Hi all, this is my first post to the forums. After some digging, it seems this site is filled with knowledgeable folks and information.
First off, I'm not new to wood stoves. It's all we had when I grew up. But it has been a few years and now that I have a single family home and a family of my own, it's time to get back to my roots (propane is just so ridiculous around here - which is my current primary source of heating).
At any rate, I am picking up a Hearthstone Heritage, new (as in never used), for a song; <$800. The catch. Something heavy came down on the top-center, right where the top flu and center stone meet, cracking the stone and cracking one of the cast iron supports below that stone. It's bent down about .5".
The owner does not know the history of the stove enough to know what caused the damage - it was given to him by a family member (or perhaps a level of embarrassment prevents him from coming out with it). At any rate, the stove is a good drive away. I have gotten tons of pictures and the owner has (at my request) gone over this meticulously while on the phone with me. Aside from the flawed top, the stove looks beautiful and mint.
All in all, a new cast iron top (with brown enamel) is $450. New center stone is $60. I feel perfectly comfortable with disassembling this for the purposes of replacing the top. But do any of you feel there should be any sounding alarms going off about this? Or is this really a deal to be had?
Thanks!
-Chris
First off, I'm not new to wood stoves. It's all we had when I grew up. But it has been a few years and now that I have a single family home and a family of my own, it's time to get back to my roots (propane is just so ridiculous around here - which is my current primary source of heating).
At any rate, I am picking up a Hearthstone Heritage, new (as in never used), for a song; <$800. The catch. Something heavy came down on the top-center, right where the top flu and center stone meet, cracking the stone and cracking one of the cast iron supports below that stone. It's bent down about .5".
The owner does not know the history of the stove enough to know what caused the damage - it was given to him by a family member (or perhaps a level of embarrassment prevents him from coming out with it). At any rate, the stove is a good drive away. I have gotten tons of pictures and the owner has (at my request) gone over this meticulously while on the phone with me. Aside from the flawed top, the stove looks beautiful and mint.
All in all, a new cast iron top (with brown enamel) is $450. New center stone is $60. I feel perfectly comfortable with disassembling this for the purposes of replacing the top. But do any of you feel there should be any sounding alarms going off about this? Or is this really a deal to be had?
Thanks!
-Chris