Paid for a Mt Vernon AE insert on Saturday. It will be a week or 2 before it is installed. I got a lot of great advise off this forum. Originally had planned to get a smaller stove due to cost, but it did not look like it would really heat the house well. House is a ~3200 sq ft center stair colonial with an open foyer to the second floor. The stove will be placed in the chimney in the family room, in the smaller box (24x16) off the bigger box (38x28). 3 zones of oil fired hydro-air, third zone being room above garage. The 2 main zones are not setback thermostats that go between 60 and 68. still wearing a lot of clothes to feel warm. I don't expect to heat the extra room since it is super insulated and heats up really quick. keep the thermostate at 53. gets to feeling warm in 10 minutes, maybe 20 to 68 degrees. spent $3000 and $3600 the last 2 years on oil. it has been really watm this winter so I have had only 3 deliveries, but I am not happy thinking about future winter prices. We had burned wood for 9 years in the previous home and know that we did not want the dirt and effort for wood. Also this house is just not setup for wood. been here 16 years. it was great when oil was $1.30/gal.
My wife and I researched via the internet and then went on a road trip last weekend visiting 5 stores. got RO measurements, colors, etc. it is important to see them in person. it was after that we decided to get something above 30K BTU input. When we left the Quadrafire dealer, the salesguy mentioned that they had bought some preseaon inventory and not moved it, so the price could be right. We visited a Harman dealer after that and really liked the Accentra Insert. The simplicity of it's operation reminds me of a Glock.
Narrowed the selection down to Harman Accentra, Quad Mt Vernon, and Regency GCI60. all good stoves.
Checked a few places during the week for price. saw that a Quad dealer in Worcester had some prebuy left overs and was offering $800 off a Mt Vernon. took a trip there and found it was for the stove, not the insert. They offered me a quote for $5991 for a black Mt Vernon with a measurement, cleaning, DC power cord - a lot of crap I did not want. umm NO, sorry that dog won't hunt. got about $5K estimate for the Regency and ~$4650 for the Accentra, installed w/tax. I was not sure it was worth picking up in NH given they are real heavy. I was ready to buy the Harman, but we pass the Quad dealer on the way so the wife wants to stop by. OK. salesguy recognises us. We ask about the deal he mentioned, he says 15% off for cash for the in stock unit, checks they have the color, my internet coupon, says <$5300 Mt Vernon, willow color, installed inc tax. OK we can do that. I'll check the burn pot, blah blah.. I liked the idea of the control that the Mt Vernon has along with the extra heat over the Harman. I hope everything works out.
you guys already have me planning to get a mason here to install an OAK through the chimney this summer. I might try a pipe through the ash clean out through a basement window as a test. yes and to become a pellet pig!
My wife and I researched via the internet and then went on a road trip last weekend visiting 5 stores. got RO measurements, colors, etc. it is important to see them in person. it was after that we decided to get something above 30K BTU input. When we left the Quadrafire dealer, the salesguy mentioned that they had bought some preseaon inventory and not moved it, so the price could be right. We visited a Harman dealer after that and really liked the Accentra Insert. The simplicity of it's operation reminds me of a Glock.
Narrowed the selection down to Harman Accentra, Quad Mt Vernon, and Regency GCI60. all good stoves.
Checked a few places during the week for price. saw that a Quad dealer in Worcester had some prebuy left overs and was offering $800 off a Mt Vernon. took a trip there and found it was for the stove, not the insert. They offered me a quote for $5991 for a black Mt Vernon with a measurement, cleaning, DC power cord - a lot of crap I did not want. umm NO, sorry that dog won't hunt. got about $5K estimate for the Regency and ~$4650 for the Accentra, installed w/tax. I was not sure it was worth picking up in NH given they are real heavy. I was ready to buy the Harman, but we pass the Quad dealer on the way so the wife wants to stop by. OK. salesguy recognises us. We ask about the deal he mentioned, he says 15% off for cash for the in stock unit, checks they have the color, my internet coupon, says <$5300 Mt Vernon, willow color, installed inc tax. OK we can do that. I'll check the burn pot, blah blah.. I liked the idea of the control that the Mt Vernon has along with the extra heat over the Harman. I hope everything works out.
you guys already have me planning to get a mason here to install an OAK through the chimney this summer. I might try a pipe through the ash clean out through a basement window as a test. yes and to become a pellet pig!