Thanks in advance for input. This is a great and helpful site.
Main Questions: Will an M55 be too loud and hot for my application? And what do you do if local dealer support is nonexistent?
Background: 1800 sq ft old farm house, 1/2 restored. Stove (principal heat) to go in ~800 open sq ft of the 1200 first floor sq ft. Stove will be <5' from back of couch used for TV viewing. We have a native grass nursery and grow Switchgrass, so clearly ability to handle grass pellets is extremely appealing.
Problems:
1. Believe the M55 Cast is the right stove aesthetically and functionally, but concerned that it will be too loud and too hot for the installation area.
2. If we had to abandon multifuel (which we hate to do), the Mini with shutoff convection ability and outside combustion fans sounds great but maybe too small? or the Empress - but it has had a bunch of really bad reviews, this particularly in light of the fact that I cannot find a good dealer (for any brand but particularly Enviro) within many hours, and expect to be on my own or with exceedingly high travel costs for support. (and with Enviro, I believe any self repairs totally violate the warranty?)
3. Great concerns and unavailabiliy of other multi fuel brands/models: Been researching this forever. All the companies marketing potential grass burners are small, questionable, no where near here, and outyear service or parts give me serious pause. Was sold for a while on a St Croix Lancaster despite lots of really bad reviews, especially about company support, then found out no dealers within a gizillion miles (and only dealer could repair under warranty...).
4. Basically, it appears that anything but Quad and Harman are not recognized or dealt in this state. The Mt Vernon has no advantage (and reportedly possibly less grass potential) than the M55. The Harman multi is aesthetically unacceptable to the family. Enviro did give me a lead on an installer a few hours away, but he wants to steal my rebate, charging $5000 just for the stove itself!
Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated.
thank you.
Main Questions: Will an M55 be too loud and hot for my application? And what do you do if local dealer support is nonexistent?
Background: 1800 sq ft old farm house, 1/2 restored. Stove (principal heat) to go in ~800 open sq ft of the 1200 first floor sq ft. Stove will be <5' from back of couch used for TV viewing. We have a native grass nursery and grow Switchgrass, so clearly ability to handle grass pellets is extremely appealing.
Problems:
1. Believe the M55 Cast is the right stove aesthetically and functionally, but concerned that it will be too loud and too hot for the installation area.
2. If we had to abandon multifuel (which we hate to do), the Mini with shutoff convection ability and outside combustion fans sounds great but maybe too small? or the Empress - but it has had a bunch of really bad reviews, this particularly in light of the fact that I cannot find a good dealer (for any brand but particularly Enviro) within many hours, and expect to be on my own or with exceedingly high travel costs for support. (and with Enviro, I believe any self repairs totally violate the warranty?)
3. Great concerns and unavailabiliy of other multi fuel brands/models: Been researching this forever. All the companies marketing potential grass burners are small, questionable, no where near here, and outyear service or parts give me serious pause. Was sold for a while on a St Croix Lancaster despite lots of really bad reviews, especially about company support, then found out no dealers within a gizillion miles (and only dealer could repair under warranty...).
4. Basically, it appears that anything but Quad and Harman are not recognized or dealt in this state. The Mt Vernon has no advantage (and reportedly possibly less grass potential) than the M55. The Harman multi is aesthetically unacceptable to the family. Enviro did give me a lead on an installer a few hours away, but he wants to steal my rebate, charging $5000 just for the stove itself!
Any comments or thoughts would be appreciated.
thank you.