Buying a house with a Vogelzang Mountaineer

[cards66]

I currently have a old Buck 28000. We are getting ready to buy a house that has a Vogelzang Mountaineer. Doing a little reading it doesn't sound like the Moutaineer is not a great stove. Replacing the stove is not in the budget really but if I could find a good deal I would be apt to replacing this stove and building a corner hearth around it. I would also like to move the stove back since it sits out further then necessary from the walls currently. I found the following on craiglist.

(broken link removed to http://stlouis.craigslist.org/hsh/2944149244.html)

Looks like a Hearthstone Heritage for $600. Wanted to get peoples opinions on if I should replace the Mountaineer, and if so what would you recommened? Does the hearthstone look like a good replacement stove at that cost? The house is 2000 sq ft ranch and the stove is in the living room which is in the middle of the house. Here is a pic of the current stove.

 

[BrowningBAR]

That is not a Heritage.

It is a PRE-Epa stove and probably less efficient than the Mountaineer.

 

[BrowningBAR]

If $600 is about your price range, go with Englander, Drolet, or US Stove.

 

[BrowningBAR]

I would also like to move the stove back since it sits out further then necessary from the walls currently.

Not sure about that. The clearances for the Mountaineer are quite large:

Side wall ...... 25"
Rear wall ..... 26"
Corner ......... 19"

 

[cards66]

BrowningBar, You don't think the craiglist listing is a Hearthstone Heritage? I am looking to get a stove for under a $1,000. Not sure what my options would be for a decent stove. I may have to go higher. however, I may have to wait until I can fit it in the budget. Only thing is I am redoing the whole living room so I would want the stove in hand before I start that.

 

[begreen]

I think that's a Hearthstone H2 in the craigslisting. It will not be as efficient as the Heritage.

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/images/uploads/H-1-2manual.pdf

I agree with the suggestion. Either wait for a better deal or pickup an low cost new one. You should be able to sell the VG for $400 in the fall if in good condition.

For an Englander - www.overstockstoves.com

 

[cards66]

Looks like you are right on begreen. Hearthstone H2 it is. I have found a heritage on craiglist for $1450.

(broken link removed to http://stlouis.craigslist.org/hsh/2904715458.html)

Do the Heritages run about $3000 new? Not sure what a good price on one of them would be.

 

[BrowningBAR]

BrowningBar, You don't think the craiglist listing is a Hearthstone Heritage? I am looking to get a stove for under a $1,000. Not sure what my options would be for a decent stove. I may have to go higher. however, I may have to wait until I can fit it in the budget. Only thing is I am redoing the whole living room so I would want the stove in hand before I start that.

No, it's not a Heritage. It is an older Pre-Epa stove that is 25-ish years old.

As I already mentioned, if you are looking to replace the stove on a budget of around $600-$1000 dollars look at Englander, Drolet, and US Stove for affordable steel stoves. I lean towards Englander, and will be buying one this summer, but Drolet and US stove also make good, efficient stoves. No need to bust your budget.

I also did a search in your area for used stoves and did not see anything worth posting at this time.

 

[BrowningBAR]

Looks like you are right on begreen. Hearthstone H2 it is. I have found a heritage on craiglist for $1450.

(broken link removed to http://stlouis.craigslist.org/hsh/2904715458.html)

Do the Heritages run about $3000 new? Not sure what a good price on one of them would be.

Keep in mind, that is also the previous generation Heritage and at least 10 years old. In my opinion it is over-priced and not worth it.

 

[begreen]

Looks like you are right on begreen. Hearthstone H2 it is. I have found a heritage on craiglist for $1450.

(broken link removed to http://stlouis.craigslist.org/hsh/2904715458.html)

Do the Heritages run about $3000 new? Not sure what a good price on one of them would be.

Yes, $3K+. You might consider a Woodstock Fireview or Progress Hybrid for a better priced stone stove if that is the desired look.

 

[kingquad]

At 2000sqft., I'd be looking for a Mansfield instead of a Heritage. Or the Woodstock Hybrid

 

[tfdchief]

The buck was a great heater so make sure you get enough stove so you are not disappointed.

 

[BrotherBart]

I would give the Mountaineer a test run while you think about what you want. It ain't gonna burn dirtier than the Bubba Buck did and should make a lot of heat. Just don't choke it down and check the pipe often. Pretty much like running the Buck. While you look at more efficient stoves.

Heck the Mountaineer at least could get a UL listing. Something the Buck 28000 never could/did.

 

[cards66]

Yeah. I was thinking of just keeping the Moutnaineer and see how it burns. My only thing is I am want o move the stove back some and adjust the pipe back accordingly. i want to make sure if I do that I will have enough clearence if I choose another stove down the road. IN measuring it looks like the previous owner put the stove 2 feet out from the corner of the wall then they had to do. SO it sits out in the room pretty far. Just wanting to make sure I have thought everything before I build a hearth and I am restricted in the size of the stove I can get by the placement. Curious how different the Moutaineer would burn compared to the Buck. Given the box on the Moutaineer seems tiny.

 

[tfdchief]

I would give the Mountaineer a test run while you think about what you want. It ain't gonna burn dirtier than the Bubba Buck did and should make a lot of heat. Just don't choke it down and check the pipe often. Pretty much like running the Buck. While you look at more efficient stoves.

Heck the Mountaineer at least could get a UL listing. Something the Buck 28000 never could/did.

Yeah, but the 26000 and the 27000 both had UL Listings.

 

[BrotherBart]

Yeah, but the 26000 and the 27000 both had UL Listings.

 

[tfdchief]

Heck, the 28000 was so big you could burn a log cabin in it

 

[BrotherBart]

Heck, the 28000 was so big you could burn a log cabin in it

Why they couldn't get a listing. They only know how to measure to walls. Not property lines.

 

[tfdchief]

Why they couldn't get a listing. They only know how to measure to walls. Not property lines.

I will concede to that one!!

 

[Wood Duck]

I might replace the stove and build a hearth pad, but why would you want to move it and change the existing stright-up run of the flue? I think moving it is more touble than it is worth for the small extra space you'll gain. A hearth pad is pretty easy to build yourself if budget is a concern. It looks to me like there is currently no hearth pad, so the hearth requirements for the new stove should be considered.

 

[Jags]

IN measuring it looks like the previous owner put the stove 2 feet out from the corner of the wall then they had to do.

Are you saying that they exceeded the clearance to combustibles required for the stove by 2ft?

If so, I can see why you would want to move the stove back. Got any pics from a different angle?

 

[cards66]

Not the best pic but here is a different angle. It sits out like 4 foot from the corner of the wall if I recall. So the front of the stove is 6 foot plus from the corner of the wall. i would like to get that real estate back in my living room. Not sure how big of a pint moving it and changing the flue would be.

 

[Jags]

Not sure how big of a pint moving it and changing the flue would be.

Nothing drastic. An adjustable offset hunk of pipe is about it. I have one because where the stove needed to be and where the floor joists were, well...they were off by about 6" - so an adjustable offset was slid into place.

 

[begreen]

There are a couple options you might want to investigate if upgrading to a 2.5 or 3 cu ft stove. One option would be to get a stove with good shielding that has nice close clearances. The other option would be get the stove you want and to install an NFPA 211 wall shield to reduce clearances. But I would leave the flue location as it is. You will probably have to do an offset with the stove change. Not a big deal, we have one on our Alderlea.

 

[cards66]

Nothing drastic. An adjustable offset hunk of pipe is about it. I have one because where the stove needed to be and where the floor joists were, well...they were off by about 6" - so an adjustable offset was slid into place.

Jags do you have a pic of your offset? i am trying to figure out how that would work. I guess i would need two pieces to angle from the flu at the ceiling and then somewhere down below that to stragiten out to the stove