Long time lurker...first time poster. Hello everyone!
Well, we're finally going to do it. We've researched about a hundred stoves (exaggerating only slightly) and learned tons of information about stoves, wood, etc. on this forum (mostly) and elsewhere (some), and we're going with a Hearthstone Phoenix in matte black to be our primary heat source, supplemented with an oil boiler, hot water radiator system.
Some background:
Almost six years ago, the wife and I bought a 1923 solid-brick Georgian Colonial in suburban Baltimore with two fireplaces and about 3000 sq. ft. At the time, oil (main heating source) was $0.99/gallon so we didn't make much of it and burned 1800(
) gallons our first year here. Since then we've become more environmentally- and energy-aware and thought about adding a wood stove. I grew up in a 1700s house that had a HUGE stove that sounded like a freight train when you got it going, so I wasn't really sure if this would work. To my delight, they don't do that anymore, and they look nice, too. When oil hit $4/gallon (our oil company said we're "price protected" at $5.59) and the payback period dropped under four years, that was the last straw. I've spent the last six weeks getting the installation specs together (hearth installation) and we should be installed shortly after Thanksgiving. Then I'll get started on finding a consistent wood source besides the half-dozen or so hickory trees that need to come down in our yard. We have about 4 cords stacked nicely on our porch, which hasn't collapsed from the weight (yet :gulp: ).
I like walking in the woods, not cutting them down myself, so for the time being I'll be ordering wood delivered. One step at a time...
Thanks to all who post good info on this site. It really helps!
I'll post pictures and a first burn report once it's installed.
Well, we're finally going to do it. We've researched about a hundred stoves (exaggerating only slightly) and learned tons of information about stoves, wood, etc. on this forum (mostly) and elsewhere (some), and we're going with a Hearthstone Phoenix in matte black to be our primary heat source, supplemented with an oil boiler, hot water radiator system.
Some background:
Almost six years ago, the wife and I bought a 1923 solid-brick Georgian Colonial in suburban Baltimore with two fireplaces and about 3000 sq. ft. At the time, oil (main heating source) was $0.99/gallon so we didn't make much of it and burned 1800(
) gallons our first year here. Since then we've become more environmentally- and energy-aware and thought about adding a wood stove. I grew up in a 1700s house that had a HUGE stove that sounded like a freight train when you got it going, so I wasn't really sure if this would work. To my delight, they don't do that anymore, and they look nice, too. When oil hit $4/gallon (our oil company said we're "price protected" at $5.59) and the payback period dropped under four years, that was the last straw. I've spent the last six weeks getting the installation specs together (hearth installation) and we should be installed shortly after Thanksgiving. Then I'll get started on finding a consistent wood source besides the half-dozen or so hickory trees that need to come down in our yard. We have about 4 cords stacked nicely on our porch, which hasn't collapsed from the weight (yet :gulp: ).I like walking in the woods, not cutting them down myself, so for the time being I'll be ordering wood delivered. One step at a time...
Thanks to all who post good info on this site. It really helps!
I'll post pictures and a first burn report once it's installed.
