Hearthstone I vs New Regency Advice

[Woodstove Newbie]

Hello all. I recently bought a house with a beautiful Hearthstone 1 (probably around 45 years old now), which for the life of the home has been used to do most of the heating alongside a boiler. In preparation to use it last winter we had it inspected. Unfortunately there were cracks in the clay flue liner, and we were advised to have a stainless steel liner installed. As part of that inspection, we were told the hearthstone is in excellent condition, with exception of a very small crack that we can fill with some woodstove cement. We did not have the work done before winter and did not use the system last year.

We will now be replacing the liner, and as a part of that work I was wondering if it would be worth it to update the stove as well, partly because the current hearthstone uses an 8 inch flue, whereas most modern stoves use a 6 inch… and though I get that the hearthstone I is a great old stove, I’m mostly concerned with efficiency and ability to heat my home. We were advised to look at the regency F2450 or F3500, and I’m wondering what some of you folks would do in my situation. Would either of those stoves be able to heat our home close to the hearthstone? Given my priorities, would switching to one of those newer stoves be adequate for my needs?

The stove is in the basement, and we have some cutouts in the ceiling. We have a massive central brick chimney that runs through the center of both stories that I wonder if it would give off heat with consistent use. The square footage of our home is as follows:
SqFt-Apx Finished Upstairs 1,728
SqFt-Apx Finished Basement 1,050
SqFt-Apx Unfinished Basement 678
SqFt-Apx Total Finished 2,778
SqFt-Apx Total 3,456

I’ve included some pictures of the hearthstone for your enjoyment. Thanks all!

And last bonus question… how much is that hearthstone I worth? I have no conception….

 

[begreen]

That old timer is in very good condition. It should sell in the $800-1000 range if you can hold off until September/October for selling.

Your plan is a good one. A modern stove will burn more efficiently and the savings, plus practical value of switching to a 6" liner makes sense. The big Regency should do the job. Also consider finishing insulation in the unfinished part of the basement to increase heat savings.