize that heating oil is still used. The last distributor around here closed up shop in 1999 after the fuel oil price hikes. However, we only pay 4.8 cents per Kw/H for electric, so many people have switched to electric forced air, in newer buildings. I however get all the wood I can cut down for free, so I'll stick to cutting down trees.

A backup system for power outages is very important too. You don't wanna see what happens when your pipes freeze in two hours because the electric heat cut out at -30*. Actually I just replaced a thermocouple in a gas stove out here in Montreal, at my friends house because we were getting cold waiting for the repair guy.

wood stoves

Reply #19 – February 14, 2007, 12:16:48 AM

Eleven Thousand?

wood stoves

Reply #20 – February 14, 2007, 09:57:43 PM

Quote from: CougarSE;129479

Eleven Thousand?

My Bad. 1100

wood stoves

Reply #21 – February 14, 2007, 10:09:39 PM

[SIZE="7"]SIZE[/SIZE] matters with fire boxes. trust us all with wood stoves. the link i posted last gives the firebox size of mine. you really dont have to fill every corner of my firebox and it will last for an entire nights sleep.

A "nights sleep qualified" firebox is what you want to be shopping for. you should just make your own stove. Would you like me to post a pic of the one i built my mother in law?

wood stoves

Reply #22 – February 14, 2007, 10:14:28 PM

We run a pellet stove here. My main reason going this way, I travel a lot for work, and its VERY easy for my wife to keep in tended. If we were burning raw wood, it would probably be out when I'm not around, and I would be using gas

The economics on them have changed a bit with the recent run on them as the pellets have creeped up in price. I buy mine in the summer at discount, but its still about $30.00 a ton over where we started.

Also, keep an eye on Lowes about this time of year. They might not carry the brand you prefer, but they put their on 50% clearance about this time of year, huge savings if you can fnd something to fit your bill. My $1200.00 pellet stove was $500.00 out the door when I was done.

Bob myers

wood stoves

Reply #23 – February 15, 2007, 01:11:38 AM

Quote from: martin0660;129637

If we were burning raw wood, it would probably be out when I'm not around, and I would be using gas

Thats 'cause you gotta train her better!

I taught my girl how to keep a fire while i'm at work and she grew up with 100% gas heat. well her parents do have a fire place, they burn candles in it on holidays!...

My box measures 33"X22"X20"

Scott