Ugly rear ends

[Mt Bob]

Well getting late,but wtf,has anybody noticed that op originally was talking about putting in an insert?And then all this other crap?And if he/she/it/ is in a row house probably no legal exhaust option?In posts wants multi fuel option to burn recycled garbage?Wake up people.If I am wrong,sorry.

 

[BronxBoy]

Sorry for any confusion. In my original posting I mentioned nothing about an insert or log chinks. That was somehow brought up by others.

FYI I live at the end of the row so the house is semi-attached. No problem going out through the side external wall. Or I can do a vertical flue through the roof. No big deal.

Yes, there is an urban-rural divide on this forum which should be brought up. As much as possible urbanites need to catch up with you guys about eco-responsible heating--and we need your help! We are good laboratories for the movement, in fact, with our smaller homes (mine is just 1100sf).

I am under no delusions about the availability of fuels. I know I will have to start with wood pellets, and I can store a ton or two in the garage. But looking around the corner, other fuels will eventually become available (some produced even in the Big Apple) and I want to be ready so I can have a seamless transition.

Some manufacturers claim their products can do it. Chickenman, your Nero can candle even garbage pellets, right? So advertises Vance of Seraph 106 (, starting at 3'40"). Shucks, they just aren't making the wife cut as of now.

I really appreciate all of you guys who are helping me and so many other newbies over the years!

 

[bags]

All right BronxBoy,
Now you are making a little more sense and you do have options. This forum is great and somewhat serves as a self guided journey on pellet education with tons of support. After all, it's your investment and something you will have to live and deal with. There are experts here with about every stove you can find that was ever made. Many burning pellets before pellet stoves existed if you know what I mean. Very experienced individuals. I have seen some that have several decades with burning pellets. No one knew you were an end unit with a garage for pellet storage. Good deal! There are also many other New Yaawkers around here that will be helpful to you. Search them out.

The more specific details you give here (especially, the veteran pellet peeps) the better advice and suggestions you will get. I am a newbie also and try to give back in return for all of the help and support I have received here. Everyone does joke around a bit as you can see and that is all part of the fun. I have noticed there is a fun playful mode which is great and highly entertaining, but then the flip side (which is needed and awesome) is it can be straight up business and the love of our sport here. I have been reading here non-stop for a long time. I refer to older threads and am continuously learning so do yourself a favor and read up and use the search bar. It pays off. Don't feel bad because I am still lost, dazed, and confused to a degree. Ask questions and research. I just got spanked and educated on pellets by a lady! They play this pellet sport very well and very educated also, so take note. Not to be taken the wrong way, just using it as an example.

Sounds like your main problem (LOL!) is letting your wife pick out what she likes looks wise. You are not the first and will not be the last. Can you blame her? It is your job to get her involved with more than the color and look. You both can learn and make a good decision you are both happy about. Worked for me! If she understands everything then she may become more tolerant on stove choices. I can also understand her view of wanting something decent looking since you will be living with it like a well behaved pet. You have oodles of options for heating 1,100 SQ FT. Might start a thread asking the best options for heating 1,100SF.?? Or asking people here with similar SQ FT how they are doing it. Also give some details on your floor plan, 1 or 2 levels?, tons of windows?, ceiling height?, building construction?, insulation?, how tight your envelope is?, etc; Basically: List your requirements, details of what you are trying to accomplish within the given space, and such. Good Luck!

 

[briansol]

Where are you going to put your ash if you have no yard?

 

[Fsappo]

Someone asked what my first thought was..does the OP have Natural gas? didn't see the answer

 

[tjnamtiw]

http://www.amfmenergy.com/55epacepest22.html
I'm surprised no one brought up this one! Nice sides and not bulky. And reasonably priced. Forget about multi-fuel if you're thinking about garbage burning. That's too darn far off to worry about. Pipe dream, at best. Go hug a tree!

 

[BronxBoy]

Don't mind the kidding. I am a Bronx Boy, after all, and that's a national sport here. I do have a yard so no problem with ash. Question, what is OP? (original poster I presume). Yup, we have natural gas.

 

[briansol]

NG is cheaper than pellet burning right now...

Do you have storage space for 3+ tons of pellets in the house too? a basement/etc? (not too familiar with those row things)

 

[tjnamtiw]

Don't mind the kidding. I am a Bronx Boy, after all, and that's a national sport here. I do have a yard so no problem with ash. Question, what is OP? (original poster I presume). Yup, we have natural gas.

Yep, you definitely need a thick skin to survive on this board! Welcome aboard. I guess you've been keel hauled enough. I'm a dumb Dutchman from Berks county, Pa. so my skin is very thick!

That stove I referenced is apparently a good one made by a US company well supported directly on this forum. Many people have bought the factory rebuilt stoves from AMFMENERGY and I haven't seen any complaints.

 

[Jason845845]

Natural gas is the cheapest, cleanest method of heating right now. I don't think what you're looking for exists yet.

 

[Byrond]

Yes I have read most posts,grew up back east(western MD) chink your house!My cabin log part was built before I moved out here,1988,swedish cope,and being this close to the thermal disaster known as yellowstone park,the ground moves all the time,and temperature affects logs/all wood.The log parts of my house I have permachinked on the outside,some on the inside(swedish cope,look it up).My neighbors house(log) was chinked with cement from about 1993.They are both holding up about the same except I get 3 times the sun load as I am not in a hole,low daily sun.Why would you not fix the air leaks other than you want to keep it "historic"which is dumber than s***.Read this forum,seal your house,please!

Working on the chinking. Some times it holds other times not so much. It's seems a lot more difficult on square (not really) timbers than the round ones. It is a true work in progress as it was neglected for a lot of years afte my father died and then while it was tied up in probate.

 

[bbfarm]

<------- pretty stove. Also a multi fuel stove. Can burn corn and cherry pits

 

[Fsappo]

Don't mind the kidding. I am a Bronx Boy, after all, and that's a national sport here. I do have a yard so no problem with ash. Question, what is OP? (original poster I presume). Yup, we have natural gas.

Unless you need to go thru extra work and money simply to feel "more green", There is not a reason I can think of to go with biomass instead of natural in your situation. Natural gas is cheaper (in most cases), cleaner, easier and safer (in my opinion). Not to mention the flames on a high end gas stove can be flat out realistic. Also, more design options and many shallower profiles.

 

[BronxBoy]

You guys are too much. I feel like I'm pledging a college fraternity and it's initiation time.

OK, I drive a Prius. I am 66 and want a line on my eulogy to include something like "took some baby steps toward living carbon neutral."

I can relent and put aside my hope for flex fuel. My garage can easily hold 1 ton, perhaps 2 tons so I know it will mean finding a mid-season vendor while prices are high and supply is low.

I finally found a St. Croix dealer who services NYC. We might be the Big Apple but I have been only able to find one dealer in the city (Quad) and two dealers in LI (St. Croix and Harman) who have licenses to sell, install, and service in the city.

Thanks to your reality checks my revised wish list for my 1100sf home is (in order of importance): lowest possible maintenance (auto ignition, ash removal no more than every other day), pretty, quiet, thin). Tagging along at the end of my wish list is burns at least some alternative fuels.

I hear you guys, but I still want to join the fraternity.

 

[hossthehermit]

 

[BronxBoy]

Thank you guys for your time and concern. Based on your collective wisdom, checkmate, I won't be joining the club. Maybe will check out NG stoves.

Seriously, must do something. We checked off almost all of the boxes to reduce cost and emissions: new boiler (oil unfortunately, done at the time oil and NG were at parity), new windows and doors, blown in insulation to attic and walls, caulking and weatherstripping, even Nest thermostat. The one thing we can't do for health reasons is lower the thermostat. Still paying $5K a year for heat and hot water (and adding carbon to the air). Thought the pellet stove would help on both fronts.

Again, thanks for sharing your candid thoughts.

 

[Lake Girl]

NG might be worth looking into if the cost of plumbing it into your home is not cost prohibitive. A wide variety of choices ... Good luck!

 

[Fsappo]

lock the thread before he decides on a corn plot for the roof of his building for his amaze a blaze!

 

[Bioburner]

Or maybe methane generator for the garage

 

[apandori]

Anthracite coal may also be a good option for you.

 

[Straz85]

Still paying $5K a year for heat and hot water (and adding carbon to the air).

I can't fathom how heat and hot water for a 1200 sq ft house would be $5000/year, even in NYC. How much is oil going for there? What temp are you keeping the house at? How old is your boiler? If you have the option to switch to gas now, I would do that in a heartbeat. Not sure about NY, but Massachusetts has quite a few incentives to switch. Last I heard you could get something like $700 off a gas furnace and I just got a gas tankless water heater a few months ago and there was an $800 rebate. My house is 2000 sq ft and between heat and hot water we're spending <$1400/year. That's before we got the wood insert. We also have a freestanding gas stove heating an addition due to shoddy duct work by the previous owners.

 

[Fsappo]

I can't fathom how heat and hot water for a 1200 sq ft house would be $5000/year, even in NYC. How much is oil going for there? What temp are you keeping the house at? How old is your boiler? If you have the option to switch to gas now, I would do that in a heartbeat. Not sure about NY, but Massachusetts has quite a few incentives to switch. Last I heard you could get something like $700 off a gas furnace and I just got a gas tankless water heater a few months ago and there was an $800 rebate. My house is 2000 sq ft and between heat and hot water we're spending <$1400/year. That's before we got the wood insert. We also have a freestanding gas stove heating an addition due to shoddy duct work by the previous owners.

I missed that 5K per year. Also isn't adding up to me but I have zero experience heating in the city.

 

[BronxBoy]

Already have corn growing on the roof and a methane generator in the garage, guys. Been doing it for years. Anthracite coal--keep it in the freezer after I mine it in the sub-basement.

We keep the house at 73-74 in the winter. No choice, wife is recovering, thankfully, after a very protracted illness. If we lived in the country I'd have her knitting in front of a roaring fireplace.

Oil boiler is five years old, very good shape. Happy that oil prices are dropping this year. Last year it was about $4.15 a gallon plus tax, now down to about $3.70 plus tax. The 5K/year includes heat, hot water, and the service contract. Forgot to mention on the post that the boiler also heats a basement through a hot water circulator (about 400 sf). Excellent oil company, will come within an hour if boiler ever goes down. Good service is all that holds that industry together these days.

When we installed the new boiler gas and oil prices were pretty much the same, then along came hydro-fracking. Of course in hindsight I wish I had opted for gas conversion when I replaced the old boiler. Switching to gas heating now would cost about 9K--got a couple of estimates from plumbers already.

My reason for originally inquiring about pellet stoves was to cut down on the oil in addition to the other reasons I mentioned.

 

[Lake Girl]

No choice, wife is recovering, thankfully, after a very protracted illness. If we lived in the country I'd have her knitting in front of a roaring fireplace.

Glad to hear your honey is on the mend...

 

[bags]

What I am reading tells me you would like to see and sit in front of a fire. It's your home and bank account. Do what you would like and think is best for you and if the wife would enjoy it then by all means do it. A pellet stove does require some work as you see. I view it as hobby more so than a chore and I do ALL of my cleaning, maintenance, and did my own install as I do with all of my stuff from motorcycles to tractors . If you get a good unit there will be an expense there vs. lesser priced units. Either way you will spend some cash to get things purchased, set up, stocked up, and running. Even some lesser priced units are good dependable units but might require more on the cleaning and maintenance end.

You are 66 and possibly retired so use your judgment. You've been around the block a time or two so I am sure you think before you pull the proverbial trigger. You are not necessarily rushing in blind ad are on the right track debating it out here getting various opinions. I am also sure that 1,100 SQ FT will become toasty warm the pellet route and eliminate your heating oil. However, you still have hot H2O etc; and a service contract to keep etc; Weigh it all out and do a very realistic cost analysis to see what true benefit a pellet stove offers. Best of Luck! I got mine for a reason just like many others here.

BTW, I am not disagreeing with chickenman, but he is not you. He does offer some excellent insight and options also. Ex: Calculate the cost lay out of the pellet set up and then how much more for the gas unit. Sorry to confuse but we love our pellet stoves around here but also try to offer Gents like yourself up front and honest scenarios also. Realistically, you will be spending between $4,000 to $6,000 for a pellet set up with installation and supplies to get a very slimmed down oil use to enjoy along with the cozy warm fire. 1,100 SQ FT is not difficult to heat pellet style nor any style for that matter. Sure there will be some cleaning, pellet totting, and maint. If you go with a gas conversion you will spend more, mess with nothing, and not have a fire to sit in front off. Your decision...... Your call. I am not trying to talk you into the pellet route by any mans but offering you another angle to look at your situation. You have to realistically calculate costs, weigh it all out, (pros and cons of all possibilities), and do what will benefit you the most now and down the road. Cleaning and 40 lb bags are not hard. But, it is easier to flip a switch on a stat. Stat = no fire. No fire = slim to no maintenance.