Greetings all - I'm back to the forum and a bit befuddled. This year we're going to make the full wood burn switch and I had my heart(h) set on the Englander vl-17 (our home is a bit short of 1000 sf - probably 900 tops) and money is definitely an issue.
The more I think about the 1.1 cf firebox the more uncomfortable I get. This leads me to the NC-13 and it approx 2 cf box but we already have an old 77 Vigilant here and we've used it probably for 15-20 days of full time heating over the last two years. By my clueless newbie calculations the Vig and the NC have close to the same output (at least on paper). When we did use the old VC last year it did drive us out of the room where it sits (our main living space approx 12x22 w/16' cathedral ceiling.) I didn't know much what I was doing but I was certainly not "cranking it".
I'm nervous that the NC-13 would do the same. I'm still leaning towards the 17 because an overnight burn for us is no more than 5-6 hours probably more often four hours (I'm and all night person that turns in at 5 a.m. - the wife keeps, uh, more normal hours) Thoughts and options appreciated. We'll mostly be burning some brand of pressed wood, most probably mostly eco-bricks.
Lastly - Been on a good streak of luck lately. Called a local certified sweep to come and look at our chimney setup to see if it usable with a new stove without major work. Guy in his late 50's shows up (red t-shirt, pot belly, suspenders and a giant smile...one of those people you take an instant liking to). I tell him my plans. He looks at our setup, gives me some good info about a couple of small things that should be addressed re local codes. He puts his ladder up, climbs up on the roof in the 87 degree heat. He comes down a while later and tell me things are fine and that the SS pipe is hardly dirty at all. We chat a bit more and I ask him how much I owe him, NC he says with a Santa smile.
This is a man who knows how to do business and get and keep customers. I was expecting to write paper for I figure about $150. There is NO other sweep/chimney guy in my future. Even better, turns out he's a local fireman at the firehouse two miles from my house and a member of the ambulance squad...there's a whole lot of great people out there.
Thanks for listening to the bloated post and if any other stoves in the super sale price range of $600 come to mind please let me know.
Littlalex
The more I think about the 1.1 cf firebox the more uncomfortable I get. This leads me to the NC-13 and it approx 2 cf box but we already have an old 77 Vigilant here and we've used it probably for 15-20 days of full time heating over the last two years. By my clueless newbie calculations the Vig and the NC have close to the same output (at least on paper). When we did use the old VC last year it did drive us out of the room where it sits (our main living space approx 12x22 w/16' cathedral ceiling.) I didn't know much what I was doing but I was certainly not "cranking it".
I'm nervous that the NC-13 would do the same. I'm still leaning towards the 17 because an overnight burn for us is no more than 5-6 hours probably more often four hours (I'm and all night person that turns in at 5 a.m. - the wife keeps, uh, more normal hours) Thoughts and options appreciated. We'll mostly be burning some brand of pressed wood, most probably mostly eco-bricks.
Lastly - Been on a good streak of luck lately. Called a local certified sweep to come and look at our chimney setup to see if it usable with a new stove without major work. Guy in his late 50's shows up (red t-shirt, pot belly, suspenders and a giant smile...one of those people you take an instant liking to). I tell him my plans. He looks at our setup, gives me some good info about a couple of small things that should be addressed re local codes. He puts his ladder up, climbs up on the roof in the 87 degree heat. He comes down a while later and tell me things are fine and that the SS pipe is hardly dirty at all. We chat a bit more and I ask him how much I owe him, NC he says with a Santa smile.
This is a man who knows how to do business and get and keep customers. I was expecting to write paper for I figure about $150. There is NO other sweep/chimney guy in my future. Even better, turns out he's a local fireman at the firehouse two miles from my house and a member of the ambulance squad...there's a whole lot of great people out there.
Thanks for listening to the bloated post and if any other stoves in the super sale price range of $600 come to mind please let me know.
Littlalex
