Any advice appreciated on Jotul 450 Kennebec insert

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Rudyjr

Feeling the Heat
Nov 25, 2008
362
Central Ohio
This forum has been a real eye opener to how much wood burning stoves have changed in 30 years. I had a Garrison II in our old two story house years ago when my wife and I were first married, and I still have it to this day sitting in a back corner of the basement of our ranch house. Boy do we miss the heat of a wood stove. I contemplated putting it in the masonry fireplace in our finished basement and was met with some resistance with not being able to see the fire etc..., One thing led to another and the compromise seems to be an insert with glass in the doors. We have a rustic looking family room and we are leaning toward the Jotul c450 Kennebec . Fireplace is on an outside wall, all masonry construction. 34 1/4 front width, 29 1/2 height, 25 deep. Damper plate was removed by a previous owner on this fireplace and I installed a Lemance damper on the top of the chimney years ago. I plan to remove the damper and install a six inch stainless liner kit. The biggest problem so far has been finding anyone who has this stove in our area. I have been quoted $2778 plus tax and $2678 plus tax from dealers within fifty miles of home who do not have the stove in stock, and $2400 from an out of state dealer shipped to my door who says he is unsure when he can get his hands on one. Other out of state dealers have them but wont sell out of state. One dealer in Ohio says he has them in stock but changed the price over the phone three times in one conversation not exactly sure if he was 2678 or 2778 or 2888 by the time we were done. I understand that Jotul wants to respect dealers to respect other dealers turf but the ones in Ohio do not seem to stock anything. A dealer in Colorado said he gets so many calls he could sell a truck load a week out of state. Any suggestions appreciated.
 
We purchased a Kennebec and had it installed in early October and those prices are in the ballpark of what we paid - although ours was a little more expensive as we got it with the blue-black finish (because that's all they had in stock). We're very happy with the unit (installed in an exterior masonry fireplace) and I think the blue-black finish looks great. Good luck!
 
RudyJr

Love the Kennebec, but if I had it to do again, I'd buy a hearth stove, like the Jotul Nordic or something similar in size to the C450. Probably would get more heat, similar viewing area, and the Kennebec has crazy high requirements for R value of the hearth extension (R2.92, which is as high as any I have seen) The other Jotul inserts do not have the same floor protection requirements, and I have no idea why the Kennebec is so high in this area, but if I had noticed it before I installed it, I probably would not have installed it. I am fairly certain that the 2" concrete slab I have 20" in front of the stove won't burn, but it doesn't meet the specs.

I love the heat output (heats my 1200sqft 2 story so far without trying hard) and the look, but I think a hearth stove would be a better buy, and would go that way if I could do it again.

Your prices are similar to what I paid.
 
My family/rec room is a basement room so the hearth is built on top of a concrete basement floor, so I don't think it is an issue. The room is in the 250 -300 s.f range.This room has an open stairwell to the rest of the house so I think we will get some real benefit with the heating. My biggest problem is finding a decent dealer in Ohio. The Jotul website only lists six dealers in a 50 mile radius to where I live and I must admit I was not too impressed with anyone I spoke to and only one had anything in stock. It would be nice if you could find out who all of the dealers are in say a 100 to 150 mile radius. The most knowledgable and readily willing to deal people I spoke to were hardware and more rural dealers who I found on the internet but they were out of state. Some of them had units in stock but were not willing to sell and ship out of their service area. I have to believe that there are dealers in Ohio who have units and are interested in making a sale.
 
Rudyjr said:
The Jotul website only lists six dealers in a 50 mile radius to where I live and I must admit I was not too impressed with anyone I spoke to and only one had anything in stock. It would be nice if you could find out who all of the dealers are in say a 100 to 150 mile radius. .

did you try entering a variety of zip codes into the dealer locator, if you want to go out farther, change the location you are searching from. Problem with buying from a dealer not in your area is that any warranty issues you are on your own. Can also check the msrp of units.
 
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