1866 francestown soapstone wood stove company
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It's big and good looking, but appears to be basic and inefficient too. Is there any baffle inside? If not, it will consume a great deal of wood. As to the area heated, that will depend on a number of factors like ceiling height, wall insulation, number of windows, outside temperatures, and desired indoor temperature. For Maine this might only be 1000-1500 sq ft.
That's a pretty big difference. How large a space will it be heating and what is the budget? Is this connecting to an existing chimney or all new? If existing, that needs to be safe and appropriate to the stove requirements.
Well, my home is insulated with rockwool but no drywall yet. It’s a large drafty farmhouse in Downeast Maine. Last year I heated with a vigilant and it did pretty good until it hit 12 degrees. I had that stove running at max most of the burn season using like 6-8 cords. The stove was just to small. I’m getting a new metalbestos system in a few days and am down to the wire on one or the other. I love the morso but am worried it won’t heat as well as the vigilant. Have you any experience with them?
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
I'd go for a more modern bigger stove. Unless you like to process even more wood than 8 cords.... Because this old inefficient one will use more.
How large of an area is the stove heating? How well seasoned is the firewood?
In good working order, the Vigilant is a decent heat producer. The Morso is definitely too small. Would it be possible to get a polyethylene vapor barrier installed over the rockwool while waiting for the drywall to get installed? That would help. Getting the place sealed up will make a nice difference, but for now, neither stove choice is better than the Vigilant.
What is the budget here? You may be better off getting a modern 3.5 cu ft EPA stove. That will produce more heat with less wood and will provide a nice fire view. That said, if the Vigilant is in good working order and is operated with the bypass closed, then sealing up the place would be my priority.
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How well seasoned is your wood. A vigilant is going to be more tolerable to marginally dry wood than the Morso. That said every extra bit of moisture is just turning into vapor and heading up the stack. That means drier wood means more useful heat output. My guess is you have significant infiltration issues, deal with them to drop your heat load ASAP. If you are living with rockwool, you can live with heavy poly on the walls. (Obviously, you need proper heat protection near the stove).
That soapstone stove looks similar to one at the Woodstock Soapstone Co they have in their show room? Give them a call or email some pics, I bet they could give you some info on it. Cool looking stove, wish I could find one around here.
That stove seems to be a coal/anthracite one. Should throw a lot of heat. Rare to see one having no craked stone.
stoveliker
Minister of Fire
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