First time help

[Idomeneus]

Hi, We are thinking of putting a small to medium wood stove in the living room of our old (1877) two story 2200 sq. ft. home for occasional fires to take the chill off. The room is pretty open and we would be using an existing stone chimney with a 9 inch liner installed by the previous owner. We have a chimney guy who is fixing up the chimney and installing the stove so I am not worried about that. I need help picking a stove.

I don't want to burn a ton of wood since we just put in new ductless mini-split electric heaters and a solar PV system to power them. Just want that nice feel of an occasional fire on cold nights in our drafty house. I live in upstate NY where it get really cold.

At first, I was all about an older stove (Vermont Castings, etc.) from the 70's or 80's. I should say my budget is $500 or under. There seem to be tons of those available. I don't want a catalytic model. Something simple. I like the look of the old VC stoves and they match the house look. However, now I wonder if a modern or semi-modern stove would be that much more efficient that I should be considering one. My biggest concern is that it isn't too big and can be used occasionally, not all the time. We really want something with glass or that can be burned with a screen.

I have looked at VC vigilant, Intrepid, and resolute (Defiant seems too big). Modern stuff I have seem is Vogelzang, Englander, and Dovre.

Please help with this tough choice

FYI, I burned a coal boiler for years before the recent upgrade so I am used to burning, just not wood.

 

[SudsJeff]

Hi, We are thinking of putting a small to medium wood stove in the living room of our old (1877) two story 2200 sq. ft. home for occasional fires to take the chill off. The room is pretty open and we would be using an existing stone chimney with a 9 inch liner installed by the previous owner. We have a chimney guy who is fixing up the chimney and installing the stove so I am not worried about that. I need help picking a stove.

I don't want to burn a ton of wood since we just put in new ductless mini-split electric heaters and a solar PV system to power them. Just want that nice feel of an occasional fire on cold nights in our drafty house. I live in upstate NY where it get really cold.

At first, I was all about an older stove (Vermont Castings, etc.) from the 70's or 80's. I should say my budget is $500 or under. There seem to be tons of those available. I don't want a catalytic model. Something simple. I like the look of the old VC stoves and they match the house look. However, now I wonder if a modern or semi-modern stove would be that much more efficient that I should be considering one. My biggest concern is that it isn't too big and can be used occasionally, not all the time. We really want something with glass or that can be burned with a screen.

I have looked at VC vigilant, Intrepid, and resolute (Defiant seems too big). Modern stuff I have seem is Vogelzang, Englander, and Dovre.

Please help with this tough choice

FYI, I burned a coal boiler for years before the recent upgrade so I am used to burning, just not wood.

Hopefully your chimney guy will be adding a liner to your 9 inch chimney otherwise you might have draft issues (weak draft). If you`re not to worried about producing a fair bit of smoke and not getting a pile of heat out of it, perhaps an older conventional stove makes sense. Also, at your price point and for the look you are going for and older stove could fit the bill. Used EPA stoves in the 500$ range tend to be the super basic type that probably wont fit with your Victorian decor. Some of those soap stone or enameled cast stoves with the legs would look awesome in your period house, but they tend to be double the price of the basic steel stoves.

Keep in mind, if you can find an epa stove (with secondary burners) you will get considerably more heat and less smoke exhaust, but it could be a world of pain getting it to burn right on a 9 inch flue (presumably clay tile).

Good luck!

 

[begreen]

Most modern stoves will require a full 6" stainless steel liner. In addition to those stove see if you can find a good deal on a medium to large Century stove.

 

[Rearscreen]

. I don't want a catalytic model. Something simple.

This implies that cats are complicated. My Woodstock Progress is so simple it's actually boring to operate and takes 10 minutes to clean the cat - no tools required.

 

[Idomeneus]

Sorry, should have said that the 9" liner is steel. I don't think cats are complicated, just don't want to have more parts to buy/replace.

Sent from my PURE XL using Tapatalk

 

[begreen]

9" has an area of 64 sq in which is 2.28 times the area of a 6" pipe. That's too large for a 6" flue. It will slow down draft too much.