I need some advice, perhaps from those who have experience with these stoves.
For the past two years, I’ve used a masonry fireplace with an old heatilator insert for “supplement” heat. But after many cords of wood, and the continuous use of the furnace, I’m wanting to upgrade to a wood stove insert.
My house is a 1300 square foot ranch. The fireplace is clear on one side of the house, but the chimney is in the garage. We have pretty busy schedules, and we will only use the stove to heat all day 4 days of the week. The rest would be evening and night.
I have the opportunity to purchase one of two used inserts. I’ve done some pretty extensive research on both, and both fit into my fireplace with the required clearances. I will list some pros and cons that I have realized, but I would like some help, preferably from some who have experience with one of these stoves.
Now...I know this is not ideal, and it wouldn’t be a permanent situation. But I plan to use a direct connect. Both stoves are approved by the manufacturer to install the stove in this manner, and it meets code. I will eventually install a full liner, but that is just not in the budget this year. I plan to purchase a block off plate that would fit in my existing damper, and use about 5’ of oval to round stainless steel liner to get above the first clay tile in my existing 8x12” chimney. That being said, I have already read the advice and list of cons for using a direct connect.
So on to the stoves:
1. Country Flame BBF.
Pros: large firebox, 600 CFM blower, aesthetically more pleasing, 8” flue better fits my 8x12 chimney (per manufacturer, chimney must not exceed 3x the cross sectional area of the appliance flue. Stove=50 sq inches, chimney=96 sq inches.)
Cons: large and very heavy. (With the direct connect, I will need to remove the stove to clean the chimney, and I’m okay with that.)
2. Napoleon Oakdale 1402
Pros: Smaller, lighter, 6” flue means less expensive full liner down the road, manufacturer reports more btu than the Country Flame, secondary burn chamber rather than catalytic device.
Cons: 6” flue means my chimney is slightly large for direct connect, two blowers with 200 total CFM (with the stove at one end of the house, will this impact trying to heat the entire house?), aesthetically not as pleasing.
Right now, I’m leaning toward the BBF, simply because it’s a larger stove, with a more substantial blower, and it will fit my chimney better. But the secondary burn of the 1402 is appealing to me, rather than the cat on the BBF.
Other than advice against a direct connect, what would you all advise with regard to these two stoves? What is your experience with either of them?
For the past two years, I’ve used a masonry fireplace with an old heatilator insert for “supplement” heat. But after many cords of wood, and the continuous use of the furnace, I’m wanting to upgrade to a wood stove insert.
My house is a 1300 square foot ranch. The fireplace is clear on one side of the house, but the chimney is in the garage. We have pretty busy schedules, and we will only use the stove to heat all day 4 days of the week. The rest would be evening and night.
I have the opportunity to purchase one of two used inserts. I’ve done some pretty extensive research on both, and both fit into my fireplace with the required clearances. I will list some pros and cons that I have realized, but I would like some help, preferably from some who have experience with one of these stoves.
Now...I know this is not ideal, and it wouldn’t be a permanent situation. But I plan to use a direct connect. Both stoves are approved by the manufacturer to install the stove in this manner, and it meets code. I will eventually install a full liner, but that is just not in the budget this year. I plan to purchase a block off plate that would fit in my existing damper, and use about 5’ of oval to round stainless steel liner to get above the first clay tile in my existing 8x12” chimney. That being said, I have already read the advice and list of cons for using a direct connect.
So on to the stoves:
1. Country Flame BBF.
Pros: large firebox, 600 CFM blower, aesthetically more pleasing, 8” flue better fits my 8x12 chimney (per manufacturer, chimney must not exceed 3x the cross sectional area of the appliance flue. Stove=50 sq inches, chimney=96 sq inches.)
Cons: large and very heavy. (With the direct connect, I will need to remove the stove to clean the chimney, and I’m okay with that.)
2. Napoleon Oakdale 1402
Pros: Smaller, lighter, 6” flue means less expensive full liner down the road, manufacturer reports more btu than the Country Flame, secondary burn chamber rather than catalytic device.
Cons: 6” flue means my chimney is slightly large for direct connect, two blowers with 200 total CFM (with the stove at one end of the house, will this impact trying to heat the entire house?), aesthetically not as pleasing.
Right now, I’m leaning toward the BBF, simply because it’s a larger stove, with a more substantial blower, and it will fit my chimney better. But the secondary burn of the 1402 is appealing to me, rather than the cat on the BBF.
Other than advice against a direct connect, what would you all advise with regard to these two stoves? What is your experience with either of them?
