Are you up for this challenge? First I want to start off saying "hi" I've been lurking on this forum for a few weeks and finally pulled the trigger on registering, so I can participate. Currently living in an apartment with a small [12"x16" box] wood-burning stove. Has helped greatly with keeping the oil bill down, but the apt is on the 3rd floor and it's a pain to haul the wood, even tho we have ample patio space to store it. Also the small box is a big pain, as I've had to cut down most of our wood that we've had delivered in the past. So we are moving into our first house this month!
This is what I have to work with:
moving into a 1200 sq ft house. Masonry Construction. Started as pretty much a “cottage” and was doubled in size with a large expansion off the back that became a living room / dining room. The fireplace is a very large custom masonry job courtesy of the previous owner (a mason). We live in SE Pennsylvania in a very nice area and anticipate securing lots of free wood in the future [I've spent some time the past few years turning down offers for wood because I can't store much at my current apartment]. Currently the house has an older oil heater.
We are looking to primarily heat our house with a wood-burning insert for the fireplace. Two conditions: cast iron and a style that will fit in with a traditional country look [which qualifies most inserts we've looked at]. I prefer a flush mount, my wife prefers one that juts out a bit – but it's not a deal breaker for either of us. We don't mind supplementing heat a bit with our oil heat [when we are away from the house, to keep the pipes from freezing, etc...] - but want to limit that as much as possible. For what it's worth, I prefer a cooler environment in winter [around low sixty's, while my wife prefers it a bit warmer high sixty's to low seventy's] but I can stand a warmer room, which my wife prefers - I'll just be in shorts and a Tshirt ;-)
We started off looking at the Vermont Castings Montpelier insert. We like this style very much, but turned off to the brand a bit from the research I did. I don't feel like the blower is as nice as some others, and also didn't feel as confident in the local dealers who sell them. Also dismissed Dutch West, for same reasons.
We looked at and dismissed the Harman Exception, because it's steel and don't love the design.
Now we have given serious consideration to a Jotul c550 Rockland or a Harmon HI300. We both like both of them, but after all of this research I'm stumbling a bit with size. Clearly the c550 is much larger, that gives us a clear advantage in the overnight burns. It also has nicer variable speed blowers, and [I think] is the more handsome unit. I've been leaning heavily towards this one.
The HI300 is smaller, which is nicer because I'm concerned about heating us out of our living room during the daytime. It does not have as nice of a blower [just high and low] but I'm not sure how much we'll use the blower, anyways – I plan to put in a ceiling fan. If used at all, it'll probably be on low most of the time. It also will not sustain the overnight burn as easily, being a smaller firebox.
The difference in cost is not huge, the company quoting me for the Harmon + install + liner came in much cheaper on the price of the labor and the liner, but I think I can negotiate that with the company who quoted me for the Jotul.
My concern is that if we get the Jotul we will be heating ourselves out of our house. I'll be somewhat annoyed also if it eats up tons of unnecessary wood, and spends it's whole life running on the lowest setting we can manage.
I'm concerned about the Harmon that it won't sustain the overnight burn very well. The inability to take longer cuts is a downside – but not a deal breaker. I also don't like the blower as much.
I know I'm throwing a ton of info out here, but this is the problem – I've researched this to critical mass [at least in my head] and I'm kinda stuck as to where to go. Just last night I started to take a look at the Jotul c450 and c350 models, also as possible options. What do you guys think is most appropriate for our circumstance? Guidance? Words of encouragement? Anything constructive would be appreciated.
This is what I have to work with:
moving into a 1200 sq ft house. Masonry Construction. Started as pretty much a “cottage” and was doubled in size with a large expansion off the back that became a living room / dining room. The fireplace is a very large custom masonry job courtesy of the previous owner (a mason). We live in SE Pennsylvania in a very nice area and anticipate securing lots of free wood in the future [I've spent some time the past few years turning down offers for wood because I can't store much at my current apartment]. Currently the house has an older oil heater.
We are looking to primarily heat our house with a wood-burning insert for the fireplace. Two conditions: cast iron and a style that will fit in with a traditional country look [which qualifies most inserts we've looked at]. I prefer a flush mount, my wife prefers one that juts out a bit – but it's not a deal breaker for either of us. We don't mind supplementing heat a bit with our oil heat [when we are away from the house, to keep the pipes from freezing, etc...] - but want to limit that as much as possible. For what it's worth, I prefer a cooler environment in winter [around low sixty's, while my wife prefers it a bit warmer high sixty's to low seventy's] but I can stand a warmer room, which my wife prefers - I'll just be in shorts and a Tshirt ;-)
We started off looking at the Vermont Castings Montpelier insert. We like this style very much, but turned off to the brand a bit from the research I did. I don't feel like the blower is as nice as some others, and also didn't feel as confident in the local dealers who sell them. Also dismissed Dutch West, for same reasons.
We looked at and dismissed the Harman Exception, because it's steel and don't love the design.
Now we have given serious consideration to a Jotul c550 Rockland or a Harmon HI300. We both like both of them, but after all of this research I'm stumbling a bit with size. Clearly the c550 is much larger, that gives us a clear advantage in the overnight burns. It also has nicer variable speed blowers, and [I think] is the more handsome unit. I've been leaning heavily towards this one.
The HI300 is smaller, which is nicer because I'm concerned about heating us out of our living room during the daytime. It does not have as nice of a blower [just high and low] but I'm not sure how much we'll use the blower, anyways – I plan to put in a ceiling fan. If used at all, it'll probably be on low most of the time. It also will not sustain the overnight burn as easily, being a smaller firebox.
The difference in cost is not huge, the company quoting me for the Harmon + install + liner came in much cheaper on the price of the labor and the liner, but I think I can negotiate that with the company who quoted me for the Jotul.
My concern is that if we get the Jotul we will be heating ourselves out of our house. I'll be somewhat annoyed also if it eats up tons of unnecessary wood, and spends it's whole life running on the lowest setting we can manage.
I'm concerned about the Harmon that it won't sustain the overnight burn very well. The inability to take longer cuts is a downside – but not a deal breaker. I also don't like the blower as much.
I know I'm throwing a ton of info out here, but this is the problem – I've researched this to critical mass [at least in my head] and I'm kinda stuck as to where to go. Just last night I started to take a look at the Jotul c450 and c350 models, also as possible options. What do you guys think is most appropriate for our circumstance? Guidance? Words of encouragement? Anything constructive would be appreciated.
