A Little Help With Stove Recommendation

[fdegree]

After a little guidance from "fossil" I'm starting this new thread.

Here is my floor plan layout with my proposed stove placement, room sq ft. and overall house sq. ft....

As you can see there is no worry about side clearance...although, in the Living Area corner, north of the proposed stove placement, I do have a lot of electronics (my entertainment center). The length of that wall is 18' and the entertainment center only extends down that wall about 4'. So, I doubt that is really an issue. There is plenty of room for extending out into the Living Area...although, my wife would like to keep that to a minimum if possible while still providing sufficient room for cleaning behind the stove.

It should be rather simple to route the stovepipe straight up through the ceiling and roof.

I'm curious as to what wood stove I should consider?

I would like the stove to be able to keep my garage from freezing if there is a power outage for any significant length of time since my water pump and water heater are located there. The garage is fully insulated on all 4 walls and ceiling. Worst case winter temperatures for us is usually around 0 degrees...most of the time, lows are around 20's - 30's. If necessary, I can close off the Laundry Room - Office - Bed Room 3. I would consider closing Bed Rooms 1 & 2 - Baths 1 & 2 if they don't get too cold as a result. There is no door between the Living Area and the Sun Room, but I could devise a way to close that off if that becomes necessary. I could also leave the interior Garage door open, if that would help. I'm thinking of closing off these areas ONLY during a power outage if that is necessary to keep the garage from freezing.

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Wet1]

That's a great layout and location for a stove. Your plan looks very doable and well throughout. Don't worry about the electronics. What I didn't see listed is what are you burning goals for the new stove? Are you going to burn 24/7 (I'd plan on it even if you don't think you will now)? Will someone always be around to feed the stove, or are 8+ hour burn times mandatory? What about looks? Looks vs function? Style/decor of the house? These are some things you need to consider, we can't answer these questions for you, but with the answers we can probably give you some good suggestions for stoves that might be a good fit.

 

[tiber]

It's entirely up to you but more importantly what's locally available. I'm going through the "what to buy" process myself and here's my humble opinions:
* If you're going to be burning pine/wet wood/vaguely woodlike substances - get a stove with a catalytic converter.
* Bigger is better on firebox size. You can only burn what fuel you have. Lowes and others are advertising stoves with BTUs rivaling the face of God and the box is only 1.8cu/ft. Which is great, but you'll end up refilling it often.
* If burn time is a concern, get a pellet stove. They automatically feed (but require electricity). This may work well for you if wood is scarce. It'll burn for weeks on one fill. Ok an exaggeration, but certainly longer than a woodstove if you get a huge hopper. But since you're posting here I'm guessing you're sold on wood.
* If you have the time and space to keep wood piles, you may want to skip the catalytic. It's one less thing to have to change.
* Since you're a man and thus spend all your time in the garage, put the stove in the garage. Read the thread of woe about making our womenfolk fill the stoves.

 

[fdegree]

What I didn't see listed is what are you burning goals for the new stove? Are you going to burn 24/7 (I'd plan on it even if you don't think you will now)? Will someone always be around to feed the stove, or are 8+ hour burn times mandatory? What about looks? Looks vs function? Style/decor of the house?

Well, at this point I have an Air-Air Heat Pump with an Oil Furnace as backup. My plan was to use the wood stove in power outage emergencies, unless it proves more cost effective to use the wood stove more frequently. So, some of your questions are a bit tough to answer. If I am strictly going to use the wood stove during power outages...yes, someone will be around 24/7 to feed the stove. If it turns out to be more efficient to use the stove in place of my Heat Pump and Oil Furnace, then no, we will be at work during the day. Also, since my intent at this moment is for power outages, the blower feature is probably useless.

The house has a fairly country decor. Certainly don't want the fancy, gold trim type of stoves. My wife likes the single pedestal style as opposed to the 4 legs. I think function is more important...simplicity in styling would probably work fine for our house.

 

[fdegree]

It's entirely up to you but more importantly what's locally available. I'm going through the "what to buy" process myself and here's my humble opinions:
* If you're going to be burning pine/wet wood/vaguely woodlike substances - get a stove with a catalytic converter.
* Bigger is better on firebox size. You can only burn what fuel you have. Lowes and others are advertising stoves with BTUs rivaling the face of God and the box is only 1.8cu/ft. Which is great, but you'll end up refilling it often.
* If burn time is a concern, get a pellet stove. They automatically feed (but require electricity). This may work well for you if wood is scarce. It'll burn for weeks on one fill. Ok an exaggeration, but certainly longer than a woodstove if you get a huge hopper. But since you're posting here I'm guessing you're sold on wood.
* If you have the time and space to keep wood piles, you may want to skip the catalytic. It's one less thing to have to change.
* Since you're a man and thus spend all your time in the garage, put the stove in the garage. Read the thread of woe about making our womenfolk fill the stoves.

Thanks...I appreciate the input

 

[branchburner]

Blaze King.

 

[Wet1]

Well, I think you find heating with wood will be cheaper than your alternative heat sources. Not only that, but heating with wood is very addictive and enjoyable, so I'd plan on burning 24/7 either way.

If you don't want fancy, I'd rule out the soapstone stoves (HearthStone and Woodstock). For non-cat stoves, I'd look for something with close to a 3 cu ft firebox. Jotul makes a very nice stove and they are well regarded here, in your case I'd consider the F600 or possibly the smaller F500 (I'd go with the larger F600 though). PE makes a very nice product as well. I don't know a lot about their line, but I'm sure someone who knows more about them will be along shortly to recommend a model. Quadrafire makes a nice stove also. If you want to go cheaper, but still have great performance, consider the Englander/Summers Heat 30NC, I think you have enough area to make this stove work. They can be purchased at the big box stores for around $1000.

If you are interested in a cat stove, consider the Blaze King line (this would also be my choice). The Princess and King models can both be had with a base pedestal base (classic models) or a raised pedestal base (Ultra models). The Ultra models even have (removable) side shields, which might be a good idea for you since you'll have the electronics next to the stove, although this might not be a concern. As far as performance goes, you wont find a better performing, longer burning stove on the market. They have a built in thermostat so you don't have to fuss with the air damper to keep the temp consistent, and with the cat, these stoves can burn for a very long time. They are obviously very efficient as well.

Regardless, look at the clearances and hearth requirements for an stove you're considering to make sure it will work in your location.

 

[tiber]

If you are interested in a cat stove, consider the Blaze King line (this would also be my choice). The Princess and King models can both be had with a base pedestal base (classic models) or a raised pedestal base (Ultra models). The Ultra models even have (removable) side shields, which might be a good idea for you since you'll have the electronics next to the stove, although this might not be a concern. As far as performance goes, you wont find a better performing, longer burning stove on the market. They have a built in thermostat so you don't have to fuss with the air damper to keep the temp consistent, and with the cat, these stoves can burn for a very long time. They are obviously very efficient as well.

Speaking of... what's the MSRP for the Blaze King? I can't seem to find it delt with locally, although I plan on going to Wood Heat this weekend with my wife.

OK if it's not raining I plan on hunting, otherwise I'll go with my wife.

Also replacement parts - are they stupidly expensive or no? Seems like everyone recommends blaze king but I haven't seen prices or parts anywhere in my neck of the woods.

 

[fdegree]

Well, I think you find heating with wood will be cheaper than your alternative heat sources. Not only that, but heating with wood is very addictive and enjoyable, so I'd plan on burning 24/7 either way.

If you don't want fancy, I'd rule out the soapstone stoves (HearthStone and Woodstock). For non-cat stoves, I'd look for something with close to a 3 cu ft firebox. Jotul makes a very nice stove and they are well regarded here, in your case I'd consider the F600 or possibly the smaller F500 (I'd go with the larger F600 though). PE makes a very nice product as well. I don't know a lot about their line, but I'm sure someone who knows more about them will be along shortly to recommend a model. Quadrafire makes a nice stove also. If you want to go cheaper, but still have great performance, consider the Englander/Summers Heat 30NC, I think you have enough area to make this stove work. They can be purchased at the big box stores for around $1000.

If you are interested in a cat stove, consider the Blaze King line (this would also be my choice). The Princess and King models can both be had with a base pedestal base (classic models) or a raised pedestal base (Ultra models). The Ultra models even have (removable) side shields, which might be a good idea for you since you'll have the electronics next to the stove, although this might not be a concern. As far as performance goes, you wont find a better performing, longer burning stove on the market. They have a built in thermostat so you don't have to fuss with the air damper to keep the temp consistent, and with the cat, these stoves can burn for a very long time. They are obviously very efficient as well.

Regardless, look at the clearances and hearth requirements for an stove you're considering to make sure it will work in your location.

Thanks...that's great information

I live in lower Delaware, and I have searched the phone book and google...I'm only able to find 1 local supplier of wood stoves. If there are any more they seem to be hiding, or I'm terrible at searching.

Anyway this 1 local supplier carries:
Quadra-Fire | Harman Stove Company | Jotul | Hearthstone | Vermont Castings | Heat & Glo

I don't know if that's helpful to anyone.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a catalytic stove?

Are there any specific question I should be asking when I visit the supplier...other than clearances and hearth requirements?



Thanks again...I do appreciate it.

 

[tiber]

Are there any specific question I should be asking when I visit the supplier...other than clearances and hearth requirements?

Figure out what you want to do with the chimney ahead of time (and I mean AHEAD OF TIME) and then ask them if/how they handle it. Also get a quote. I had Ambler Fireplace tell me they needed $100 just to send someone out and put a quote together, but they guessdimated me it would take $2500 to run a chimney from my living room out the roof (two stories). More if I wanted to put the stove in the basement. They would not build a chimney if I didn't buy a stove.

Most other people seem to figure $1000 for a chimney and the forum was laughing at the idea of needing to pay $100 for a consulting fee. Ambler also told me I was going to be responsible for code enforcement paperwork so I said to hell with them. BrowningBAR then recommended Wood Heat (woodheat.com) as being much more reasonable. Also their selection seems much better from the website, and if they handle the code paperwork for the county it'll be a win. I'm none too keen on the idea someone is going to charge me a ton of money and then not take responsibility for the building codes and permits.

If you're handy you can build your own chimney. Duratech, while slow to respond, is willing to answer questions by email. Because the materials for a chimney are bulky and heavy you're much better off shopping locally.

 

[Wet1]

It's a long story, but the east coast pays more for BK products because a distributor (Fireside) is a middle man and the prices are significantly elevated. If you go west of the Ohio/Mississippi river, prices are lower since BK sells direct to the dealers.

As far as prices go, I'd expect to pay roughly $2500 for a Princess and $3000 for a King... but again these are rough numbers so call around for better numbers. Parts are reasonable, but rarely needed. Cats can be bought through the factory or aftermarket.

 

[Wet1]

Well, I think you find heating with wood will be cheaper than your alternative heat sources. Not only that, but heating with wood is very addictive and enjoyable, so I'd plan on burning 24/7 either way.

If you don't want fancy, I'd rule out the soapstone stoves (HearthStone and Woodstock). For non-cat stoves, I'd look for something with close to a 3 cu ft firebox. Jotul makes a very nice stove and they are well regarded here, in your case I'd consider the F600 or possibly the smaller F500 (I'd go with the larger F600 though). PE makes a very nice product as well. I don't know a lot about their line, but I'm sure someone who knows more about them will be along shortly to recommend a model. Quadrafire makes a nice stove also. If you want to go cheaper, but still have great performance, consider the Englander/Summers Heat 30NC, I think you have enough area to make this stove work. They can be purchased at the big box stores for around $1000.

If you are interested in a cat stove, consider the Blaze King line (this would also be my choice). The Princess and King models can both be had with a base pedestal base (classic models) or a raised pedestal base (Ultra models). The Ultra models even have (removable) side shields, which might be a good idea for you since you'll have the electronics next to the stove, although this might not be a concern. As far as performance goes, you wont find a better performing, longer burning stove on the market. They have a built in thermostat so you don't have to fuss with the air damper to keep the temp consistent, and with the cat, these stoves can burn for a very long time. They are obviously very efficient as well.

Regardless, look at the clearances and hearth requirements for an stove you're considering to make sure it will work in your location.

Thanks...that's great information

I live in lower Delaware, and I have searched the phone book and google...I'm only able to find 1 local supplier of wood stoves. If there are any more they seem to be hiding, or I'm terrible at searching.

Anyway this 1 local supplier carries:
Quadra-Fire | Harman Stove Company | Jotul | Hearthstone | Vermont Castings | Heat & Glo

I don't know if that's helpful to anyone.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a catalytic stove?

Are there any specific question I should be asking when I visit the supplier...other than clearances and hearth requirements?



Thanks again...I do appreciate it.

None of those companies (of interest) have cat stoves, so if you're going to go with that dealer, you're getting a non-cat. Quad, Harman, and Jotul all make some nice products. It doesn't sound like you want a Hearthstone stove, and I don't know anything about Heat & Glo. I wouldn't touch a VC product with a ten foot pole, and I suggest you don't either.

Do a search for more info on the cat vs non-cat. Both have pros and cons. Basically it boils down to a cat will have a more consistent and significantly longer burn cycle, but the cat also has to be replaced every 4 to 8 years or so at a cost of $100 to $300. They are generally more efficient as well.

 

[fdegree]

Figure out what you want to do with the chimney ahead of time (and I mean AHEAD OF TIME) and then ask them if/how they handle it. Also get a quote.

Talking about chimneys...is there more required than a double wall smoke pipe?

 

[Wet1]

Double wall might not be a requirement either if you're just going straight up with it. You will need something more (such as Class A) going up through the roof. Consult the owners manual for the stove you're considering, as well as your dealer.

 

[mellow]

Our area is not the greatest for Wood stove dealers. Closest one is Survival products, which they get what they price their stoves at because they are the only game in town.

Other dealers:
EASTERN SHORE PROPANE & APPLIANCE INC. (Buck stove dealer) In lower VA
(broken link removed) (Dover)
(broken link removed to http://www.bylers.com/stove-shoppe.html) (Dover)
(broken link removed) (Bear)

Above all goto the Lowes in Seaford, they should have atleast 1 of the Summers heat 13 stoves in stock, for what you are looking for I think that would be your best bet. Like I mentioned in the other thread you can do the chimney install on your own if your the DIY type. I know Salisbury has 1 of the 13's in stock, but you would have to pay that nasty 6% tax on it.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=8492-76845-50-SNC13LC&lpage=none

If you feel the 13 is to small you can order the 30.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=268086-76845-50-SNC30LC&lpage=none

 

[gasavage]

I concur with the 3 cu ft size. Since you are concerned about how far the stove & hearth will stick out into the room, you'll need to look at required clearances for the front & rear of the stove. Along with the other stoves mentioned, there is also the Pacific Energy line. I know they have pretty close rear clearance requirements. ( I have no affiliation with the company). Go to each companies web site & have a look. A good dealer l can get you almost any stove you wish. I know mine will.

 

[moosetrek]

Maybe biased, but if you're buying a stove; particularly a Summer's Heat/Englander, I'd look at the 30NC (big stove) instead of the 13NC. We bought the 13, and exchanged it two days later for the bigger one because the burn times were too short. I've seen many good reviews on the company, one of the company reps is a member here if I recall. Although if you ask a stove dealer about them, prepare to be snobbed. One store called them a Yugo vs a Porsche. Maybe more like a Chevy or a Buick - plain and solid but not fancy. Both a pedestal and legs come with it.

As has been mentioned, it can get quite enjoyable (and habit-forming) using wood heat and leaving the furnace off. We bought one just for the living room, as my wife had never used one before and I wasn't sure I could pursuade her to go for a wood stove. Within a day I knew she was liking it, and the small one wouldn't cut it. The cost was about $600 for the small stove, and about $950 for the big stove - plus about $1000 for the chimney and $300 for a nice tile hearth. Homeowners insurance was fine with everything, and no change in the rates (didn't know if that was on your list of things to check). So far we've used the furnace only a handful of times when it's in the 50s or so, and not really worth firing up the stove. I expect that once you walk in from a snowy day to the wood stove you'll both decide it's a pretty good deal, nothing quite like that heat. Your house seems a good layout for a woodstove to provide primary heat, assuming you can get a supply of wood and a place to store it.

Good luck!

 

[fdegree]

Our area is not the greatest for Wood stove dealers. Closest one is Survival products, which they get what they price their stoves at because they are the only game in town.

Other dealers:
EASTERN SHORE PROPANE & APPLIANCE INC. (Buck stove dealer) In lower VA
(broken link removed) (Dover)
(broken link removed to http://www.bylers.com/stove-shoppe.html) (Dover)
(broken link removed) (Bear)

I did finally find Byler's, but I was completely unaware of the other dealers...Thanks

Bear and VA are a little farther than I wanted to travel. Do you know anything about Byler's and Chim Chim Cheree?

 

[firefighterjake]

It's entirely up to you but more importantly what's locally available. I'm going through the "what to buy" process myself and here's my humble opinions:
* If you're going to be burning pine/wet wood/vaguely woodlike substances - get a stove with a catalytic converter.
* Bigger is better on firebox size. You can only burn what fuel you have. Lowes and others are advertising stoves with BTUs rivaling the face of God and the box is only 1.8cu/ft. Which is great, but you'll end up refilling it often.
* If burn time is a concern, get a pellet stove. They automatically feed (but require electricity). This may work well for you if wood is scarce. It'll burn for weeks on one fill. Ok an exaggeration, but certainly longer than a woodstove if you get a huge hopper. But since you're posting here I'm guessing you're sold on wood.
* If you have the time and space to keep wood piles, you may want to skip the catalytic. It's one less thing to have to change.
* Since you're a man and thus spend all your time in the garage, put the stove in the garage. Read the thread of woe about making our womenfolk fill the stoves.

No offense to Tiber, but I've got a few issues with some of this advice.

He says "if you're going to be burning pine/wet wood . .. get a stove with a catalytic converter."

I say . . . it shouldn't matter what you burn for wood . . . all wood should be dry . . . regardless of species . . . and according to most cat stove owners cat stoves really, really detest wood that is wet or unseasoned as some feel it can lead to the cat being ruined in short order. While it is true cat stoves can result in longer burn times (even with "inferior" wood like pine), any stove can burn pine . . . again, as long as it is seasoned.

He says "bigger is better."

I say . . . I agree . . . but only to a point . . . figure out what you need for square footage and figure out what you need for a firebox . . . and then perhaps go one size larger . . . it is possible to over-size and the result will be the opposite of filling the firebox too much . . . you will instead either be driven out of the home by the intense heat or you will have to constantly make small fires which may not be as efficient . . . there is a balancing act here.

He says, "if burn time is a concern, get a pellet stove."

I say . . . again . . . I agree to a point . . . most pellet stoves (depending on hopper size) can go a day or perhaps even two on one filling (again depending on the hopper size and heat temps) . . . however woodstoves can also produce heat for several hours . . . I can leave for work in the morning and have coals to get the fire going when I get home . . . ditto for overnight fires . . . albeit the heat is not steady like a pellet stove.

He says, "If you have time and space for wood piles . . . get a cat."

I say . . . I agree to a point . . . cat stoves are legendary for their long burn times and reduced use of wood . . . but they still do require wood and space to stack/process it.

He says "put the stove in the garage."

I say . . . this is usually against code in most places . . . due to the inherent danger of having a combustible fuel source and the other normally found items in a garage in relatively close proximity to the stove (i.e. aerosol cans, paints, fuel cans, etc.) . . . needless to say, I view this as a very, very bad idea.

 

[fdegree]

Homeowners insurance was fine with everything, and no change in the rates (didn't know if that was on your list of things to check).

Good point...it was in the back of my mind, but not a priority at this stage. Maybe I should look into that real soon too.

Your house seems a good layout for a woodstove to provide primary heat, assuming you can get a supply of wood and a place to store it.

Good luck!

Plenty of room to store the wood...the availability I still have to look into. Seems like there are frequent advertisements from people trying to sell wood, but I'm unsure how available it is trying to cut and split myself.

 

[firefighterjake]

I think placing the woodstove where you have suggested is the ideal place myself . . . and I would use fans to direct the heat to the bedrooms and/or garage as needed.

Electronics would pretty much be a non-issue if they are at least 4 feet away as you say.

I do have one question . . . if one of the main reasons for buying and installing a woodstove is simply for back up heat in the event of a power outage . . . would it not be smarter economically to simply buy a generator to continue to run the heat pump? Don't get me wrong . . . I too bought a woodstove partially because I like the idea of being able to have heat when the power it out . . . but if that was the only reason for me it would have made a lot more sense to go with a generator to run my oil boiler and have heat through the entire home.

 

[firefighterjake]

Well, I think you find heating with wood will be cheaper than your alternative heat sources. Not only that, but heating with wood is very addictive and enjoyable, so I'd plan on burning 24/7 either way.

If you don't want fancy, I'd rule out the soapstone stoves (HearthStone and Woodstock). For non-cat stoves, I'd look for something with close to a 3 cu ft firebox. Jotul makes a very nice stove and they are well regarded here, in your case I'd consider the F600 or possibly the smaller F500 (I'd go with the larger F600 though). PE makes a very nice product as well. I don't know a lot about their line, but I'm sure someone who knows more about them will be along shortly to recommend a model. Quadrafire makes a nice stove also. If you want to go cheaper, but still have great performance, consider the Englander/Summers Heat 30NC, I think you have enough area to make this stove work. They can be purchased at the big box stores for around $1000.

If you are interested in a cat stove, consider the Blaze King line (this would also be my choice). The Princess and King models can both be had with a base pedestal base (classic models) or a raised pedestal base (Ultra models). The Ultra models even have (removable) side shields, which might be a good idea for you since you'll have the electronics next to the stove, although this might not be a concern. As far as performance goes, you wont find a better performing, longer burning stove on the market. They have a built in thermostat so you don't have to fuss with the air damper to keep the temp consistent, and with the cat, these stoves can burn for a very long time. They are obviously very efficient as well.

Regardless, look at the clearances and hearth requirements for an stove you're considering to make sure it will work in your location.

Thanks...that's great information

I live in lower Delaware, and I have searched the phone book and google...I'm only able to find 1 local supplier of wood stoves. If there are any more they seem to be hiding, or I'm terrible at searching.

Anyway this 1 local supplier carries:
Quadra-Fire | Harman Stove Company | Jotul | Hearthstone | Vermont Castings | Heat & Glo

I don't know if that's helpful to anyone.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a catalytic stove?

Are there any specific question I should be asking when I visit the supplier...other than clearances and hearth requirements?



Thanks again...I do appreciate it.

None of those companies (of interest) have cat stoves, so if you're going to go with that dealer, you're getting a non-cat. Quad, Harman, and Jotul all make some nice products. It doesn't sound like you want a Hearthstone stove, and I don't know anything about Heat & Glo. I wouldn't touch a VC product with a ten foot pole, and I suggest you don't either.

Do a search for more info on the cat vs non-cat. Both have pros and cons. Basically it boils down to a cat will have a more consistent and significantly longer burn cycle, but the cat also has to be replaced every 4 to 8 years or so at a cost of $100 to $300. They are generally more efficient as well.

I couldn't have said it any better . . . Wet1 pretty much covered everything I would have said about the dealers (which ones are good, which one I would personally be leery of using) . . . and about the cats vs. non-cats debate.

 

[mellow]

Maybe someone else will say they have used them, I have not. I find the stove shops locally will try and **** you, so i tend to look online for deals.

If you are going to be looking at $2000+ stoves you really should be asking yourself if this is really going to be for backup heat or 24/7 heat.

And if you are looking at getting started this winter, (which is doable), do you have the seasoned wood onhand?

The summers heat(englander) stoves are very good stoves in a price range most can afford, I noted the 13nc being in stock only because you noted this was for backup heat and that you would be willing to close off rooms. That stove can be fitted with a blower which will help with its range. The 30nc is a bigger stove and a bigger footprint in your living room, just depends on how much space you want to dedicate to a stove.

One other thought I can put out there is the Woodstock stove company, a lot of people enjoy their stoves. They only sell direct which allows them to keep prices down. You have missed their really good prices, but they are still priced very well.

(broken link removed to http://woodstocksoapstone.net/pages/sale10day/sale.html)

 

[Wet1]

If you don't have wood, you want finding truly dry and seasoned wood to be your priority. Easier said than done! 99% of wood dealers will say their wood is seasoned, but only about 1% is. I mention this because EPA stoves in general are finicky about wet wood (which is actually a good thing since you shouldn't be burning it anyway). Consider buying two years worth of wood now (if you have to buy wood) so you have a dry supply for next year.

If you consider the Englander stoves, you'll want the larger 30 NC. The Woodstock line is very fancy looking and the rear clearances are huge, so I didn't suggest these stoves earlier.

 

[branchburner]

if you're buying a stove; particularly a Summer's Heat/Englander, I'd look at the 30NC (big stove) instead of the 13NC.

Agreed. Only a bit more money for a lot more potential horsepower, especially if you need to heat the whole house and garage. If you are unsure about using the stove for much more than backup, this is a good way to go. It sets you back only $1k instead of $3k for a Blaze King. Highly functional but not fancy, it's a workhorse.