To replace, or not to replace. That is the question.

[agartner]

In the springtime, I'm giving the idea of replacing my woodstove. It sits, hearth-mounted, in a finished basement and vents via an outside chimney at the far end of the basement. The stove itself is a Kent Sherwood, built sometime in the mid 70's I would guess. I bought it second hand for all of fifty dollars when I first moved into the house a few years back.

The Sherwood has two controls - primary air that downwashes over the glass, and a second control that redirects the exhaust gases through a baffle instead of directly up and out the stove pipe. No cat. No epa cert. Just heat. Its a steel construction stove that I've lined with some stovebrick to give it a little more mass and heat retention.

I burn clean. I get the stove up to temp quickly and I let the fire cycle naturally, controlling primary air only to keep the stove from overfire. Lather, rinse, and repeat until spring. My fuel is primarily "EcoBrix" (pressed sawdust blocks), EnviroLogs (pressed food grade cardboard logs) and yes, sometimes even cordwood.

I'm not unhappy with the Kent. Actually, I quite like it. However, with the whole federal tax credit thing going on, and the new clean technologies that are out there such as secondary air, catalytics, etc, I'm considering an upgrade.

Would the efficiency of a new stove be worth the investment, or would you stick with what works? What do the fire gods and gurus think?

 

[TessiersFarm]

I will get chastized here but I just replaced our 10 year old catalytic VC with an early 80's vintage Fisher. I have gone through about the same amount of wood so far this season and I am much happier with the stoves operation and performance. I burn 24-7 with stricktly cord wood, I just let it go out monday during the day for the first time since Thanksgiving, to clean the ashes out and check the chimney. I am extremely happy with the "new" old woodstove.

 

[Dix]

In the springtime, I'm giving the idea of replacing my woodstove. It sits, hearth-mounted, in a finished basement and vents via an outside chimney at the far end of the basement. The stove itself is a Kent Sherwood, built sometime in the mid 70's I would guess. I bought it second hand for all of fifty dollars when I first moved into the house a few years back.

The Sherwood has two controls - primary air that downwashes over the glass, and a second control that redirects the exhaust gases through a baffle instead of directly up and out the stove pipe. No cat. No epa cert. Just heat. Its a steel construction stove that I've lined with some stovebrick to give it a little more mass and heat retention.

I burn clean. I get the stove up to temp quickly and I let the fire cycle naturally, controlling primary air only to keep the stove from overfire. Lather, rinse, and repeat until spring. My fuel is primarily "EcoBrix" (pressed sawdust blocks), EnviroLogs (pressed food grade cardboard logs) and yes, sometimes even cordwood.

I'm not unhappy with the Kent. Actually, I quite like it. However, with the whole federal tax credit thing going on, and the new clean technologies that are out there such as secondary air, catalytics, etc, I'm considering an upgrade.

Would the efficiency of a new stove be worth the investment, or would you stick with what works? What do the fire gods and gurus think?

Go for it.


I bought my insert 1 year too early, and yet I am still quite content.


We burned coal & wood when I was a kid. House was warm, but dust and ashes ...OMG

The new tech is much cleaner., warmer, less energy use, etc. Think about moving the stove upstairs !!

Welcome to the forums !

 

[grommal]

I will get chastized here but I just replaced our 10 year old catalytic VC with an early 80's vintage Fisher. I have gone through about the same amount of wood so far this season and I am much happier with the stoves operation and performance. I burn 24-7 with stricktly cord wood, I just let it go out monday during the day for the first time since Thanksgiving, to clean the ashes out and check the chimney. I am extremely happy with the "new" old woodstove.

This one experience does not surprise me, but it may not be representative. I replaced an older EPA certified VC cat with a newer EPAII non-cat Jotul, and it's like night and day in terms of operational ease. Wood consumption is about the same, as I expected, though, since both stoves had about the same emissions ratings and similar firebox size.

 

[Fsappo]

Please dont base any opinions on the newer stoves on the experience of cat stove owners, especially the VC product line. There's dozens of great mid sized non cat stoves out there.

There are also good catalytic stoves, Woodstock and Blaze King. These cat stoves will give you longer burn times than a non cat. The non cat stoves for some are much easier to use and maintain.

 

[grommal]

Please dont base any opinions on the newer stoves on the experience of cat stove owners, especially the VC product line. There's dozens of great mid sized non cat stoves out there.

There are also good catalytic stoves, Woodstock and Blaze King. These cat stoves will give you longer burn times than a non cat. The non cat stoves for some are much easier to use and maintain.

Right. That was really my point. Except for a few folks who have had good experience with them, switching from a VC cat to another stove (seemingly regardless of what the other stove is!?) results in a better experience. So, for one person, turning the clock back to an old smoke dragon was a step up from their troublesome VC, and for another, ditching a VC cat for an even newer stove from another manufacturer was also a step up. It's more a matter of switching from something that wasn't working well for its owner to something that is, rather than an old vs. new, or cat vs. non-cat issue. Having said that, an EPA stove WILL burn cleaner and, all things being equal (the tricky part), will burn less wood, than an old smoke dragon.

There are many fine new stoves, both cat and non-cat. Something for everyone!

 

[cycloxer]

It depends how much wood you burn per year and if you have a couple K in your wallet.

 

[agartner]

It depends how much wood you burn per year and if you have a couple K in your wallet.

I'm burning pretty much full time. The sound of the furnace turning on just makes me cringe. I haven't gotten to the point of cat vs. non-cat, iron vs steel, soapstone vs firebrick, etc. The first determination I want to make is simply whether or not there is sufficient advantages in a brand new stove over what I believe is a reasonably designed older one to make it worth the purchase and installation cost. One thing to mention is that I haven't fully lined the chimney yet - and that's a consideration. Any new install would be fully lined all the way up.

 

[MishMouse]

If your thinking about the tax credit.
I was under the impression that was supposed to expire this year.
Or did it get extened?

 

[cycloxer]

It's 30% this year, 30% next year, possibly 50% next year w/ Cash for Caulkers.

 

[begreen]

In the springtime, I'm giving the idea of replacing my woodstove. It sits, hearth-mounted, in a finished basement and vents via an outside chimney at the far end of the basement. The stove itself is a Kent Sherwood, built sometime in the mid 70's I would guess. I bought it second hand for all of fifty dollars when I first moved into the house a few years back.

The Sherwood has two controls - primary air that downwashes over the glass, and a second control that redirects the exhaust gases through a baffle instead of directly up and out the stove pipe. No cat. No epa cert. Just heat. Its a steel construction stove that I've lined with some stovebrick to give it a little more mass and heat retention.

I burn clean. I get the stove up to temp quickly and I let the fire cycle naturally, controlling primary air only to keep the stove from overfire. Lather, rinse, and repeat until spring. My fuel is primarily "EcoBrix" (pressed sawdust blocks), EnviroLogs (pressed food grade cardboard logs) and yes, sometimes even cordwood.

I'm not unhappy with the Kent. Actually, I quite like it. However, with the whole federal tax credit thing going on, and the new clean technologies that are out there such as secondary air, catalytics, etc, I'm considering an upgrade.

Would the efficiency of a new stove be worth the investment, or would you stick with what works? What do the fire gods and gurus think?

This was the budget version of the Kent Tile stove, probably from the mid-80s. From what I've read, the Kent was amongst the most efficient designs of its day. I believe it was the design inspiration behind the first PE stoves, though I could be in error. You might want to contact Tom at www.thechimneysweeponline.com for more information on this stove.

If the stove is in great condition, no warping, then it may be worth keeping for another season. It certainly doesn't owe you anything.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Kent_Tile_Fire

 

[agartner]

In the springtime, I'm giving the idea of replacing my woodstove. It sits, hearth-mounted, in a finished basement and vents via an outside chimney at the far end of the basement. The stove itself is a Kent Sherwood, built sometime in the mid 70's I would guess. I bought it second hand for all of fifty dollars when I first moved into the house a few years back.

The Sherwood has two controls - primary air that downwashes over the glass, and a second control that redirects the exhaust gases through a baffle instead of directly up and out the stove pipe. No cat. No epa cert. Just heat. Its a steel construction stove that I've lined with some stovebrick to give it a little more mass and heat retention.

I burn clean. I get the stove up to temp quickly and I let the fire cycle naturally, controlling primary air only to keep the stove from overfire. Lather, rinse, and repeat until spring. My fuel is primarily "EcoBrix" (pressed sawdust blocks), EnviroLogs (pressed food grade cardboard logs) and yes, sometimes even cordwood.

I'm not unhappy with the Kent. Actually, I quite like it. However, with the whole federal tax credit thing going on, and the new clean technologies that are out there such as secondary air, catalytics, etc, I'm considering an upgrade.

Would the efficiency of a new stove be worth the investment, or would you stick with what works? What do the fire gods and gurus think?

This was the budget version of the Kent Tile stove, probably from the mid-80s. From what I've read, the Kent was amongst the most efficient designs of its day. I believe it was the design inspiration behind the first PE stoves, though I could be in error. You might want to contact Tom at www.thechimneysweeponline.com for more information on this stove.

If the stove is in great condition, no warping, then it may be worth keeping for another season. It certainly doesn't owe you anything.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/wiki/Kent_Tile_Fire

I believe it is the "budget" version of the Tile Fire - from the link above: (Hume & Associates began importing the Tile Fire in 1980, and soon added the budget-priced Sherwood model, which was basically the firebox from the Tile Fire without the porcelain/tile outer shell)

And it is in superb operational condition, although it could use blast of a little stove paint come springtime.

Thanks for the post - I had saw the article on the Tile Fire but completely missed the fact that the Sherwood was of the same firebox design.

 

[begreen]

I'd be tempted to keep it. If so, take it out this spring. Clean it up, vacuum it out, regasket and give it a nice, fresh high-temp paint job, then put her back in and enjoy your good fortune to have stumbled upon a great stove at a great price.

If you do decide to sell it, still do the above and hold onto the stove until next October. It will sell for about 10x what you paid for it.

 

[agartner]

I'd be tempted to keep it. If so, take it out this spring. Clean it up, vacuum it out, regasket and give it a nice, fresh high-temp paint job, then put her back in and enjoy your good fortune to have stumbled upon a great stove at a great price.

If you do decide to sell it, still do the above and hold onto the stove until next October. It will sell for about 10x what you paid for it.

I think that's the plan. I'll give it a nice reconditioning in the spring, and then put it right back where it belongs in my hearth. I believe a wise old new englander once said..."Ayuh, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

Thank you all for your help!

-Al