Q&A Oil Stove efficiency -older model

Question:

I don't know if this can be answered. But, I am hoping for help. I searched your archives and your forum and I have spent hours looking on the internet for answers but have found nothing. We bought an old home (60+yrs) in Virginia. It has in the kitchen, a Duo-therm oil stove. It is model #712-6. It stands about 4 ft tall. It connects to a brick chimney and this chimney runs directly through the center of the house (approx. 1600sq.ft.) The only information I have been able to find is regarding Duo-therm for RV's. We are seriously thinking of switching out to a wood stove next year. Wood is much cheaper and easier for us to obtain. But, I cannot find any information on the Duo-therm, to even make reasonable comparisons as to their efficiency, etc. If you know of any information, or somewhere I can get it from, I would be most appreciative.



Answer:

Other than possibly some of the antique dealers at http://hearth.com/partsplace.html, you may not be able to find much info on your product. Here's how I would figure things.

1. The stove is probably 50% efficient
2. Oil contains 140,000 BTU per gallon.
By doing the math, if you unit uses 1/2 gallon per hour, it is burning at 70,000 BTU input and 35,000 output. You can correct this for the actual usage of your unit.
Hope this helps.

Link: Parts Resources