Epa wood burning stove
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I would never go back to a pre EPA one. Tons of wood savings, easier to run, and much cleaner chimney
I like my EPA stoves. I see no reason to go back. I never operated comparable stoves in the same structure so I can’t comment on wood savings.
Depends on who you talk to and when.
Me back in September. Oh man, I was ripping through the wood yet running it so low and trying to extend my burn times but only creating TONS of creosote.
Me of today, well Im pretty impressed with how long I can keep a load going, and that's with or without a cat in.
Im going to shoot for a 14 hour burn over 325 degrees at all times w/ cat when I get a cooler night but not cold.
Mine is a 1.8 CU FT, so a medium stove...it looks smaller inside though than other stoves Ive seen of that size. I wouldnt recommend my stove though to anyone, it's has too many quirks when there are better options out there. Unless you can get it for a steal or free.
I do not have exp with a non EPA stove other than watching others operate theirs. I dont see them smoking that much and they put out a long low even amount of heat when they want.
Your experience with your stove is absolutely not typical of the majority of stoves on the market at all. Most really are very simple to run properly as long as they are set up correctly and fed good fuel
well things have drastically improved, but it would still be too challenging for the wife to operate. She can and will after I've had it going awhile, but she forgets to check and that stove can go inferno mode or out if you dont watch it.
Wood quality makes a big difference on how well the older stoves run. There’s nothing like looking through a little square of insglass (did I even spell that right? lol) trying to see if you have a good enough flame in a potbelly!
Yes again not at all typical of most stoves on the market. On a reload I typically load the stove come back in about 5 mins shut the bypass another 5 mins and adjust the air then don't touch it for 8 12 or 24 hours. On the noncats before that it was usually about 10 mins till I shut the air back then walk away and didn't touch it for 8 to 12 hours
My wife doesn’t touch the stove.
If she wanted to, she could handle it, she just doesn’t want to. I make sure the kid can do it though.
If she wanted to, she could handle it, she just doesn’t want to. I make sure the kid can do it though.
My wife usually doesn't. But will if I am away. The kids can run it as well
Love my Vista. Heats up quickly and enough BTU’s to heat our 1,800 sq ft cape. I grew up with stoves that ate wood and I’m surprised how it heats our house with not a lot of wood.
For certain, my EPA insert consumes far less wood than my pre-EPA slammer did.
The downside is the inability to burn incompletely seasoned wood. That's eliminated by getting ahead, but requires more storage space.
It is slightly more difficult to operate, but I think much of that is me being more diligent.
I'd never consider going back.
TE
The downside is the inability to burn incompletely seasoned wood. That's eliminated by getting ahead, but requires more storage space.
It is slightly more difficult to operate, but I think much of that is me being more diligent.
I'd never consider going back.
TE
I have used both EPA and non-EPA stoves through the years. In fact, I still do.
I have not found any noticeable difference in wood consumption. Certainly not enough to justify the expense of replacing a non-EPA stove in good condition with an EPA one.
A number of years ago, we had a Vermont Castings that was a serious problem to operate. It blew smoke, from its intake, into the room at odd intervals. We had to replace the catalyst every year. We replaced that stove with a Waterford Trinity and were pleased we did. The Trinity was probably the best heating stove we have ever had -- and we have had many.
Presently, we have a Hearthstone Craftsbury, an EPA stove. It has two drawbacks. One: it is hard to light without a fire starter. I have tried lighting it from the bottom and down from the top. Neither way works well and it takes a lot of babysitting to bring it to a point it can be left alone. A fire starter makes all that go away, but it gripes me to have to pay for a flame. Just recently, I made some fire starters, so I have less of a gripe, now, than before.
Two: the one control it came with is insufficient. It can (and has) overfired and I was left with trying to plug the air intake to calm it down. A few years ago, I fabricated a flapper over the air intake, and use that to control it when necessary.
Our Waterford Stanley cookstove is, of course, non-EPA. I estimate it was born around 1990 -- give or take. It operates perfectly. It lights easily and takes very little to no attention to make it burn well. The firebox is small, so it does require frequent fillings, but that is also true of the Hearthstone Craftsbury.
Overall, I have no allegiance to EPA stoves. If I had to replace the Craftsbury and had access to a non-EPA stove I thought would do, I would not hesitate.
Just my $0.02 before taxes...
I have not found any noticeable difference in wood consumption. Certainly not enough to justify the expense of replacing a non-EPA stove in good condition with an EPA one.
A number of years ago, we had a Vermont Castings that was a serious problem to operate. It blew smoke, from its intake, into the room at odd intervals. We had to replace the catalyst every year. We replaced that stove with a Waterford Trinity and were pleased we did. The Trinity was probably the best heating stove we have ever had -- and we have had many.
Presently, we have a Hearthstone Craftsbury, an EPA stove. It has two drawbacks. One: it is hard to light without a fire starter. I have tried lighting it from the bottom and down from the top. Neither way works well and it takes a lot of babysitting to bring it to a point it can be left alone. A fire starter makes all that go away, but it gripes me to have to pay for a flame. Just recently, I made some fire starters, so I have less of a gripe, now, than before.
Two: the one control it came with is insufficient. It can (and has) overfired and I was left with trying to plug the air intake to calm it down. A few years ago, I fabricated a flapper over the air intake, and use that to control it when necessary.
Our Waterford Stanley cookstove is, of course, non-EPA. I estimate it was born around 1990 -- give or take. It operates perfectly. It lights easily and takes very little to no attention to make it burn well. The firebox is small, so it does require frequent fillings, but that is also true of the Hearthstone Craftsbury.
Overall, I have no allegiance to EPA stoves. If I had to replace the Craftsbury and had access to a non-EPA stove I thought would do, I would not hesitate.
Just my $0.02 before taxes...
Do you think draft is an issue with the EPA stove? My topdown with 2 pinecones with sticks from the yard and two small splits and it’s taking off. Sometimes I crack the door for a few minutes that’s it. Don’t even use my fatwood now. Also my stoves that I grew up with had no secondary burn system so they were not as efficient as my EPA one. They ate wood.
There is a big difference when one adds a cooking stove to the question. The difference in consumption is more apparent with larger 2-3 cu ft stoves that are heating the whole house.
Sorry about the experience with the Craftsbury. It's a pretty little stove, but not Hearthstone's finest. The starting issue may be compounded by the flue system if the draft is compromised.
I believe the draft is all it should be with the Craftsbury and its chimney system. For what it is worth, the stove never smokes when I open the door -- even when it is lighting off. I can open the door all the way and it does not smoke. So I have never considered the draft to be less than it should be.
That said, I do not know why it lights so hard. As I recall, of the nearly a dozen stoves I have used for heating through the years, the Craftsbury is the only one I have had trouble starting.
Of the dozen stoves you have run, how many were hooked to your existing venting? Most? Some? All of them?
Curious.
The Craftsbury is the second stove on that flue. The first was a much larger Harmon -- too big for the space. It has been a number (12-15) of years since we replaced the Harmon, but as far as I recall, the draw was quite adequate.
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