Woodstock Fairview

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Pallet Pete

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Thanks to Backwood Savage I was able to see the fairview in action and was very impressed. I would like to order the Progress Hybrid however there is a two month waiting list. My question goes like this - we have a 2 story 1500 square foot home with 1000 square foot down stairs and its very drafty. My wife and I are gone 13 hours a day which is at the limit of the fairview from what I can tell. Do many of you have any experience with drafty homes of this type and the fairview? Will it keep up with Michigan cold?
We are in a bit of a frenzy to get a stove due to the fact that our old one had an unpleasant forging experience (aka dead as dead gets) which means its winter and we have no stove to heat! I would like to triple check to be sure we make the right choice rushing decisions leads to wasted money and time so any help would be great.

Thanks all :exclaim:
Pete
 
Pete1983 said:
Thanks to Backwood Savage I was able to see the fairview in action and was very impressed. I would like to order the Progress Hybrid however there is a two month waiting list. My question goes like this - we have a 2 story 1500 square foot home with 1000 square foot down stairs and its very drafty. My wife and I are gone 13 hours a day which is at the limit of the fairview from what I can tell. Do many of you have any experience with drafty homes of this type and the fairview? Will it keep up with Michigan cold?
We are in a bit of a frenzy to get a stove due to the fact that our old one had an unpleasant forging experience (aka dead as dead gets) which means its winter and we have no stove to heat! I would like to triple check to be sure we make the right choice rushing decisions leads to wasted money and time so any help would be great.

Thanks all :exclaim:
Pete
Click to expand...


1500 square feet for the Fireview should be very doable. 1500 square feet and 'very drafty' brings a lot of doubt, though. What would I do? I'd go with the larger stove. But, you could buy the Fireview, see if it works, and if it does not meet your needs, return it for a full refund and put the money towards the larger stove.
 
Id say whats better than the vogelzang would do.

That being said it appears as if your looking at good stoves by your sig line. Im at 2100 sqft, middle of the road when it comes to drafty, and with one box fan aimed in towards the stove i do well.

Bigger Firebox like the new one woodstock has would be nice. Hey isnt backwoods getting rid of his? Hed sell it cheap, doesnt like it and burns wet wood in it. I kid of course.
 
I used to heat 2000 sq ft with my old Fireview but my house is pretty tight with new windows and extra insulation in the attic. If your gone for 13 hours you can squeeze out a 13 hour burn from this stove consistantly but it won't be throwing much heat for the last 4 or so hours of the burn. You would probably be better off with the new larger Woodstock but waiting 2 months doesn't sound like it would work either. Maybe look into a Blaze King, you will definitely get the long burns you need with plenty of heat.
 
Todd said:
I used to heat 2000 sq ft with my old Fireview but my house is pretty tight with new windows and extra insulation in the attic. If your gone for 13 hours you can squeeze out a 13 hour burn from this stove consistantly but it won't be throwing much heat for the last 4 or so hours of the burn. You would probably be better off with the new larger Woodstock but waiting 2 months doesn't sound like it would work either. Maybe look into a Blaze King, you will definitely get the long burns you need with plenty of heat.
Click to expand...

I do not have a cat stove, but if you read some of the reviews that BK owners post on this site, I would get the BK if I were you in this situation- instead of waiting on the Progress. Although that Progress looks awesome. Good luck with it! I think either way you won't be disappointed.
 
Todd said:
I used to heat 2000 sq ft with my old Fireview but my house is pretty tight with new windows and extra insulation in the attic. If your gone for 13 hours you can squeeze out a 13 hour burn from this stove consistantly but it won't be throwing much heat for the last 4 or so hours of the burn. You would probably be better off with the new larger Woodstock but waiting 2 months doesn't sound like it would work either. Maybe look into a Blaze King, you will definitely get the long burns you need with plenty of heat.
Click to expand...


I was thinking; buy the Fireview now, see how it works. If it doesn't work, return it for a full refund and get the Progress. The Fireview should heat as well as the 2.2 cu ft Durango.
 
BrowningBAR said:
Todd said:
I used to heat 2000 sq ft with my old Fireview but my house is pretty tight with new windows and extra insulation in the attic. If your gone for 13 hours you can squeeze out a 13 hour burn from this stove consistantly but it won't be throwing much heat for the last 4 or so hours of the burn. You would probably be better off with the new larger Woodstock but waiting 2 months doesn't sound like it would work either. Maybe look into a Blaze King, you will definitely get the long burns you need with plenty of heat.
Click to expand...


I was thinking; buy the Fireview now, see how it works. If it doesn't work, return it for a full refund and get the Progress. The Fireview should heat as well as the 2.2 cu ft Durango.
Click to expand...

+1

or just wait out the new PH and be done with it.

Good luck,
Bill
 
Another option would be to get an Englander 30-NCH from Home Depot. I think I read they are sellinng for $899ish with a blower right now. When I bought mine, any purchase over $250 got you free shipping to your door. One thing about the Englander is that it will absolutely throw the heat and is a reliable/quality stove. It is also very easy to move around as compared to my Woodstock - so installing it and removing it should not be a big deal. If you bought the Englander, that would get you going with adequite heat ASAP, make for an easy install/remove, you could go ahead and order your PH at current sale prices, sell the Englander later. It is likely that your loss on the Englander would be less than the price increase on the PH once the introductory pricing is gone.

You could also give us a Englander 30 vs Woodstock PH comparison review... ;)

Good luck,
Bill
 
I have an old farm house, part of it is an 1850's log home, talk about drafty. 2000 sq ft.

Anyways, its zero degrees out here in minnesota tonight. Just running the fireview right now, 540 degree stove top, 80 degrees in the stove room, plenty hot upstairs. I didn't start the fire until 6PM, house was at 55 degrees. I have a similar situation as well, I am sometimes gone for 12 hours at time. Still learning this stove to get the super long burns like some of the guys on here, but I am getting there.

Here is my two bits: Doesn't always pay to rush a decision, but with that said, Woodstock is awesome and is willing to let you try their stove out risk free. Not sure any other company will do that?

There is a dang good reason why one stove is sitting in my garage in the corner and an old back up stove hooked to my other chimney.


Todd does have a good point about the BK, worth looking into as well.

Good luck!
 
Den
The blaze king is 3200 at the dealer I found. That was outside air kit, heat shields and fans for the princess without installation. I think may be a bit steep and am still looking around but so far nothing better. We would absalutly love the wood stock progress however we dont have 2 months to wait. Makes me sad I must say.
 
That's not a bad price for the Princess on this side of the country, especially this time of year. Two months puts you into February. Don't know if you're still eligible for a tax credit, but that may be something else to think about.
Fifteen hundred drafty square feet will probably tax the Princess in really cold temps, meaning you'll likely not see the super long burns all the time. Probably about the same with any other similarly sized stove.
 
leeave96 said:
BrowningBAR said:
Todd said:
I used to heat 2000 sq ft with my old Fireview but my house is pretty tight with new windows and extra insulation in the attic. If your gone for 13 hours you can squeeze out a 13 hour burn from this stove consistantly but it won't be throwing much heat for the last 4 or so hours of the burn. You would probably be better off with the new larger Woodstock but waiting 2 months doesn't sound like it would work either. Maybe look into a Blaze King, you will definitely get the long burns you need with plenty of heat.
Click to expand...


I was thinking; buy the Fireview now, see how it works. If it doesn't work, return it for a full refund and get the Progress. The Fireview should heat as well as the 2.2 cu ft Durango.
Click to expand...

+1

or just wait out the new PH and be done with it.

Good luck,
Bill
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was thinking this as well but if he's gone for 13 hours every day he may want something a little bigger that will throw more heat than the Fireview while sustaining those long burns. You can get the 13 hour burns with the Fireview but it doesn't put out much heat at the end of that run and he could come home to a colder than he would like house. If he needs a stove now, I'd just do it right the first time and get the Blaze King and not worry about having to return a Fireview and reinstall another stove.

On the other hand if you really like the new Woodstock, put the order in, wait it out and rely on a couple electric space heaters for heat til the stove arrives, or find a cheap used stove on Craigs list.
 
Is hearth construction an issue? BK is front load and requires only ember protection. I believe the PH requires r.8, .4 with the ash lip/radiation shield, and is side loading. Clearances may make a difference, too.
 
I have a pretty drafty 1200 sq ft ranch with an additional 400 sq ft in the basement and I heat with a Fireview from the basement. The little stove will heat the whole house if I am home to load it every 8 hours or so. I am gone for 12 hours during the week and the house cools down by the time I am away. I leave the heat on 66 and the boiler kicks in to keep up the temp upstairs. I burn around 250 gallons a year for heat and hot water. On the weekends I load more frequently and the stove keeps the upstairs at 69-70. The downstairs is easy to heat and can be kept above 80 if desired. I absolutely love the stove but because of the heat loss of the home, it can't keep up on a 12 hour burn. However, when I get home the stove is around 200 stove top. I just throw some wood in and and 20 minutes later flip the cat. Repeat every 12 hours.

You have other options and can close off unused rooms, or use another form of heat to supplement when you are away. My solution was to get a second stove, a Keystone. The Fireview will now be used during the shoulder seasons as the primary heater and used once or twice a day with a small fire to keep the downstairs toasty. It is overkill but that is another story. Nobody can tell you what to do but you should weigh the immediate gratification and savings over the next two months vs the long term enjoyment and savings over the next 20 years.
 
As others have suggested get the Fireview now and see if it works for you as you have 6 months to try it out. If it doesn't meet your objectives Woodstock will take it back free of charge. As an "insurance policy" also put a $250 refundable deposit on the Progress Hybrid in case the Fireview isn't large enough. You will lock in introductory pricing which has been extended through year end and you also have up to a year to take shipment. Definitely a situation in which you cannot lose. You can also look for a temporary stove on Craigslist if you just want to wait for the Progress.
 
I have just discovered another stove called the harman tl300. A freind of mine has it and man the sucker puts out the heat for hours. Does anybody have that stove or know about it?
Jeff
I have built a hage harth for my old stove so that wont be any issue for whatever we buy.
Ct burning
We have no heat to speak of and I would hate to have to do this all over again. Our furnace is a peice of junk to be honest !
 
From what I've heard here over the last few years I'd stay away from those downdraft style stoves, seems like the rear refractory secondary burn chamber doesn't last and is an expensive replacement cost. They also seem draft sensitive and require a large coal bed to obtain the afterburner to kick in.
 
I had a Fireview and I have to say it is a quality stove but I needed longer burn times. When your gone for 13 hrs you then have to get the stove back up to temp. Many factors determine what stove will fit your needs. I have had 4 wood burners in 3 houses and have learned, pick the stove that you feel will fit your needs then go one size up. Best of luck, whichever stove you, enjoy it and be safe.
 
I have an oakwood as well. They burn hot and kick out the heat, but the operation is not for the faint of heart.

Like Todd said, you have to maintain a deep coal bed, and they work best when you have a perfect chimney setup for the stove, otherwise you will be disappointed in the stove.

Mines sitting in my garage, probably make you a deal on it if you are interested.
 
I'd have trouble paying $3200 for the Princess with the Prog available for $2400. Like Jeff said, in a drafty house, you might push the stove hard a lot. When you push the stove, you lose the advantage of the cat, which is at it's best in a low/med burn. Push the Prog hard, and it goes into non-cat high-output mode. Also mentioned, there's no reason to not put a $250 deposit on a Prog to reserve one at the intro price. . .it's 100% refundable. I would do that, then get a temporary stove in the meantime, or bundle up and get some of those electric radiators Todd mentioned. They're ~ $40, and $800 buys a lot of KWH's. :) The good thing is that Woodstock is actually shipping stoves now, so their ETA should be pretty reliable.
 
Pete, the Progress is indeed a much larger stove than the Fireview and it is too bad we can't get them right away. If so, I'd highly recommend it. Yes, the 13 hour thing can be a stumbling block but if it can take it, perhaps the furnace could kick on for 2-4 hours at the end of the wood burn to keep the house at a relatively decent temperature. Having natural gas is a bonus if the furnace can still take it. That way the Fireview would indeed do the trick nicely. I wish there were a way to speed up the Progress but it is in its first year of production and although they have 100% of the crew working on only the Progress, they are still limited by time. Yes, time can be the enemy of many of us.
 
You mean you met THA MAN himself? LOL. So he does exist.
 
Thank you for all your help Backwoods Savage I really do appreciate it. I am not blowing off your advice by any means but mearly going insane trying to pick a good stove out without a lot of time on my side .Our furnace is running right now and good lord its squealing and grinding its way to death. Our intention to by a wood stock is slowly fading away I called and talked to wood stock today and was told that given the draft in our house and its age they don't recommend the fireview. There recommendation was to wait for the progress, they are amazing at customer service from how they have handled all my nagging so far! Our issue is time the house is freezing already and the dumb furnace just won't shut off. Our furnace is a stamped 86% efficient and the ducts are from the original coal stove that was in the house. The original owners tied the furnace into the ducts with a big metal box it is not even remotely efficient especially in the winter. To give an idea last december came in at $425 for the gas bill because we didn't use the stove for 3 weeks due to various reasons. We will most likely end up with the blaze king this weekend which makes me happy and sad . I am not knocking blaze king but we just love the soap stone stoves.

Thank you guys for all the help I really appreciate it a lot .
Pete

ps KatWill

He does exist far back from humanity in a cave under a rock under a tree lol
See if you can find him! :lol:
 
Pete, we wish you good luck however you go.
 
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