Oversized Stove

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Eme

New Member
Dec 2, 2020
2
Ohio
My partner and I recently purchased a house with a Buck 91. The stove has no identification on it other than a Buck Stove logo so I contacted them to identify it. A month after buying the house we had a chimney sweep come out to inspect it. He did not seem to know much about it, and since I knew even less, I didn't know what to ask. The chimney sweep recommended eventually replacing what he called the baffle board. I contacted the manufacturer and they said it's actually a flame shield that needs replacing.

Our house is only 1600 sqft so the stove is way oversized. I'm not sure why the previous owners installed such an oversized stove unless it was a good deal. The house was remodeled with a fireplace in an addition, but that was sealed up in another remodel. The stove is in a separate room from where the fireplace was.

When I discovered the catalyst, I knew it probably needed to be replaced as there is no install date on the stove. So that was my DIY project this fall, but the expense of maintenance (and time) just this year has already exceeded what I expected. What other maintenance or replacement tasks should I look out for?

I am interested in whether a used stove like this could be sold for anything? Do you think the sale price would cover the cost of a smaller stove?

Does anyone think it's worthwhile to keep an oversized stove? I am certainly on the low end of the firing temps for the catalyst, if I reach 1000 degrees the house is 85 and it's rarely cold enough to really maintain a fire for more than a day, even if we use it as the only heat source and if we open a window or two. I typically turn off the heat on my day off and fire it up, then let it die at night and turn the heat back on in the morning. Is it even safe to have a stove this large?
 
Hmm you forgot gaskets for the door that need to be replaced every few years to, so the stove heats the house enough to open a few windows? Thats pretty much perfect in the sense that it hasn't gotten cold yet and the price of oil / gas / propane is fairly cheap (wait 2 years now that we have a new president with a different policies regarding fossil fuels and fracking)
A picture of the stove will help with identifying it, there should also be a metal placard on the rear of the unit.
Stove size is not a safety issue, its how the stove & chimney are installed regarding its clearances to combustibles.
 
My 2cents, if the stove is hooked up correctly and you replace the gaskets and maybe the cat then I would try using it over the winter, some of the newer cats have a lower light off temp so you could possibly burn it lower. We are not into the cold season yet so you really can't judge it yet, might be a reason why they went with such a large stove.

Buck 91's in good condition sold during this time of year might fetch up to $900, depending on your area.
 
The metal placard on the back of the unit has been removed.
not good, technically speaking since the stove doesnt have a placard its considered an unlisted stove, so for insurance sake you would have to meet or exceed the basic nfpa clearances for an unlisted stove.
I have heard from quite a few people that have moved to a new home and discovered that the stoves placards have been removed or scraped off, I'm starting to think that either home inspectors or insurance agents are secretly removing them while doing inspections, far fetched but you have to wonder why a metal tag in a small spot generally in the rear of the unit would have so much attention paid to it.