First post - Need help selecting pellet stove insert

[djm3801]

Hello. New to the forum but not to pellet stoves.

My kid has heating issues with his home Poor insulation and bad duct work that will take some time and money to fix. I offered to buy him a pellet stove insert for his fireplace. He has light furniture, it is in his living room, and i believe coalk or wood would not be a good choice for him as they keep it totally spotless. Pellets are about the cleanest. I replaced my GREAT Surdiac coal stove with a Breckwell P24. While I love the coal heat, it was dirty and a pain at times - ashpanb duty. That said, i paid about $2200 for my breckwell. Sticker shock -Nice looking well built Pellet inserts are going for abotu $3400 and up. Plus I guess he needs a liner the entire height of the chimney (maybe 14`feet). So - What in the opinion of the group here expericnced in such things is the biggest bang for the buck on a pellet stove insert? Home depot has these Englander units but frankly I do not like the glod sheet metal decor on them.

I want to help him out but I can almost buy a small heat pumnp system from some of these prices.

Would be willing to spend about $2600 or so.

Thanks in advance.

Dan M. Bethlehem PA

 

[BadDad320]

Greetings, I see you say that you are going for an insert.... I think what I would do is take my insert measurements and see what would fit by hitting some company web sites. Measure well and if the numbers are close be wary. You want a good fit. Narrow it down to a few you like and that might get you more responses. Make a plan to run the exhaust up the existing chimney. Measure that stuff too. Everyone in here has stuff to say about piping and angles and everything you could think of about venting. Also there is a thing called Outside Air Kit or OAK.... Check out this too. Did I mention what kind of vacuum is best????? You came to the right place... Take a look in the photo section too...............

 

[djm3801]

Thanks for responding. He quite a large full masonary fireplace. While before I put my money out I will ensure a proper fit, teh fireplace is large. Understand that there is a need for a liner. This should not be a terribly difficult procedure as we are dealing with large flues and 1 story. Maybe 14 feet. Figure to run the OAK up that way as well. I have double insulated pipe inside my house - Stainless inside and galvalized outside. Can this be used all the way up or is something cheaper used (as i a flue you would not need insulated pipe.)

Thanks again. I cannot believe how much these things have gone up. I know everything has, but wood stoves and coal stoves have not gone up anywhere near as much.

Regards,

Dan M

 

[OU812]

You are going to get a million answers to your question and it seems to depend on if you are searching for the best price or the best dealer. Their is another thread is this forum about tax credits and pellet stoves. You may want to start there to see if you can qualify for this credit and perhaps save a few bucks on a good stove.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/33512/

My own personal experience tells me to opt for the savings. I have not had good luck with either dealers or technicians but that is only from my own experience and it seems like their are a lot of dealers and techs in this forum that love to help people out. I just wished they lived near me. I would also look at warranties and service after the sale is made. Their is even ony guy here from Englander Stoves that seems very helpful and his presence in this forum will definitely make me look at Englander when it is time to buy.

 

[Mr Whitfield]

I'd look on craiglist everyday, You can find some good deals, a nice used insert should run you about 500 to 1100.

 

[djm3801]

I was not considering the Englander but it is pretty cheap for a pellet stove insert. Their web site says that the insert is discontinued. Hmm.

I would buy used for me, but not for the kid. I take stuff apart and fix it myself. He is not so patient and calls for service.

Thanks. Great forum!

Dan M

 

[Dr_Drum]

If there is an ash clean out in his fire place some have used that opening to run the outside air kit thus reducing some cost. The chimney liner/vent will need to be cleaned at least annually, you may want to consider how the back of the stove will be accessed. Maybe consider a free standing unit also with a fireplace block-off panel?
Mike -

 

[CJ03]

I was not considering the Englander but it is pretty cheap for a pellet stove insert. Their web site says that the insert is discontinued. Hmm.

I would buy used for me, but not for the kid. I take stuff apart and fix it myself. He is not so patient and calls for service.

Thanks. Great forum!

Dan M

If your son is not one to want to work on things himself, an Englander might not be the best way to go. I have one and love it, but it only comes with phone/internet support. No techs to come out and do the work. The insert for Englander is new this year. Here is a link to it. (broken link removed to http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId;=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100642932)

Corie, who is a poster on this forum designed the stove and would be my next one to buy(FS though)

 

[Mr Whitfield]

If you don't like working on stove's, I would not buy a Englander. Do a search on the forum these stove have a lot of problems.

 

[djm3801]

He is NOT going to want to mess with it in his living room for sure.

I got a pretty good price on a Quadra fire 1200. Still researching.

Thanks for all the comments!

Dan M

 

[jackiec]

He is NOT going to want to mess with it in his living room for sure.

I got a pretty good price on a Quadra fire 1200. Still researching.

Thanks for all the comments!

Dan M

I know of no pellet stove that doesn't need to be "messed with".

 

[sparkydog00]

I would go with the Harmen Accentra. It is a nice loking stove...and seems to run trouble free. It even burns the crappiest pellets (Maine Woods) with more maintance.
I like a large view of the flame..so the Englander is out.
But again my humble opinion.

 

[djm3801]

With repect to "mess with" I am refering to a stove, which, as it was written of the Englander, requires more hands on than others. I think the Endlgander is a really good buy but you get what you pay for in finish and I am not crazy about the stamped metal trim. I have a Breckwell. I clean the glass, scrape the walls, clean the firepot. It gets cleaned totally at the end of the season. Ask pan gets emptied once a year because it does not fill up in a season. He is OK with that.

Harman is a fine stove. Pricey. I need to talk to some locals who sell them to see what they are going for.

Got a price on a Quadra fire 1200 insert of $3100 with nickle finish door that seems decent.

Need to do more research on this site about various models but all of this input has been of value.

Dan M