Started as stove talk now thread about marriage, etc...

[MRD1985]

If money is the issue what about a used freestanding wood stove instead of an insert? Thats what i have had for 20+ years and absolutely Love it and the set up.

My wife was from NYC and "had to have" the open fire not the wood stove. After only a few days of the wood stove she completely changed to Loving the woodstove. She's always cold so when it's 75-80F in the woodstove room she couldn't be happier! She has seen the light, your wife will as well.

I have a hard time trusting a used stove from an unknown seller. Never know the history or the true reason they are selling it. Used stoves around here are at least 750$ or more and the right dimension one even harder to find. At 1650$ new it’s really not bad.

 

[Caw]

I have a hard time trusting a used stove from an unknown seller. Never know the history or the true reason they are selling it. Used stoves around here are at least 750$ or more and the right dimension one even harder to find. At 1650$ new it’s really not bad.

*Everything is expensive around here. Fixed that for you.

 

[bigealta]

I have a hard time trusting a used stove from an unknown seller. Never know the history or the true reason they are selling it. Used stoves around here are at least 750$ or more and the right dimension one even harder to find. At 1650$ new it’s really not bad.

Yes they can be costly and certainly have some risk if you don't know what to look for. But i'm comfortable with the risk and pretty confident i can sniff out the good ones. I drove 5 hours each way to boston to get a used jotul f400 from craigslist a few years ago. Was in like new condition. paid $1,400 for a stove that was about $3,300 new at the time and a minimum 3 week delivery wait.

No brainer in that case. Has been a great fit for my set up. Heats 95% of the cape house here in NJ.

And it's still in almost like new condition.

 

[MRD1985]

*Everything is expensive around here. Fixed that for you.

True that! Everything except wood haha. Hell even the natural gas is well above National average at $1.81 per therm.

 

[MRD1985]

Yes they can be costly and certainly have some risk if you don't know what to look for. But i'm comfortable with the risk and pretty confident i can sniff out the good ones. I drove 5 hours each way to boston to get a used jotul f400 from craigslist a few years ago. Was in like new condition. paid $1,400 for a stove that was about $3,300 new at the time and a minimum 3 week delivery wait.

No brainer in that case. Has been a great fit for my set up. Heats 95% of the cape house here in NJ.

And it's still in almost like new condition.

Everything I’ve seen online looks to either need fire brick work or is very old, not the right dimensions etc. then I’d had to either find or fab trim plates. Just extra work when I can buy something for not much more new that comes with everything I need.🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[Caw]

True that! Everything except wood haha. Hell even the natural gas is well above National average at $1.81 per therm.

Yeah wood is abundant we have that going for us. However if you're buying already "seasoned" wood you will pay a premium here vs other parts of the country. Buying log length is where it's at.

 

[Garbanzo62]

I added an insert last year. Now it was a Warm Winter in CT, but I used 400 less gallons of Oil than the previous year. So I saved approx $1600. Not sure if that Deloit is an EPA stove, but if it is you get a 30% Tax Credit on materials and Labor. My insert coat approx $7500 but netted to $5000 after the credit. So add in the $1600 of Savings I am at $3400 cost after year one.

 

[MRD1985]

I added an insert last year. Now it was a Warm Winter in CT, but I used 400 less gallons of Oil than the previous year. So I saved approx $1600. Not sure if that Deloit is an EPA stove, but if it is you get a 30% Tax Credit on materials and Labor. My insert coat approx $7500 but netted to $5000 after the credit. So add in the $1600 of Savings I am at $3400 cost after year one.

It is on the list for epa 2020 approved stove. But i would have to install in “January” to claim it on my taxes for 2024 tax year. My heat pump is maxing out my credit for 2023 tax year

 

[MRD1985]

This would be its new home. As an idea of the floor plan. Excuse the mess…2 young boys and 2 dogs!

 

[Garbanzo62]

Might want to get the manual and check the distance to combustibles. I had to get a Fire Resistant Matt for in front of my hearth because it was 2 inches short. Also Check with your Accountant, I think you can Carry over Credits. Either Way, If you have access to a supply of wood, it will eventually pay for itself. Keep in mind that you will be getting into a wood stockpile phase. With Oak taking 2 - 3 years to properly season, you will need to get started now to have wood available for when you current stockpile runs out.

 

[MRD1985]

Might want to get the manual and check the distance to combustibles. I had to get a Fire Resistant Matt for in front of my hearth because it was 2 inches short. Also Check with your Accountant, I think you can Carry over Credits. Either Way, If you have access to a supply of wood, it will eventually pay for itself. Keep in mind that you will be getting into a wood stockpile phase. With Oak taking 2 - 3 years to properly season, you will need to get started now to have wood available for when you current stockpile runs out.

I have enough room I did measure. The the insulation for the flue will give it zero clearance within the chimney and I have enough overhead and in front clearance per the manual. In front was the closest though, barely made it. I may get a fire resistant mat any way if I do get the stove.

Not concerned with wood supply. Only thing left to do is catch the old lady in a good mood…

I’ll be sure to check with my tax preparer about carrying credits. Thanks.

 

[EbS-P]

I would men

I have enough room I did measure. The the insulation for the flue will give it zero clearance within the chimney and I have enough overhead and in front clearance per the manual. In front was the closest though, barely made it. I may get a fire resistant mat any way if I do get the stove.

Not concerned with wood supply. Only thing left to do is catch the old lady in a good mood…

I’ll be sure to check with my tax preparer about carrying credits. Thanks.

if cutting your own wood cut it short. I forget the exact depth to the doghouse air inlet. But it fits so much more when you load it north/south.

 

[Garbanzo62]

I have enough room I did measure. The the insulation for the flue will give it zero clearance within the chimney and I have enough overhead and in front clearance per the manual. In front was the closest though, barely made it. I may get a fire resistant mat any way if I do get the stove.

Not concerned with wood supply. Only thing left to do is catch the old lady in a good mood…

I’ll be sure to check with my tax preparer about carrying credits. Thanks.

I thought I had enough front clearance too. Inspector thought otherwise. You also might want to check with your insurance company on if it will affect your premium. Mine did not, but it is good to know ahead of time. also check with town to see if you need to pull a permit.

 

[Garbanzo62]

Concur with EbS-P . I had wood cut before the Insert that was approx 18". My stove takes 18 E/W and 16 N/S. Prefer N/S loading, but my stuff that is 18 I need to do E/W. some is longer which becomes an Angled piece. Those really throw a Wrench in the works. Now I cut at approx 15" just to be safe

 

[MRD1985]

I would men

if cutting your own wood cut it short. I forget the exact depth to the doghouse air inlet. But it fits so much more when you load it north/south.

East/west says up to 20”. I’ll cut them shorter than that to place them north/south

 

[Ashful]

Ideal space for wood heating, if you add a ceiling fan to battle stratification that will happen with that vaulted ceiling. We have one of our stoves in a room that's 16 x 32 feet with a 14 ft ceiling, and we have two ceiling fans mounted 1/3rd of the way from each end of the room. With the one above the stove on "pull" and the one on the other end of the room on "push", it creates a nice heating loop.

 

[Caw]

Id just be a little cautious on planning for N/S loading on stoves designed for E/W. It's certainly easier to load but may or may not be better. My stove is very similar to the Drolet 1800 just slightly smaller. It's only 14.75" deep. Throughout the winter I save shorties and will do a few N/S loads to use them up and I don't think it burns as well. It gets hotter faster and wants to run away. I think it's due to how the doghouse is designed and it's getting more air from the air wash. It just runs much smoother with E/W loading like intended.

Not saying it will be the case for you but I think you should consider it before ordering or cutting all your wood to 15". If you find out it runs better E/W now you have a lot of dead/air space in the stove every reload wishing you had 18" logs.

Space looks good. Your wife will have to accept no stockings or hanging decorations on the mantle while is on. We move ours to the stairway railing for Santa. Find a nice looking log holder and some tools and you're set. Highly recommend welders gloves and a coal rake/hoe. Also for hearth extension/floor protection you can make your own with powdered steel and micore if you like the look. That's what I did.

Maybe the wife needs some new diamonds at the same time you get the stove. That might work. 😉

Powdered steel floor protector bumped up to R=1 with Micore:

 

[bigealta]

Concur with EbS-P . I had wood cut before the Insert that was approx 18". My stove takes 18 E/W and 16 N/S. Prefer N/S loading, but my stuff that is 18 I need to do E/W. some is longer which becomes an Angled piece. Those really throw a Wrench in the works. Now I cut at approx 15" just to be safe

Try N/S on bottom row and E/W above that! Works great!
This is how i do it.

 

[Caw]

Try N/S on bottom row and E/W above that! Works great!
This is how i do it.

I do this on cold starts but on regular hot coal reloads N/S gets out of hand. Mine runs best E/W.

 

[MRD1985]

Id just be a little cautious on planning for N/S loading on stoves designed for E/W. It's certainly easier to load but may or may not be better. My stove is very similar to the Drolet 1800 just slightly smaller. It's only 14.75" deep. Throughout the winter I save shorties and will do a few N/S loads to use them up and I don't think it burns as well. It gets hotter faster and wants to run away. I think it's due to how the doghouse is designed and it's getting more air from the air wash. It just runs much smoother with E/W loading like intended.

Not saying it will be the case for you but I think you should consider it before ordering or cutting all your wood to 15". If you find out it runs better E/W now you have a lot of dead/air space in the stove every reload wishing you had 18" logs.

Space looks good. Your wife will have to accept no stockings or hanging decorations on the mantle while is on. We move ours to the stairway railing for Santa. Find a nice looking log holder and some tools and you're set. Highly recommend welders gloves and a coal rake/hoe. Also for hearth extension/floor protection you can make your own with powdered steel and micore if you like the look. That's what I did.

Maybe the wife needs some new diamonds at the same time you get the stove. That might work. 😉

Powdered steel floor protector bumped up to R=1 with Micore:

View attachment 319084

Good tips, thanks.

 

[joop]

my wife is the cheapest i know,but once she experienced the bun warming aspect ,it's her best friend

 

[Ashful]

my wife is the cheapest i know,but once she experienced the bun warming aspect ,it's her best friend

I think this is common. Late one winter, my wife discovered discoloration on the backs of her legs, and it took a day or two to put two and two together, and realize she had burned herself by baking her backside in front of the stove. It would've been funny, except it lasted for many weeks!

 

[joop]

woman like heat on their butts for some reason.mine melted her robe

 

[MRD1985]

As much as I wanted to do this, can’t get my wife on board with the idea. I think mostly because of her parents’ input who didn’t have the best experience with a free standing stove 25-30 years ago. And just “not comfortable at this point in her life” with that (biggest reasons are the mess, cost of fire wood (which she refuses to listen or acknowledge that simply isn’t the case) and doesn’t feel comfortable having a fire going all the time to heat our house). I appreciate everyone’s input and advice.

 

[Ashful]

As much as I wanted to do this, can’t get my wife on board with the idea. I think mostly because of her parents’ input who didn’t have the best experience with a free standing stove 25-30 years ago. And just “not comfortable at this point in her life” with that. I appreciate everyone’s input and advice.

I was in the same situation as you, 10-12 years ago when we bought our house. It already had one wood stove installed when we bought, albeit a really bad one, and my wife was very quickly fed up with the whole thing.

But knowing she has always had more trouble clearly seeing the finish line from the start, and that all things would be forgiven with success, I plowed ahead anyway. I spent a year or three building up a wood supply, then installed two new liners and two new stoves that actually worked reliably. It wasn't but a year hence, that she was the first one asking when I'm going to start the stoves on a cold day.

Now I catch her telling friends and neighbors that she wouldn't want to live in this house without the wood stoves. Go figure!