New to wood stoves and really need your input...

[Big Donnie Brasco]

Thank you ALL for the input!
I have found a few dealers in my area that have recommended anything from Regency F2400 ($1,715) to the PE T5 ($2,715).
Is the PE really worth the added grand?
Also recommended was a Lopi Endeavor, PE Super 27, and the Buck 21.

I have ZERO experience with any of these so it's so difficult to balance budget with quality!!

Any more ideas?

Just kid of choking on the $5000+ for an installed woodstove.

Thanks so much!!

 

[kingquad]

Thank you ALL for the input!
I have found a few dealers in my area that have recommended anything from Regency F2400 ($1,715) to the PE T5 ($2,715).
Is the PE really worth the added grand?
Also recommended was a Lopi Endeavor, PE Super 27, and the Buck 21.

I have ZERO experience with any of these so it's so difficult to balance budget with quality!!

Any more ideas?

Just kid of choking on the $5000+ for an installed woodstove.

Thanks so much!!

The T5 is the same firebox as the Super 27. The Super 27 should be about the same price as the Regency. Any of those stoves would get the job done though. The PE will probably have the best burn times though.

 

[Ashful]

$5000 seems to be a fairly common number for an installed stove, if you're paying to have it all done for you. It's right inline with the numbers we've received from more than one source. You can cut the chimney install by more than half if you're willing to do it yourself, but depending on how much you value you time versus your money versus your liability, it may or may not be worth it.

 

[Big Donnie Brasco]

you guys are awesome.. thank you for the prompt reply!!

I'll keep you posted!

 

[begreen]

I would only get the Alderlea if you want the additional mass of the cast iron jacket, cool trivets and like the looks. Otherwise the Super 27 at about a grand less has the same firebox and will heat just fine. The Endeavor is a great stove too.

 

[Big Donnie Brasco]

The dealer in Lawrence KS has the T5 at about $2,500 and the Super 27 at $2,000 (so only $500 for the cast iron jacket)
materials and installation is gonna run me an additional $2,400.

At this point I am wondering if my money is better spent on new windows and insulation!

 

[kingquad]

I would definitely insulate. Are you willing to do a self install? You could save yourself a ton of money, and if you have some basic carpentry skills it should be pretty easy. Also, if your trying to save money, take a look at the Napoleon 1400PL. It's about the same size as the PE, is quite a bit cheaper, has good clearances, and has excellent reviews on this site. Obadiah's is supposed to have really good prices. www.woodstoves.net

 

[Big Donnie Brasco]

unfortunately at this point it's an "either/or" proposition. I EITHER insulate and replace windows OR I get a wood stove.
I know what makes the most sense but I sure would like a stove

Oh well

Thank you all!

Don

 

[StihlHead]

Insulation is by far the better choice. O/w you are just heating the draft as it blows through your house. Go for the drafts first and re-fit/replace the doos and windows and weather strip them. Then insulate the crap out of your place with as much as you can get in there. Also insulate the attic/celing first and with the most. That is where the majority of the heat goes. Then when you are cold this winter, or broke from heating it with electric or LP, you can buy the stove. If you have NG, that is about as cheap a heat source as you are going to get.

 

[PapaDave]

Welcome to the Hearth Don.
My place was/is a bit drafty, but I use the stove to keep it as warm as I'd like (unless it gets down to -20). Just a bit over 1200 ft sq. too, and the stove is in a room that's only 9.5x14 with the front door only 5' away. Nobody trips on the stove or runs into it.
I've been doing some basic draft sealing around doors, windows, all the switches and outlets on exterior walls. Do that while heating with wood.
If it were me, I'd get the stove to keep down the heating bill, then use the savings to start on the insulation.
Alternatively, you could spend the money on insulating, etc., and also get at least 5 cord of c/s/s wood done for next year. Next year, get another 5 cord or more for the following year.
Get your stove next year.
Are we having fun yet?

 

[kingquad]

There are a lot of cost effective ways to insulate and air seal your home. Some good ideas (especially on windows) can be found here.
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Conservation/conservation.htm

 

[Mrs. Krabappel]

warmth was my first priority. Insulation or not, I was never going to set the (oil) thermostat above 62. I bought the stove first. No regrets.

 

[Jags]

I am with PapaDave and Kathleen on this. Insulation and windows still means your flipping on the T-stat. With a properly sized stove, that T-stat could be shut off and your home much warmer - even with the drafts.

That being said - I wouldn't put the insulation and windows, etc out of my mind. Those things will also payback every year...even if it is in wood savings.

 

[begreen]

Using less wood is a good thing. They also pay back in the summer with reduced cooling bills, and they make the building quieter inside. However, if your house is a log home, then there are less options.

 

[Cross Cut Saw]

We bought a 150 year old home that was very drafty and I installed LOTS of insulation, replaced the last 6 old wood windows with new vinyl ones and did as much weatherizing as I could last fall/winter.
My thinking was that stuff like that slowly starts to pay for itself the moment you get it in and if you're living there you might was well let it start paying for itself right away.

This spring we bought the wood stove and I've been stocking up on wood ever since.

I spent about $7,000 total, $500 on insulation, $1600 on windows, and $5000 on the stove and I think I'll save that much in 2-3 winters...

But if you really look at it, the stove will pay off everything else, six new windows are NOT going to save me $1600 for many years, random insulation will pay itself off faster because it's cheaper than windows, but the stove will pay for itself in 2 years.

 

[PapaDave]

If you're spending 2-3-$4,000/yr. to heat the place, how ya gonna' afford to ever get a stove OR insulate?
Gotta' stop the bleeding first. Triage.

 

[Cross Cut Saw]

If you're spending 2-3-$4,000/yr. to heat the place, how ya gonna' afford to ever get a stove OR insulate?
Gotta' stop the bleeding first. Triage.

0% interest credit cards, get a new offer every day, haven't paid interest in 10 years...

 

[Ashful]

We bought a 150 year old home that was very drafty and I installed LOTS of insulation, replaced the last 6 old wood windows with new vinyl ones and did as much weatherizing as I could last fall/winter.

What kind of second-rate windows require replacing after only 150 years?

Ditto on the votes for doing the stove first. Around here, oil varies from $3.45 - $3.75 per gallon, throughout the season. Wood is anywhere from the free (cost of gas) to a max of $200 per cord, fully processed. That puts oil anywhere from $3.00 to $3.27 per 100,000 BTU, and wood anywhere from free to a worst-case $1.48 per cord (if you're paying $200 per cord for softwood!). So, costs being roughly equal for insulating versus installing a wood stove, unless you're planning on immediately halving your oil usage with all that insulation, there's no way to win with oil. Assuming you might actually buy hardwood for your $200/cord, the cost of wood actually going to be under $1.00 / 100,000 BTU, versus $3.00+ for oil.

The math is a little skewed, as I assume you might not be heating the entire house with the stove, and still need to use some oil. But those numbers are hard to be on any scale. Get the stove this year, insulate next year.