Getting a wood stove

[steppinthrax]

Note: I did read the primer at the top of this forum before posting this....

I have a fireplace in the basement. The basement is roughly a med size. The fireplace in the basement is a standard masonry unit. Lets put it this way, you can run it all day and it barely heats the basement

My thought is to replace it with a wood burning stove. For some reason vermont castings keeps popping up in my head as an option.

I'm looking at doing a free standing vermont castings wood stove and running a liner down the chimney. The chimney is roughly 30 feet high and it uses a 12 x 12 clay liner.

I guess my questions are what are my options to bring more heat into the room?

Assuming I could do a wood stove, what other brands are good. I'm looking at getting something used (vermont castings encore, defiant and resolute)?

Also what is the difference between a free standing and a insert? Could I have a free standing partially sticking out from the firebox? If so, would that reduce efficiency?

 

[begreen]

Welcome. I would add used Jotul stoves to the search. Unless you get an original VC stove in great conditions going with a used one could end up a costly option. The original (pre mid 80s) stoves are good workhorses but by now many of they are showing their age. VC then went through many sales of the company and at the same time switched their combustion method to a fragile and costly to repair design. I would avoid them. The latest and newest VC stoves are getting better, but some mixed reviews.

If there's room a freestanding stove on the hearth is a nice option for good heat. But sometimes an insert is a better solution. There are good inserts on the market that heat fairly well. The best are often those which project out onto the hearth so that they convect and radiate heat well even during a power outage. Having actual fireplace dimensions may help us to expand options.

 

[bholler]

I'm looking at getting something used (vermont castings encore, defiant and resolute)?

Do yourself a favor and look at the reveiws of those stoves here you will change your mind quickly.

There are many other good brands do some research here and visit stove shops to see them in person.

 

[steppinthrax]

Welcome. I would add used Jotul stoves to the search. Unless you get an original VC stove in great conditions going with a used one could end up a costly option. The original (pre mid 80s) stoves are good workhorses but by now many of they are showing their age. VC then went through many sales of the company and at the same time switched their combustion method to a fragile and costly to repair design. I would avoid them. The latest and newest VC stoves are getting better, but some mixed reviews.

If there's room a freestanding stove on the hearth is a nice option for good heat. But sometimes an insert is a better solution. There are good inserts on the market that heat fairly well. The best are often those which project out onto the hearth so that they convect and radiate heat well even during a power outage. Having actual fireplace dimensions may help us to expand options.

Thanks,

I will try to take a picture this afternoon. I can provide dimensions.

 

[jbartnd]

I am trying to figure out the same thing. I bought an old house and tore the old insert out thinking it would be a breeze to get a new insert put in. HAHAHA! After calling the one local person we have (that never showed up) we went to a store and the basically said there was no room for an insert. Now we are looking at stoves but again, im worried about safe clearance.