Need Advice Avalon Olympic Insert instead of a wood hearth stove???

[afptl]

found an avalon olympic wood insert on CL that we can probably swing. House is 1300 sq ft, and stove is rated at 1500 to 2500 sq ft. 3.1 cu firebox

Goals for the wood stove besides heat--cooktop in case of power outage and heat in case of power outage. You can mount this as a "hearth heater" which means pulled out of the fireplace a little more and on the hearth OR you can mount it flush. I would mount it more like the hearth heater. It has a blower for regular useage. Would you get any radiant heat out of the insert in case of a power outage?

So, is the Avalon insert a good one? any idea what these cost new? Trying to make a good decision here! We are heating with a Vermont Castings Intrepid 2, which is too small and I don't like the CAT stoves (not a good experience here.) Trying to decide if I should look for a stove or if the insert will work. I have to worry about the power outage thing because besides the children, I have to go get grandma (cold natured) if any problems like that. We also live in a rural area, so if the power goes off, they might restore the town folks first before they get to us.

thanks for any insight. The insert should fit fine in the fireplace with the 6 inch liner we have.

 

[Stump_Branch]

From what gather the avalons can be used as an insert or freestanding, same stove. Its made by travis industries who makes lopi. Both are good stoves. The olympic is a large stove and should do fine.

When buying a used stove you have to be careful. Some have been abused, possibly overfired. Look for warping, cracked baffels and such. Dont spend the money if you have doubts. A few questions to the owners as well, how did you use it, how did you know how hot you got it etc.

Good luck

 

[robertmcw]

Check the damper plate or other cast or steel parts for warpness with the dollar bill test.

Read this: https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Used_Stove_buying_Primer/

We got a used Avalon Olympic and I am very happy.


Robert

 

[Patapsco Mike]

I bought a used Avalon Olympic and heated my house with it for one season. Second-best stove I've ever owned, I liked it a lot.

 

[krex1010]

Avalon seems to make a solid stove. And an Olympic is more than adequate for your size house. Mounted out on the hearth it will provide plenty of radiant heat if u can't use the blower. Brand new that stove is pretty pricey.

 

[glenlloyd]

The owners manual for this model is online, you should consult that to see if fitment works for you. The 'cook top' install requires 24 7/8" of hearth to comply with manufacturers requirement, flush fit is 22 3/8".

I Would ask for serial number and check with Avalon for production date and inquire about any remaining warranty and possibility of transfer of any remaining balance. They may do it, they may not, who knows. These are warranted for seven years but year seven doesn't get you a whole lot.

Although these can wear / decay because of firing it would be (in my mind) more advantageous to acquire a used stove that had been tested versus what I got which was a six year old unfired display model that may not be warranted. The person I bought mine from understood this argument and I think it's valid. I think most quality problems will crop up in the first couple of years when the warranty has the best coverage.

Be sure and report back what you find and whether you buy this or not, I'm in the process of installing mine (chimney prep) and would interested in following another install too.

I haven't talked about the Olympic with my local Avalon dealer but my assumption based on the pricing of the other models I've looked at there is that a base Olympic is in the $2400 range.

Steve A

 

[krex1010]

The other thing to look at is if there are two separate Olympic models, one for a hearth mount and one for a flush mount. I know the Avalon rainier has two separate models, so you may not have the option of how to install the stove, the difference in the rainier is that the flush mount comes with a 90* flue and the hearth mount model comes with a 45* flue. Again I'm not sure if the Olympic is the same but I would check this out.

 

[glenlloyd]

The other thing to look at is if there are two separate Olympic models, one for a hearth mount and one for a flush mount. I know the Avalon rainier has two separate models, so you may not have the option of how to install the stove, the difference in the rainier is that the flush mount comes with a 90* flue and the hearth mount model comes with a 45* flue. Again I'm not sure if the Olympic is the same but I would check this out.

It's the same insert, different trim mounting points in the body of the insert and an extension that goes on top for flush mount, otherwise there's no difference. Same case for Rainer and Pendleton, only one but different mountings.

Steve A

 

[Backwoods Savage]

found an avalon olympic wood insert on CL that we can probably swing. House is 1300 sq ft, and stove is rated at 1500 to 2500 sq ft. 3.1 cu firebox

Goals for the wood stove besides heat--cooktop in case of power outage and heat in case of power outage. You can mount this as a "hearth heater" which means pulled out of the fireplace a little more and on the hearth OR you can mount it flush. I would mount it more like the hearth heater. It has a blower for regular useage. Would you get any radiant heat out of the insert in case of a power outage?

So, is the Avalon insert a good one? any idea what these cost new? Trying to make a good decision here! We are heating with a Vermont Castings Intrepid 2, which is too small and I don't like the CAT stoves (not a good experience here.) Trying to decide if I should look for a stove or if the insert will work. I have to worry about the power outage thing because besides the children, I have to go get grandma (cold natured) if any problems like that. We also live in a rural area, so if the power goes off, they might restore the town folks first before they get to us.

thanks for any insight. The insert should fit fine in the fireplace with the 6 inch liner we have.

Ann, please do not judge all cat stoves by your experience with the VC stove. Lots of folks have complained about the VC stoves but if you look at other cat stoves, that is not the case. In our case, we thought we were against the cat stoves but ended up with one anyway. We love it.

Good luck.

 

[krex1010]

The other thing to look at is if there are two separate Olympic models, one for a hearth mount and one for a flush mount. I know the Avalon rainier has two separate models, so you may not have the option of how to install the stove, the difference in the rainier is that the flush mount comes with a 90* flue and the hearth mount model comes with a 45* flue. Again I'm not sure if the Olympic is the same but I would check this out.

It's the same insert, different trim mounting points in the body of the insert and an extension that goes on top for flush mount, otherwise there's no difference. Same case for Rainer and Pendleton, only one but different mountings.

Steve A

Then they changed the rainier because when I was shopping a few years ago the salesman at an Avalon distributor showed me the two different models, with the different flue setups. One one the flue exited straight out the top and on the other it came off at a 45 degree angle. But now that I think about it I believe the rainier was the only insert in the Avalon line that had two different flue setups.

 

[robertmcw]

When we got ours I found on CL in Dallas. I live in the Houston area. I drove THEN and in four hours later and paid for it cash. You can’t wait to get it at that price you want.

Robert

 

[glenlloyd]

Then they changed the rainier because when I was shopping a few years ago the salesman at an Avalon distributor showed me the two different models, with the different flue setups. One one the flue exited straight out the top and on the other it came off at a 45 degree angle. But now that I think about it I believe the rainier was the only insert in the Avalon line that had two different flue setups.

Yes, both the Pendleton and the Rainier have the 45 or 90 degree flue option, but their application chart says either flue setup may be used as either insert or stove.

I believe that Avalon designed these stoves to be as versatile as possible without variation. I don't know if anyone else noticed but the Pendleton, Rainier and Olympic use the identical door. Avalon just adjusted the size of the box behind the door.

Steve A

 

[krex1010]

Then they changed the rainier because when I was shopping a few years ago the salesman at an Avalon distributor showed me the two different models, with the different flue setups. One one the flue exited straight out the top and on the other it came off at a 45 degree angle. But now that I think about it I believe the rainier was the only insert in the Avalon line that had two different flue setups.

Yes, both the Pendleton and the Rainier have the 45 or 90 degree flue option, but their application chart says either flue setup may be used as either insert or stove.

I believe that Avalon designed these stoves to be as versatile as possible without variation. I don't know if anyone else noticed but the Pendleton, Rainier and Olympic use the identical door. Avalon just adjusted the size of the box behind the door.

Steve A

Either insert can be converted to a freestanding stove, but if venting into a fireplace, you have to install the 90* flue stove deeper in the fireplace ( which is the flush mount option) the 45* flue stove has to be mounted out on the hearth ( which is why it's considered the hearth mount option)

 

[afptl]

Well, I think we are going to buy the insert. I talked to the seller tonight. Unfortunately, we have a death in the family (great aunt) so we will be unable to go after it until Friday. Seller says he will hold it for us.

I also called Avalon to ask a whole bunch of questions. The guy that talked to me on the phone was REALLY helpful! He even had me email him some pictures of the potential install and went over it all to make sure it would all be safe. I was really impressed with the customer service from Avalon/Travis Industries. I am really excited about the insert. This insert could be made into a stove by purchasing legs. Nice feature if I ever needed it!

I am excited about the insert and will breath a sign of relief when it's finally here! Wish we could go sooner than Friday, but that's just the way it goes.

 

[afptl]

The other thing to look at is if there are two separate Olympic models, one for a hearth mount and one for a flush mount. I know the Avalon rainier has two separate models, so you may not have the option of how to install the stove, the difference in the rainier is that the flush mount comes with a 90* flue and the hearth mount model comes with a 45* flue. Again I'm not sure if the Olympic is the same but I would check this out.

I downloaded the manual and talked to a customer service rep. The flush mount and the cook top model are the same. They just add an extension to the little gold colored louvers to make it the flush model. The surround also screws onto the insert and there are one set of hole for the flush mount and another set for the cook top model. Thanks for writing!

 

[afptl]

Well, we went Friday night and bought it! We really looked it over well. I had printed off parts of the manual, and it was really helpful. I knew what the parts were supposed to be and could make sure they were all there. Also, the manual had a list of items to check as part of annual maintenance. Hubby was worried it will run us out of the house, but the blower has a built in thermostat that kicks on and off according to how you have it set. I think it will just be a learning curve

I made a template out of a paper bag using the measurements the seller gave me and the manual. I then put the paper bag template into my fireplace to make sure the insert will fit. It will be close, but it should be fine. I need to paint the stove. I am planning on sanding the top some before painting. Would you use steel wool to sand or some sandpaper on the top? the rest of the stove doesn't look bad, but I think I am just going to paint it all before bringing it into the house.

Boys put the yellow strap thing on and used a boom pole on tractor to get it out of hubby's truck and put into oldest deployed son's truck. Backed it into the barn to keep it dry. Then I can just pull the truck out on a nice day to work on it. Deployed son is at Ft. Hood, TX right now and getting sent to Iraq. for 400 days. Then when I am ready to install, we can just back up the truck to unload as close to the house as possible!

Thanks for everyone's help. It has been a hard decision to make! Going from the know to the unknown and spending $$!! I feel like the Lord blessed us by us finding this on CL! No way could I afford it new. I called the stove shop that sells these and it was a good thing I was sitting down!

 

[afptl]

I forgot the pics I took this morning.

 

[afptl]

I already took the extension with the gold covered vents off on the top of it and the gold colored trim around the top of the blower. would you take the glass out to paint on the door or just tape around it?

 

[glenlloyd]

I already took the extension with the gold covered vents off on the top of it and the gold colored trim around the top of the blower. would you take the glass out to paint on the door or just tape around it?

Unless you really feel like you need to replace the window gasket I would just mask it off and respray with it installed. One thing I noticed about my Olympic is that it's not stove black, it's more of a charcoal color, so be aware of that. I think Avalon sells original spray finishes if you want to go that route, otherwise I don't think there's a problem respraying the unit black with the generic Krylon stove black that's readily available.

Then again if you really want to make sure it's all up to par before installing you could replace the gaskets in the door / glass. If they look good I wouldn't bother but it never hurts to start fresh.

Good thing you had the instructions and knew what you were looking at, there are some small bits on these that if not present would need to be ordered. Looks like you got the blower too which is great, mine didn't come with one.

As a side note you might want to unload the fire brick from this before hefting it around, the bricks add a lot of weight and these are large stoves. I unloaded all my bricks, even the upper rack, before unloading it from the truck because I didn't have any help that day. None of that will go back in until it's been set and the liner attached and it's in the firebox.

Steve A

 

[robertmcw]

The door (frame) is aluminum. Don’t strip the screws. I would see if the screws can move and I would remove the screws and remove the glass but be careful not do damage the inside gasket (if were me, I would replace the gaskets) and I would paint the door by it self and clean with the glass with a good Heath and Stove Cleaner, in and out. I would use a fine round disk with a drill and use emery paper for the rest and I would get a good paint to match the whole unit from Travis. I would use two or three light coats.

Don’t paint the brick.

The problem with paint is that if you overtire the unit the paint will cook off.


Robert

 

[afptl]

As a side note you might want to unload the fire brick from this before hefting it around, the bricks add a lot of weight and these are large stoves. I unloaded all my bricks, even the upper rack, before unloading it from the truck because I didn't have any help that day. None of that will go back in until it's been set and the liner attached and it's in the firebox. Steve A

I already took the firebrick out of the sides and bottom. I was thinking of taking them out of the top. Was it hard to get them back in? Did you take the air tubes out to get to them?

 

[robertmcw]

The most known and used processes employed for Aluminum-finishing are described as anodizing, electrolytic passivation processes that increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer on the surface of aluminum parts.

You can paint over aluminum anodized finishes but I don't know if the cleaners can stick.

Robert

 

[glenlloyd]

As a side note you might want to unload the fire brick from this before hefting it around, the bricks add a lot of weight and these are large stoves. I unloaded all my bricks, even the upper rack, before unloading it from the truck because I didn't have any help that day. None of that will go back in until it's been set and the liner attached and it's in the firebox. Steve A

I already took the firebrick out of the sides and bottom. I was thinking of taking them out of the top. Was it hard to get them back in? Did you take the air tubes out to get to them?

You have to pull both roll pins and the front air tube in order to extract the bricks from the upper rack. It was a chore but they did relent and come out. Once those pins are out you can pull out the air tube and then gently remove the upper front bricks (per instructions IIRC). I may have lifted the front bricks and slid them on top of the rear ones in order to pull the front rack iron out. Once the front iron rack is out you can slide the upper bricks out from the rear. If you're worried about dropping one put a pillow or towel in the firebox right under where you're working.

Mine's not installed yet, it's still sitting on a 2 wheel cart in the small garage awaiting the chimney liner. The bricks and door are safely stowed elsewhere until their ready to be reinstalled.

good luck

 

[fredarm]

I'm always amazed how many CL stove sellers don't even bother to clean the glass in the door--a five minute job at the most! Looks like a nice stove and will look great with a fresh coat of paint and, oh yes, clean glass.

 

[[email protected]]

Ann,
I'm glad to hear you purchased the stove, now we need to get it back into shape! I'd be happy to supply you with the correct stove bright paint if need be. Let me know
Sincerely,
Shelby @ Travis Technical