Advice request... Quadra Mt. V or Enviro Omega

I am looking to heat 2500SF (maybe more if the heat reaches my bonus room) and I have two dealers in town selling stoves. I can get the Quadra-Fire Mt. Vernon from one or the Enviro Omega from the other. Both stoves seem about the same size (BTUs and CFM), they also both burn multi-fuels although in Maine I expect wood to be the cheapest type available.

The Mt. Vernon dealer tried to sell me on the cast iron burn pot (made it seem like the end of the world if you didn't have one). My wife prefers the look of this stove. This dealer does not do the install (they sub it out). I've seen the Quadra in the store and it looks nice. This unit comes with a programmable wall thermostat.

The Enviro dealer does not carry the Omega in his shop but he does order and install them when customers request it (he showed me two other Enviro models in his shop). He does the installation and maintenance himself (unlike the Quadra dealer). The Omega has a distinct hopper capacity advantage. It also comes with a hearth pad which will save me a little cash.

Besides the obvious (appearance) is there anything substantially different about these stoves? I think I can get the Omega for a couple hundred $$ less than the Mt.V. Does anyone recommend for/against either stove? There is also the Enviro Maxx which has similar BTU and CFM for even less money (b/c of the industrial appearance). I heard that the Omega can be installed much closer to a window than the Mt. Vernon. Is this true?

I would really appreciate advice on this. I need to make a decision soon (before my wife drives me insane).

Want any details to help make this easier? Ask away and I'll tell you what I know. I've never burned pellets before. I used to have a Jotul woodstove.

Are they still having problems with the Mt Vernon??

The dealer was upfront about the "growing pains" with the Mt V. She claims the bugs are all worked out.
The clearances (inside) to combustibles are fine for both stoves. I'm concerned about the venting. I just want to poke it out through the back wall but I don't want that to be too close to a window. I heard I need 4 feet for the Mt. V and only 18" for the Omega. Anyone heard this?

You have a Honest dealer. a far cry from the one that wanted to sell me the mt vernon in the middle of all of the problems.


I have my Big E vented straight out the wall. when the power goes out the smoke will fill the cellar.I hear if i vent it up 5' the heat will Carrie the smoke out of the stove to the outside.

Something you might ask your dealer about.

Well she admitted to the problems AFTER I expressed concern about reliability and problems with the new design. Does sound like she sold a lot of them two heating seasons ago and had a big headache with angry customers. A different dealer sells Avalon but also carries the Quadra stoves b/c he wanted more "cast" stoves to offer in this market. He described the Mt. V as finicky.

Where in CT are you? I used to work in New London and my Jotul came from the Preston Trading Post.

I'll ask the dealer about venting. I can't go up too high b/c I have a window on the second story. I didn't know if anyone who installs the Omega knows of a... wait I just answered my own question. This is from the Omega Tech Manual: "48 inch minimum clearance beside any window that may be opened (18 inch if outside fresh air intake installed)"

I guess the clearances are 12 inches with a Mt. V. if I use an outside air kit.

Here is a post on the Omega

http://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/13351/#147693


Where in Maine are you??

I live in Brunswick.

The Springfield mass line

up near enfield? thanks for the help.

the MT V. seems to be doing alot better at this point if was two yrs ago i would say stay away from it we sold about sixty of them in 06 the stove was brought out to quick and need some more time in the lab we really did not sell any last year but i took a look at it again and think we will most likely bring it back in.

Somers. Anytime.