Brrrrrr!!!

[papabear]

Just checking in. I haven't stopped in to the forum lately and thought I'd stop in and say Hello! Well I guess winter has finally checked in too in full force around most of the country.
I moved my coal stove out last fall and slid my old Fisher stove in place since I got caught up on the wood cutting plus I did not like paying $750. for coal. The cost of my wood is free, just the cost of chain saw gas, oil, my truck gas and time, etc. so this winter's cost of heating has been relatively cheap. On the really cold days, I do kick on the oil burner and cheat a little in the morning but it usually stays off the rest of the day plus the fact that I am too lazy to get up at 3 am and throw a log on. But the ol' Fisher made quick work of my huge pile of wood since it is 25 years old or more and not very efficient. But she does keep the house warmer then the coal stove! Someday I'll get one of the modern more efficient stoves that burn less wood for the same BTU's. I was eyeing up the Quadrafires but I see a lot of you in this forum talk highly of the Vermont Castings so I've been leaning toward those and even watching them on Ebay to get more familiar with the models and prices. I see they have some very impressive efficiency ratings.

If anyone cares to share (bragging is fine) about their Vermont Castings and how much it heats while being easy on the woodpile - I'm listening! Or any make or model for that matter since I realize there are many good stoves manufactured today.

Stay Warm!
Bill

 

[BrotherBart]

Paging Elk! Call in the lobby for Elkimeg!

 

[begreen]

What are you leaning towards? Cast Iron or Steel? Cat or non-cat? What is your budget?

There are some Quadrafire fans here too. And some PE stove lovers. Tell us a lot more about the size of the house, room size, current chimney, locale, house style, insulation, etc.

 

[papabear]

Steel, Non-Cat, $1,500. but looks like what I want is more like $2,200.

House is 55 years old and partially insulated 1962 s.f. 2 story cross between salt box and cape. I close off 2nd floor and only heat 1st floor or 5 rooms most are 11 X 12 or 14. Chimney is 5 years old triple layer SS Air Jet 6" inside diameter goes down to cellar. Wood stove is in the cellar centrally located and heat comes up cellar stairway, mostly.
I know - I got to get it insulated.

 

[begreen]

Lots of good options in steel. The Quads are good as are Pacific Energy stoves. Also look at Lopi, Avalon, Regency. Napoleon offers a lot of value too. If you have a Home Depot or Lowes close by find out right away if they are clearing out their Englander stoves. Bart has the big 30 NCL and it's a great stove for the money. FWIW VC's are all castiron.

What region are you located in? Why is the stove in the basement? Have you considered moving it upstairs for better heating?

 

[BrotherBart]

Get a stove like the 30-NCL or a big Quadrafire and install it where the blower shooting the air across the top of it is aimed at that stairwell and heaven will reveal itself to you.

 

[Fire Bug]

Hi Papa Bear, (Bill).
I just replaced my Fisher Papa Bear with a Jotul Firelight Dv 600 propane gas stove in my rec room. I have a Heat & Glow FB Grand propane insert in my upstairs field stone fire place.
I guess I got to use to that dry, warm, heat from the Papa Bear because the gas stove in the rec room just isn't the same type of heat as the Fisher Stove.
Their are so many trade offs with these two stoves. Obviously, the Fisher Woodstove produced super dry, warm, heat but the constant tending and not using the stove when I was not home or sleeping was another draw back. The gas stove is the answer to these problems.
I have electric heat as the main heat source in the house which is probably the worst heat for a house with vaulted ceilings, and a front wall of pretty much entire glass.
These old fisher stoves may have not have been the cleanest burning but they sure did throw very nice heat and alot of it and it seems like they would last for ever.
My fisher stove sits in the garage and I just can't bring myself around to get rid of it, it is like brand new.
I wish I had a better main source of eat like gas or oil hot water so I could use the Fisher when I wanted to and save a considerable amount of money over the propane or electric.
Mom likes the conveince of the propane stove and so do I but miss that wood heat so much.
I had one chimney fire and that scared us both. It is very hard to keep the fisher at a steady flue temperature and I had the occasiona times where I had the stove overfire that will make you have to change your drawers with flue temp.'s 800 to 1000 degrees on the flue type thermometer.
I also have my house lot that is two wooded acres and I recently bought forthy six acres of which half is wooded.
The price of convenince is high when if comes to propane. In ways I miss my old "Woody" and and in certain ways I don't. Does that make sense. I can't complete describe why I feel this way.

Thanks,
Fire Bug

 

[papabear]

I too had a chimney fire years ago and it cracked the clay liner in the chimney. They told us to not use the original chimney anymore for burning wood but said it'd be OK to use for the oil burner. That's why the newer triple layer chimney. That is also why the wood stove is in the cellar. I liked it better when it was upstairs and someday I'd like to get the chimney fixed to have the stove upstairs again.
I'll check out Lowes and Home Depot for the clearances. Thanks!
Yes, the Fisher sure can kick the heat. If I had a team to help me keep it in wood, I probably would not be considering buying another stove. I guess they were quite popular 25 or 30 years ago and they do seem to last forever.
Oh, I'm in North Central PA. We don't have 10 feet of snow but it sure is windy and cold. 6 degrees last night!

 

[kevinlp]

I am quite happy with my Morso 7110. It has done more than I expected.