Heatilator PS50 vs Harman - help

[Hurricane Ditka]

Hi everyone. New to the forum. Had a few questions for some of the experts, as reviews for pellet stoves are much harder to find/understand than other consumer items....

I just bought a house in North Central MD, where a winter can be fairly brutal to mild. It is a colonial, 2,450 square feet. I was originally going to go with an insert for the fireplace, but figured a standalone might work better. Our house currently is heat pump, which is extremely costly in the winter ( sample size of 1 ). We determined we should put the standalone stove in the room on level 1 with a cold air return, which in theory will circulate the heat produced from the stove around the house. The install would require punching out a hole in the side of the house for exhaust.

Our local pellet stove dealer is running specials later this month, where a Heatilator PS50 will be on sale for $1,600 (not including install). We were also looking at the Harman P61 or P68.. which will be 3,100 or 3,300, respectively.

We do not care about size of the unit, and actually like the old wood stove look to these particular ones. My biggest question -- we would like the stove to be the main and only source of heat for the house (running the heat pump fan only to circulate the heat through the duct work), and wanted to know if we needed the bigger Harman unit or if could get by with smaller P43? Also, as using the stove for the sole source of heat, would it be smarter to get the more expensive Harman because of ease of use/clean/upkeep/reliability?

Over time I know these units will pay for themselves, but you can't beat spending half the money for a unit that could/can get the job done.

Any and all suggestions/concerns are welcome. Thank you!

 

[Lake Girl]

Welcome to the forum!

I would suggest a search of the forum for the make/models that you are considering. This will give you a portion of real-world issues that crop up with pellet stove ownership. Also understand that no matter what stove you get, they require fairly frequent maintenance i.e. scrapping burn pots, emptying ash, cleaning internal exhaust pathways, and venting. Quality of dealer support is also an important factor - try to get reviews or references for the local dealers.

It is good that you are considering a stand-alone which will leave the fireplace intact should you need it for a source of heat during power outages (battery back-up and inverter generators are helpful too). Make sure that the install includes an OAK (outside air kit) - Selkirk and Bio-Vent have options with air intakes built in. This will ensure the unit gets the required air for combustion, save you money by not using pre-heated air for combustion, and will reduce air infiltration from any weak points in the house's building envelope (less drafts). You will have to experiment to see which is more effective - using your circulating fan or working with the natural air currents in the house. A better idea of the lay-out will give other forum members the chance to comment on what they have found if their lay-out is similar - there are some pretty entertaining threads on toilet paper experiments to figure out air currents

Pellet stoves generally perform better in the mid-range of their operating levels. Too big a stove will burn on low, too small will always be working harder to keep up. Regional temps, insulation values may change requirements beyond square footage.

There will be many positive comments on the Harmans but do not be afraid to look at other manufacturers. Some of the Italian stove owners are extremely pleased with the performance they are getting ... myself included. They are in the same price range as the Harmans but offer something different than the "wood stove" look.

Good luck with your decision - we appreciate pics of installs when done

 

[BIGISLANDHIKERS]

My FIL has the smaller PS35. I do the cleaning and maintenance. Compared to my Quad Mt Vernon it is very easy to clean and has been reliable. Some of the internal parts are the same as my Quad. I cannot speak for Harmon but if I was to do over again I would seriously look at the PS50. They also have the CAB50 that has a bigger hopper.

BIH

 

[kinsmanstoves]

Both are great units but they are apples and oranges from each other. The Heatilator is the best BTU for the buck but nothing is a Harman except a Harman.

Eric