Fireview 201 vs.Fireview 205

[ESVA Fireview]

We currently have a Fireview. 201 that does a decent job on heating our house but we know we need something bigger. We have been looking at getting a PH but recently saw a local ad for a Fireview 205. We have thought about running two stoves when it gets super cold and we do have another chimney to put a stove in. We can currently get 8 hour burns on our stove and it does a great job on heating our house until we get into the 20's and then it needs some boiler help. We live in a drafty 125 year old Victorian house that will never get an energy star rating...lol On paper both Fireviews have the same btu output and efficiency rating but one would think that the 205 would be the better stove. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[mellow]

I thought the 205 was a little bit bigger and has a better airwash?

If you need bigger I would hold out for the new steel stove, you can put in a preorder on them now and it is a little easier on the wallet than the PH, but if the 205 is a deal and it will heat your house I would jump on it after a very detailed inspection.

 

[Bobbin]

Can't speak to the 205, but can say that we've been running a 201 for 23 yrs. now. We use it for auxiliary heat in our 1250 sq.ft., second storey "apartment" in a 1991 house that is well insulated with a 5 zone system (forced hot water, oil-fired boiler). For the 201, it's easy work. The Classic heats my shop (1008 sq.ft.) easily, as well (single zone,forced hot air, oil-fired furnace). The space is over the garage bays, fully insulated, built in 2007.

We don't generally run the stoves 24/7; smaller, hot fires suffice beautifully to keep the space cozy and keep wood consumption to a minimum. There are generally coals to rekindle a fire (rarely in my shop, however, as one fire/ work day is the norm). We've never considered replacing our household 201. But I'll be interested to read further replies to your question.

I'd be more apt to "tighten up" the house, frankly. Insulation and sealing can go a very long way toward increasing the general comfort level. And, you can do a lot of it for the price of a new stove!

 

[fire_man]

I started out with a FV 205 and it just was not enough for this 2200 sq ft house. So I "tightened up" by replacing all the 25 year old windows, sealed and added insulation to the attic, ran a "blower test" to confirm sealing helped - and still had a cold house.

So I replaced the FV with a Progress, and now the coldest room during a cold snap has "warmed up" to 55 F instead of 52 F, so life is better.

Now I am looking into adding a Palladium in our other fireplace. I guess it depends on your house and your layout, but in my case I think only two stoves will really make this place right.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

We currently have a Fireview. 201 that does a decent job on heating our house but we know we need something bigger. We have been looking at getting a PH but recently saw a local ad for a Fireview 205. We have thought about running two stoves when it gets super cold and we do have another chimney to put a stove in. We can currently get 8 hour burns on our stove and it does a great job on heating our house until we get into the 20's and then it needs some boiler help. We live in a drafty 125 year old Victorian house that will never get an energy star rating...lol On paper both Fireviews have the same btu output and efficiency rating but one would think that the 205 would be the better stove. Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Welcome to the forum ESVA Fireview.

I doubt that the new Fireview would be that much better than the older one, or not enough to make up the difference that you require. Most definitely the Progress would suit you just fine as would the new Ideal Steel.

Good luck.

 

[ESVA Fireview]

Thanks for the replies guys.....I will let the spring weather thaw out my brain and figure out what to do. Maybe wait for the next WS stove due out in 2015? Hmm....