900 square foot hunting camp

[mlasko]

Looking to replace a very inefficient older wood insert that eats the wood at our hunting camp. Realistically the camp gets used weekends and maybe 3 weeks straight in November for hunting season. Its hard to justify a brand new Jotul but I just can't seem to find the middle ground between a used stove or new one. I want something efficient that doesn't use a lot of wood but don't want to break the bank for limited use. My parents have an Jotul F3 that I'm in love with but can't seem to find a used one, yet. Are there excellent comparables. I found a VC Aspen but I'm not sold on the whole auto dampening deal. Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated.

The camp is an older brick building with a stone chimney with a clay flue. Its has a loft for sleeping but I just reinsulated the ceiling so I'd say the insulation situation is "adequate".

 

[stoveliker]

If new, the lowest cost would likely be a Drolet. (Used just depends on what is available to you between now and next October...)
@EbS-P has one.

 

[begreen]

A Drolet Spark or Nano will get the job done without breaking the budget, as long as it has proper venting and the firewood is fully seasoned. There is also the Century S250, another SBI stove.

Home :: Stoves :: Wood Stoves :: Century Heating S250 Wood Stove - CB00025

Century Heating S250 Wood Stove - SKU: CB00025

woodstovepro.com

 

[bholler]

Looking to replace a very inefficient older wood insert that eats the wood at our hunting camp. Realistically the camp gets used weekends and maybe 3 weeks straight in November for hunting season. Its hard to justify a brand new Jotul but I just can't seem to find the middle ground between a used stove or new one. I want something efficient that doesn't use a lot of wood but don't want to break the bank for limited use. My parents have an Jotul F3 that I'm in love with but can't seem to find a used one, yet. Are there excellent comparables. I found a VC Aspen but I'm not sold on the whole auto dampening deal. Any advice or recommendations would be appreciated.

The camp is an older brick building with a stone chimney with a clay flue. Its has a loft for sleeping but I just reinsulated the ceiling so I'd say the insulation situation is "adequate".

First off are you looking for an insert to replace your insert or a stove?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

The camp is an older brick building with a stone chimney with a clay flue. Its has a loft for sleeping but I just reinsulated the ceiling so I'd say the insulation situation is "adequate".

If that brick isn’t covered, until it’s warm, it’s going to soak up heat and you’re going to use a lot of wood. Weekend use dictates a quick warmup which means a lot of heat… which means a lot of wood. You may not be saving a lot of wood with a new stove.

Things I would look at before putting a new stove in woul do be a blockoff plate in the chimney and looking to see if the current stove has a baffle.

Making sure your wood is dry will help also. Cooking off the water uses a lot of heat that can’t go into the room. New stoves like really dry wood.

 

[begreen]

First off are you looking for an insert to replace your insert or a stove?

I assumed freestanding because the OP mentioned Jotul. They don't have any inserts currently. If it needs to be an insert then then a decent used 1.5-2 cu ft insert from Century, Drolet, Regency, Quadrafire, PE, etc. would work.

 

[mlasko]

So yes, I’d like a freestanding stove not an insert. The brick is only on the outside of the building. There is also an lp furnace that I keep on 50 through the winter. The stove is simply for supplemental heat and enjoyment.

 

[hearthon]

I just recently bought a drolet escape 1200 and love it, I'm heating a 12x16 shed insulated with 1.5inch styrafoam. It's the smallest stove in their small stove linup and it's way too powerful for my shed, even when the temps outside are -20 to -30. Runs perfect when shut all the way down and can run steady for about 3-4 hours. Not sure what it can do filled with only hardwood but I have a mix of wood that I don't even know what it is. I paid under $800 here in canada for judt the stove, found it on sale then found a company that price matches plus 10% off so I got it for a great deal. I know they usually run for like 1200 plus tax.

 

[bholler]

So yes, I’d like a freestanding stove not an insert. The brick is only on the outside of the building. There is also an lp furnace that I keep on 50 through the winter. The stove is simply for supplemental heat and enjoyment.

Ok but do you have a fireplace now?

 

[mlasko]

Ok but do you have a fireplace now?

Yup there’s a fireplace

 

[bholler]

Yup there’s a fireplace

Ok so you are also going to need a stainless liner run through that fireplace flue. And if you want the benefits of a freestanding stove it will need to sit infront of the fireplace not in it

 

[stoveliker]

I'm not sure this is possible for a drolet; the exhaust would.have to elbow immediately to a horizontal run to reach the flue - IF the fireplace is even tall enough for that.

I think an insert is the way to go

 

[hearthon]

He could get a drolet that exhausts from the back.

 

[begreen]

Post a picture of the fireplace and provide the measurements for it so that it's easier to make a good recommendation.

 

[30WCF]

I think “fireplace” isn’t literal if I understand. I think we are just looking for a free standing stove that has a wall pass through into an exterior masonry chimney. There is an existing older wood stove to replace, not a fireplace since he said all the brick is on the outside.

@mlasko Please clarify if there is a hearth and an open fireplace, or a wall thimble. How high is the thimble?

 

[bholler]

He could get a drolet that exhausts from the back.

If they made one yes

 

[mlasko]

So here is what I'm working with. I just took out a huge Brunco stove. I just didn't like it and I'm beginning to see why. There was not liner. The stove itself took up most of the fireplace opening. I do not want an insert. I much prefer to have a stove. I have been looking at the Vermont Castings Aspen, but I'm concerned about the auto dampening do hickey. My dimensions are to work with here are 26 inches high, I have more than 36 inches of depth, and 36 inches wide. The opening to the flue is 7 inches so I think I'm good there. But there will more than likely be a little elbow in there I'm guessing.

 

[bholler]

So here is what I'm working with. I just took out a huge Brunco stove. I just didn't like it and I'm beginning to see why. There was not liner. The stove itself took up most of the fireplace opening. I do not want an insert. I much prefer to have a stove. I have been looking at the Vermont Castings Aspen, but I'm concerned about the auto dampening do hickey. My dimensions are to work with here are 26 inches high, I have more than 36 inches of depth, and 36 inches wide. The opening to the flue is 7 inches so I think I'm good there. But there will more than likely be a little elbow in there I'm guessing.







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If going with a stoveyou want it infront of the fireplace not in it. If you want something in the fireplace get an insert

 

[begreen]

If going with a stoveyou want it infront of the fireplace not in it. If you want something in the fireplace get an insert

And not a radiant stove. An insert is convective and can be put in without the front surround in some cases.

 

[mlasko]

And not a radiant stove. An insert is convective and can be put in without the front surround in some cases.

Any recommendations? I guess I should entertain an insert...I really don't wanna go with a surround. Much prefer a stove but just not sure what to get.

 

[stoveliker]

Regardless of what you get, include an insulated block off plate, especially if the chimney is on an outside wall.

 

[EbS-P]

Any recommendations? I guess I should entertain an insert...I really don't wanna go with a surround. Much prefer a stove but just not sure what to get.

An insert without the surround. Drolet is a good value.

 

[begreen]

Any recommendations? I guess I should entertain an insert...I really don't wanna go with a surround. Much prefer a stove but just not sure what to get.

A Drolet Escape 1800 or a TrueNorth TN20 insert will work.