First Stove?

[jayheel]

After 3 years of deciding and saving (or losing b/c of using natural gas!) it looks as if we're going to buy our first stove. We have narrowed it down to 3. The Harman Accentra, Harman PC 45 or the Enerzone BIO 45MF. So.....
Which one? I've spent countless hours at the local dealers, online, and especially this forum and I'm looking for any last words of advice before I take the plunge.
I am heating a 2 story 1700 sq house in western michigan. I would like to use the stove as much as possible, and only use the furnace if really necessary.

Anyone have experience with any of these stoves? Would it be beneficial to pay a little more to get the multi fuel harman? I know the Enerzone is a little louder but it's also quite a bit cheaper (out the door with pipe around 2200) as opossed to around 3000 otd for Accentra and 3300 for PC45) Maybe that's another question: are those prices inline?

anyways enough questions I appreciate the help I've already received from reading the forum and would appreciate more help on my many questions

Thanks

 

[KeithO]

Jay, Pellets are fairly pricey until you get up north http://www.michiganwoodpellet.com/order.cfm Corn is still quite expensive too ($4.00 / 58lb bag), but it may come down a little soon. NG is still pretty cheap and right now I can't beat NG pricing and pay off my corn stove (cost about $4k including a 25ft vertical 4" vent). When you factor in the efficiency of the stove (70% compared to the furnace - 95%) you may be losing. I can't get pellets here in Jackson for nearly the same price, the freight cost adds up fast.

 

[jayheel]

Thanks Keith,

unfortunately my furnace isn't 95% it's more like 70% and I realize that NG is still pretty cheap, but... will it stay that way? the local dealer quoted me a pellet price of 190 a ton sounded reasonable for this time of the year. Also the wife would like it a little warmer in the winter 60 night 65 day and paying 200-300 a month. It seems I could get more heat with less price with a stove. But I'll keep researching.

 

[KeithO]

Jay, corn for me is $140/ton (last seasons prices). The problem with corn is rising demand for ethanol production which is keeping up the price. Pellets are really similar to NG because it is purely an issue of "market prices" which means that is the price of NG goes up, the price of pellets goes up too (particularly when the fuel price goes up).

This year I have resorted to cordwood, since it enables me to cut out all the middlemen. My wood supply for this year cost less than $10 in gas and chain lube for the chainsaw.

Just something to bear in mind with electricity and NG: There are minimum fees that have to be paid even if you consume no gas. In my case last winter my utility bill was $75/mo of which at least $40 was for being connected (line charges). This is then added to the corn bill (roughly $120/month) so I came out at $195/month. But I had to schlepp 1 ton of corn a month and carry around those 60lb sacks and deal with the dust issues etc.

Great technology if the fuel is acceptably priced, but within 1 week of buying the corn stove (while doing the install) the corn price went from $1.89 to $4.00 / bushel. Killed the deal financially right there. Now on top of that you have to amortise the cost of the stove and the vent and the install.

 

[Stove Geek]

Have you found any help on the choice of your stove? Let me know if you have questions still...