Looknig at a VC Defiant or encore to heat my 2000 sg ft two story house. Wife loves the style of this stove with the shelves etc. I would like the option of burning with the screen open as I grew up with and always have had fireplaces. The 8" pipe is expensive. Other stoves let you burn with a screen and 6" pipe. Why does VC require 8" ?
Why does Vermont Castings require 8" pipe to burn with doors open?
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claydogg84
Minister of Fire
To put it simply, that is how the stove was engineered. It will not draft properly with the 6", which will most likely lead to smoke coming into the room when you burn with the doors open.
Because that is what they determined it needed to work properly through their testing. I will say that ov all of the stove i see with screens only one or 2 ever get burnt with those screens. It takes away any efficency they have and eats up wood like crazy. I would also urge you to look at the reveiws of the vermont casting units before getting one.
Yes I am aware of past problems with VC but the store that sells just agreed to carry them after meeting with the new ownership group which seems committed to quality products. We also like the Quadra Fire Isle Royale with the shelves (this is for living room ) but it is discontinued and the replacement model is 500 more without shelves. One other question chimney pipe is 25 feet. Easiest install is outside along side of houe. Can also go up through ceiling ,bedroom and attic which would cost much more $ Would we have more backdraft issues with all that pipe outside ?
I realize that burning with a screen is not efficent for heating but it would be nice on a holiday like Thanksgiving when its not too cold out. Can you still hear the wood crackling with the doors shut ?
If you can find a showroom Isle Royale I wouldn't hesitate to pick it up. It has been a reliable workhorse for many years. This is assuming that a radiant stove would be best for this installation.
Depends on the wood, but it the sound is muted. A decent recording could supply this sound. Many of us have owned a stove with the screen option. Almost everyone has tried it once or twice, then left it to gather dust behind the stove. YMMV.
Grisu
Minister of Fire
It is not only the quality but also the technology that they are using. Their "downdraft" technology requires a special back of the firebox which is prone to cracking over time due to the high heat. It can also break relatively easily while loading the stove. Replacing the refractory burn chamber is not cheap. That technology also makes their stoves harder to control and is better suited for 24/7 burners who always have a good bed of hot coals. Compared with secondary burn and catalytic stoves, the downdraft technology is just not quite as good.
Is it the look of the shelves that you are considering VC or do you have some use for them? If it is the latter, the Pacific Energy T6 has a top that slides out and reveals a cooktop.
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quotejso
Feeling the Heat
Why would you burn with the doors open? Get a big glass window in the front you can see and feel the flame. No screen to block your view end of story. VC is not a good choice.
DanCorcoran
Minister of Fire
I, too, wanted a screen when I bought my stove, but found it had been discontinued. After using the stove for several years, I am very glad I didn't get the screen. Burning with the door open is nowhere near as enjoyable to watch as with the door closed. The flames are spectacular on the new EPA stoves. Burning with door open is not the same as a fireplace, either.
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