Sick of thinking about it

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Thanks for all of your input.Does jotul or PE have a little better air wash for keeping the glass clean? One or the other a little more efficient with the wood? Soapstone sounds like a good idea but the she wouldnt look to long at them.

My jotul does not keep the glass as clean when my fire's low as well as my PE spectrum which btw is a super 27 with a dress on. But...my PE also was harder to control hot fires...so I think your going to give and take with every stove. I would just buy one that your semi confident with and than...get the one you really want in 10 years or so. Like someone else said...their all pretty good. I keep thinking I should have gotten a BK...than I don't...than I do...than I don't...than I do. GO FIGURE!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Huntindog1
We have the Lopi Repbulic in a 14x20 (or so) room and it doesn't cook us out unless we overfeed it during shoulder season. The Cottage is WAY smaller than your house so I can't really comment on heat transfer.
 
Thanks for the comments. Has anybody had an epa approved stove used it for a few winters, then switch to a different brand of stove and could tell at the end of the heating season they used less wood?
 
Many folks have experienced that when they switched from a pre-EPA stove to an EPA stove, but I can't recall too many reporting a drop going EPA to EPA. That gets really subjective because of the variables in wind and temperature outside. I can tell you that we started using a little bit more wood when we switched, but that was to a stove twice the size. In return we got more even house temps and easy 24/7 burning on softwood.
 
  • Like
Reactions: raybonz
Within the same manufaturer, drop in wood usage going from Cat Fireview to cat Progress Hyrid for the same amount of heat....definitely. It's more efficient, and that is saying something, because the Fireviews use very little wood compared to older and non-cat stoves. many have reported dramatic drop in wood usage going to cats and secondary burn stoves from pre-EPA...look at Backwood Savage's posts, for instance. I think his wood burning lore is pretty respected on this site....s
 
  • Like
Reactions: Backwoods Savage
Within the same manufaturer, drop in wood usage going from Cat Fireview to cat Progress Hyrid for the same amount of heat....definitely. It's more efficient, and that is saying something, because the Fireviews use very little wood compared to older and non-cat stoves. many have reported dramatic drop in wood usage going to cats and secondary burn stoves from pre-EPA...look at Backwood Savage's posts, for instance. I think his wood burning lore is pretty respected on this site....s
You are correct cats and secondary burn stoves require about 1/3rd less wood than an old stove.. Even my old CDW cat stove made this claim and I heated my home on 3 cords a year.. Much better than 4-1/2 cords for the old stoves!

Ray
 
  • Like
Reactions: Backwoods Savage
From our pre-EPA stove (Ashley) to our Fireview, we cut our fuel needs in half but the biggest benefit is that we also stay a lot warmer now. Before we used to close off a couple rooms and we've not done that since getting the Fireview. Then last year we added insulation and put in new windows and doors plus an addition. With the warm winter and the added insulation we cut the fuel another 33%; that is, we were burning 3 cord before the remodel and last year we did 2 or a little under. We'll be curious what happens this winter.
 
So far getting rid of our old us stove wonder wood we have gone from needing bout 8 full cord a winter to needing 3.5 to 4 cord average. The wonder wood was a box with a hole in the side and most the heat was gone out the chimney before the rest of the stove. It burned for about 1.5 hours between loads tops ! Our jotul which is a tube EPA stove goes 10 to 12 hours between loads so far and that's with a lot of coal left over for reload. We had a vogelzang Durango which was EPA listed and burned about 6 cord a winter give or take and we had to load it every 4 hours or so on really cold days because it was not truly air tight and would not have coal left over as well as it did not put off heat well.

Pete
 
What would look and hold up the best say I have this stove for the long haul,the normal finish they put on the stove or is it worth the extra money get an enamel finish?If i put a kettle of water on it wont it create a ring on the stove right away? Just want it to look nice down the down the road.
 
What would look and hold up the best say I have this stove for the long haul,the normal finish they put on the stove or is it worth the extra money get an enamel finish?If i put a kettle of water on it wont it create a ring on the stove right away? Just want it to look nice down the down the road.
The porcelain coated stoves look nice but not an easy fix compared to a painted stove which is easily touched up inexpensively.It all is a matter of taste.

Ray
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pallet Pete
What would look and hold up the best say I have this stove for the long haul,the normal finish they put on the stove or is it worth the extra money get an enamel finish?If i put a kettle of water on it wont it create a ring on the stove right away? Just want it to look nice down the down the road.
Those enamal stoves look really good, IMO...
 
  • Like
Reactions: raybonz
Agreed its a matter of taste ! They all hold up well if taken care off, everything needs maintanence. Paint is easy to touch up porcelain is expensive but looks beautiful and is easy to clean. We chose paint as it was cheaper and easy to touch up. The stove to us is beautiful for what it does heats our home, cooks our food and relaxes our cat lol.

Pete
 
  • Like
Reactions: raybonz
Agreed its a matter of taste ! They all hold up well if taken care off, everything needs maintanence. Paint is easy to touch up porcelain is expensive but looks beautiful and is easy to clean. We chose paint as it was cheaper and easy to touch up. The stove to us is beautiful for what it does heats our home, cooks our food and relaxes our cat lol.

Pete
I think they look good with paint too! Both look great to me and many like the flat enamel blue/black that Jotul sells. My 3 cats absolutely love to snuggle up the hearth when the stove is running and in the summer sleep on the hearth to stay cool! My cats are sleeping professionals if they were any more relaxed they'd be dead! ==c

Ray
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pallet Pete
Remember, with the Woodstock soapstone stoves ,, you get to try it for 6 months, if you find your unhappy with the stove , they'll refund your money plus cover the cost for the return shipping. That's stated on the very first page of their owners manual, which by the way is a really nice laid out manual. Most likely you'll love the stove. Just something to think about. I doubt anyone else will let you return a stove for a full refund if you find out the stove is not working out or even take it back.
When I sent my Fireview back I paid the shipping.They sent me the refund minus the shipping charge.
 
What would look and hold up the best say I have this stove for the long haul,the normal finish they put on the stove or is it worth the extra money get an enamel finish?If i put a kettle of water on it wont it create a ring on the stove right away? Just want it to look nice down the down the road.

It depends on the stove you are considering. Many cast iron stoves that are enameled have a bare metal griddle top for this reason. On steel stoves the enamel is usually on the jacket, not the core stove. In that case you put the kettle on the trivet top or directly on the stove top. Regardless, it's best to avoid spills if possible. We haven't had one yet.
 
What would look and hold up the best say I have this stove for the long haul,the normal finish they put on the stove or is it worth the extra money get an enamel finish?If i put a kettle of water on it wont it create a ring on the stove right away? Just want it to look nice down the down the road.

They all will hold up well. If you are concerned with the finish when you put that kettle of water on it, just put something between the kettle and the stove. For example, we use soapstone blocks to set all the pots and pans on when cooking or heating water.

As for the finish on soapstone, if it gets scratched or something spilled so discolored, a light brushing with fine steel wool does the trick nicely.
 
When I sent my Fireview back I paid the shipping.They sent me the refund minus the shipping charge.
First page you open up in the owners manual states they cover the return freight cost on the shipping. Maybe it's something they just started doing. You'd have to call and ask. If they were wrong I know they will make good on their promise.
 
Charly even if you have to pay it's a good warranty or satisfaction guarantee. Personally I don't blame Woodstock if they want people to pay the return shipping. Some people would have the nerve to use the stove for free for 6 mos. then return it basically take advantage of Woodstock's goodwill policy. This could put a big dent in Woodstock's bottom line pretty fast considering the stove has to be overhauled and sold at a much lower cost so the shipping costs could compound the loss on a small company.. I was highly impressed with the company, the product and the people at Woodstock!

Ray
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pallet Pete
Charly even if you have to pay it's a good warranty or satisfaction guarantee. Personally I don't blame Woodstock if they want people to pay the return shipping. Some people would have the nerve to use the stove for free for 6 mos. then return it basically take advantage of Woodstock's goodwill policy. This could put a big dent in Woodstock's bottom line pretty fast considering the stove has to be overhauled and sold at a much lower cost so the shipping costs could compound the loss on a small company.. I was highly impressed with the company, the product and the people at Woodstock!

Ray
I agree, they are super people and I for one would never take advantage of such good people. Hopefully people won't take advantage of their good nature.
 
  • Like
Reactions: raybonz
First page you open up in the owners manual states they cover the return freight cost on the shipping. Maybe it's something they just started doing. You'd have to call and ask. If they were wrong I know they will make good on their promise.
I never notice the shipping policy in the manual.It makes sense that the customer pays for the return shipping.I was thankful that they took the stove back.It's a wonderful policy.
 
I never notice the shipping policy in the manual.It makes sense that the customer pays for the return shipping.I was thankful that they took the stove back.It's a wonderful policy.
I was surprised to see they paid for the return shipping myself. Can't treat your customers any better then that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: raybonz
What would look and hold up the best say I have this stove for the long haul,the normal finish they put on the stove or is it worth the extra money get an enamel finish?If i put a kettle of water on it wont it create a ring on the stove right away? Just want it to look nice down the down the road.

It would benefit to put a small trivet under it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.