I have spent countless hours researching wood stoves over the past few weeks. Every time I look at the wood stoves for sale, I am drawn to the antique cast iron cylinder stoves from the early 1900's. I have always been into antiques. I have read that you can install an antique wood stove legally using generic codes. I have also read that you can't legally install an antique stove. I think the biggest question I have is -- Are the new wood stoves that much more efficient than antique wood stoves? Please help if you have info on this subject. I will probably would not use the stove 24/7. Most likely a few times a during the evenings. But then again, the more I read about the cost savings of a wood stove, the more I am thinking about getting the most efficient stove I can and try to get in on the big savings! Thanks for your help.
Antique Or New?
- Thread starter Ilinoy
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In the old parlor stoves, if you burned a hot fire, you maybe would get 40% efficiency. Just look at the smoke coming out of the chimney to see how cleanly it was burning. With a good modern stove you can achieve maybe 70+% efficiency and there will be no smoke out of the flue. But the old parlor stoves did look pretty cool in the right setting. Here's a fun link for you:
http://www.antiquestoves.com/parlor stoves.htm
http://www.antiquestoves.com/parlor stoves.htm
Ilinoy:
If all you want or need is an occasional 'comfort fire' and you like the antiques, there's little harm in going that way.
But BeGreen is quite right, if you're looking for efficiency, the modern EPA stoves are probably your best bet.
The link BeGreen pointed you to has some photos of a restored version of my stove - the Round Oak D-16. I bought mine over 30 years ago and have used it most winters ever since. There's no question that the old stuff was durable.
I've made some modifications to my stove that I think have made it safer and more efficient in operation, but it was a lot of work and trial and error... and not many people would have the time or patience to do the same thing.
The other thing to consider is that few to none of the antiques had glass doors - only isinglass, if that - so all you get to see is a 'glow' and not the fire itself.
Most modern stoves let you watch the fire. Keep the door glass clean and it's almost as good as a fireplace... (though you'll find a lot of arguments to that).
Good luck with your choice.
Peter B.
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If all you want or need is an occasional 'comfort fire' and you like the antiques, there's little harm in going that way.
But BeGreen is quite right, if you're looking for efficiency, the modern EPA stoves are probably your best bet.
The link BeGreen pointed you to has some photos of a restored version of my stove - the Round Oak D-16. I bought mine over 30 years ago and have used it most winters ever since. There's no question that the old stuff was durable.
I've made some modifications to my stove that I think have made it safer and more efficient in operation, but it was a lot of work and trial and error... and not many people would have the time or patience to do the same thing.
The other thing to consider is that few to none of the antiques had glass doors - only isinglass, if that - so all you get to see is a 'glow' and not the fire itself.
Most modern stoves let you watch the fire. Keep the door glass clean and it's almost as good as a fireplace... (though you'll find a lot of arguments to that).
Good luck with your choice.
Peter B.
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Todd
Minister of Fire
Ken45
Minister of Fire
gyrfalcon
Minister of Fire
Ken45
Minister of Fire
Yes, that's what I saw yesterday. I'm not sure which model it was, but they had it in ivory. IIRC, cost was around $3000, but I'm not positive about that.
The small one would be great for heating a basement computer room, which is being discussed in another thread. However, running a little electric heater and/or wearing a sweater is more cost effective
Ken
The small one would be great for heating a basement computer room, which is being discussed in another thread. However, running a little electric heater and/or wearing a sweater is more cost effective
Ken
swestall
Minister of Fire
I love the old stoves and the smell of wood. We have about 10 antiques which we seldom use. The Mansfield sits in the house and heats it all season.
But, the Antiques get a crack at it in the basement room, one at a time. They are great to use for that occasional burn, and they really do heat well. You have to burn them hot so they don't smoke very much.
I like the look of the repro pellet stove. I've also seen another that looks like a Godin (sp).
It is my hope that we will evolve in the direction of capturing some of that old time look with modern features.
But, the Antiques get a crack at it in the basement room, one at a time. They are great to use for that occasional burn, and they really do heat well. You have to burn them hot so they don't smoke very much.
I like the look of the repro pellet stove. I've also seen another that looks like a Godin (sp).
It is my hope that we will evolve in the direction of capturing some of that old time look with modern features.
eernest4
New Member
Dear ilinoy,
Please click on this line & take a look at the new secondary burn stoves by englander. the model 50/30ncl or ncp has a 3.5 cubic foot firebox, does a 8 to 10 hour overnight burn & is 74% efficient & puts out less smoke that most other secondary burn stoves. Best part is you can buy them new for $900.oo to $1100.oo
The 50/30ncl is rated to haet a 2000 sq ft house & will give the same heat as an antique stove with at 3.5 cubic foot firebox but burn up only 1/3 the wood. With wood costing 225.00 to 275.00 a cord,cut,split & delevered, you can see that the stove will pay for its purchase price in under two winters of burning in wood savings.
If you compair the price of the stove to oil heat,the stove will pay for itself in 3 months.
click here: www.englanderstoves.com
Englander stoves are sold at home depot,lowes home improvement under the summersheat brand name, (same stove, but cheaper price) & at most ace hardware stores.
Also www.overstockstoves.com
The are one of the lest expensive stoves you can buy , but with quality riviling the most expensive stoves. Any stove cheaper than an englander probably is not worth buying because
its hard to beat an englander going upscale in price to a more expensive stove, let alone buying a chineese stove that you wont be able to get parts for a year later.
englander is made in monroe, vaginia by a family owned & run stove mfg company. they been making stoves over 20 years now & are still going strong because they give their customers great value for their money & back it up with great service. Two of their employees are here at hearth.com most ever day, not because they are getting paid for it, just because the enjoy being around stove people, & always help any one with factory advise
on englander stoves.
I bought a brand new summersheat only 4 weeks ago, the 50/30ncl but summerheat model 50-snc30lc....same stove, just different name with lower price.
I just go to www.overstockstoves.com , they have the 50-tnc30 for $799.oo new ,shipping included, on end of season sale. reg price$1,100.oo , which is a good deal. & shipping is included , so you dont get stuck with a 300.oo motor frieght bill.
You could try lowes or home depot, maybe they still have a stove left, but you might have to ask the salesman to locate a store in your state that is still showing one in stock, as most stores will be all sold out. They end of season sale started feb 12th but is still going on until the last stove is gone. lowes was selling then for $476.oo inc tax, while home depot wanted 799.oo +tax+ shipping.
The lowes has pueater trim(dull silver) while home depot has the more expensive brass or imitation gold trim.
All trim options can be changed easily,DIY, by buying the trim options under your model #'s
accessories at www.englanderstoves.com
Buy the optional stove variable speed blower motor for $159.99 from englander web site, because it really blows out the heat from the stove really good.
Please click on this line & take a look at the new secondary burn stoves by englander. the model 50/30ncl or ncp has a 3.5 cubic foot firebox, does a 8 to 10 hour overnight burn & is 74% efficient & puts out less smoke that most other secondary burn stoves. Best part is you can buy them new for $900.oo to $1100.oo
The 50/30ncl is rated to haet a 2000 sq ft house & will give the same heat as an antique stove with at 3.5 cubic foot firebox but burn up only 1/3 the wood. With wood costing 225.00 to 275.00 a cord,cut,split & delevered, you can see that the stove will pay for its purchase price in under two winters of burning in wood savings.
If you compair the price of the stove to oil heat,the stove will pay for itself in 3 months.
click here: www.englanderstoves.com
Englander stoves are sold at home depot,lowes home improvement under the summersheat brand name, (same stove, but cheaper price) & at most ace hardware stores.
Also www.overstockstoves.com
The are one of the lest expensive stoves you can buy , but with quality riviling the most expensive stoves. Any stove cheaper than an englander probably is not worth buying because
its hard to beat an englander going upscale in price to a more expensive stove, let alone buying a chineese stove that you wont be able to get parts for a year later.
englander is made in monroe, vaginia by a family owned & run stove mfg company. they been making stoves over 20 years now & are still going strong because they give their customers great value for their money & back it up with great service. Two of their employees are here at hearth.com most ever day, not because they are getting paid for it, just because the enjoy being around stove people, & always help any one with factory advise
on englander stoves.
I bought a brand new summersheat only 4 weeks ago, the 50/30ncl but summerheat model 50-snc30lc....same stove, just different name with lower price.
I just go to www.overstockstoves.com , they have the 50-tnc30 for $799.oo new ,shipping included, on end of season sale. reg price$1,100.oo , which is a good deal. & shipping is included , so you dont get stuck with a 300.oo motor frieght bill.
You could try lowes or home depot, maybe they still have a stove left, but you might have to ask the salesman to locate a store in your state that is still showing one in stock, as most stores will be all sold out. They end of season sale started feb 12th but is still going on until the last stove is gone. lowes was selling then for $476.oo inc tax, while home depot wanted 799.oo +tax+ shipping.
The lowes has pueater trim(dull silver) while home depot has the more expensive brass or imitation gold trim.
All trim options can be changed easily,DIY, by buying the trim options under your model #'s
accessories at www.englanderstoves.com
Buy the optional stove variable speed blower motor for $159.99 from englander web site, because it really blows out the heat from the stove really good.
Hey ilinoy, good to see another midwesterner' here. Those old stoves are pretty neat in many ways. I used to burn one in my shop, years ago. That being said, the newer stove designs are really superior for lots of reasons. You may want to consider a few things before you go one direction or another. Things like clearances to combustibles, hearth pad requirements, heat output, INSURANCE, your own feelings on particulate emissions (neighbors?), etc. I am not try to talk you into or out of anything (I really like the looks of some of those old stoves myself), but you will want to consider all the ins and outs. Currently, many insurance companies require UL listed stoves and all the inspections to be up to par. Old school stoves may not pass the test. Just a thought.
mbcijim
Member
I am buying a Thelin for my new house.
$2800 installed in Eastern Pa for a wood stove. They come in pellet & gas also, same look.
$2800 installed in Eastern Pa for a wood stove. They come in pellet & gas also, same look.
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