Help idenfiying stove

[KWKennedy]

I purchased a house built in the early 90s and it has a wood stove in the basement (which was a major selling feature for me). However, after looking all over the internet I can't seem to find anything out about the stove. It's a Paragon brand model P-80 or P-60. I'm attaching a picture of the tags on it. Can anyone tell me anything about this brand/model of stove. Is it very efficient or should I look to replace it soon?

 

[930dreamer]

Can you post a pic of the stove front?

 

[KWKennedy]

Sure, here ya go. I've also included a shot of the blower.

 

[begreen]

Unfortunately it looks like the important info is at the bottom of the label. I can make out what looks like Paragon, but not the make or model.

 

[KWKennedy]

I'm having trouble getting very clear pics on my phone. Here's a couple more views. The tag looks like it says it was inspected in 1983. Near the top it gives model numbers p60 and p80.

 

[begreen]

I'm reading a Paragon P80 or P60 out of Tenn. but have never heard of the company.

 

[KWKennedy]

I know it is a non catalytic model, and that it has the blower as an optional attachment but that's about all I can tell. Internet search doesn't pull up anything about the company. No fire brick in it. When I bought the house someone had put gas logs in it... Which I believe is illegal.

 

[begreen]

 

[rwhite]

Someone had gas logs in it? Thats not gas ducting used for a flue is it? If so don't burn it.

 

[KaptJaq]

I'm reading a Paragon P80 or P60 out of Tenn. but have never heard of the company.

A Paragon corporation at that address in Tennessee went out of business in 1989.
The lab testing date on the stove appears to be September 1983.

KaptJaq

 

[rwhite]

Someone had gas logs in it? Thats not gas ducting used for a flue is it? If so don't burn it.

Or worse yet....It's not plumbed into the central air system is it?

 

[KWKennedy]

No, it goes up the chimney. As far as it being different ducting I don't know. I've had it swept by a pro after I pulled the gas logs out and he pronounced it fit to burn. They ran the gas line through the air intake so no modifications to the stove were done. I'm really just concerned that it isn't very efficient since I seen to be having trouble keeping wood in it. It'll only burn a full load for an hour and a half or two hours. There is no thermostat but my laser thermometer says the top is about 300 degrees with the blower running.

It's also possible I don't know everything about burning a wood stove. We only had wood heat growing up but it was one of those giant (to me anyway) brown stoves that had the adjustment knob on the front. This is a whole different animal for me.

 

[mellow]

That looks like they used galvinized Hvac ducting for the liner?

 

[KWKennedy]

That looks like they used galvinized Hvac ducting for the liner?

I don't really know. I've never seen rectangular stove pipe but I'm no expert so didn't think anything of it. I can take some more pictures and get everyone's opinion. What would be the ramifications if it is HVAC ducting? Just replace it? That shouldn't be very hard.

Anyone else have any more info on the stove itself? I feel like the chimney is ok but that's according to my chimney sweeps (two different guys, I've been here two winters).

 

[mellow]

The stove is your typical pre-epa unit, 40% efficient on a good day. If you have the funds I would upgrade to a newer more efficient woodstove. If you are looking to take that route I would start a new thread back in the main forum since this one has been moved to the classic with pictures of your setup and some details about your house and how many sq feet you are looking to heat and most important, your budget.

 

[KWKennedy]

I appreciate everyone's input. You all are a wealth of knowledge so thanks for sharing it with me. I'll be putting an upgrade on the list of home reno projects, but for now I'm burning wood to save money so it'll be a while before the cost of a new stove will be in the cards.

I'm attaching more pictures of the flue setup. Could be I need to get this part replaced.

 

[mellow]

That looks right down scary to me. What should be done is a rectangle to round adapter that looks like this:

(broken image removed)

 

[rwhite]

I cant tell from your pictures. We need a whole stove shot. Is that round flue coming out the back and the square ducting sitting on top? Is there an opening to the stove inside that square ducting? The round looks like flue pipe but the connection leave a lot to be desired with all that cement on it. The square is central air ducting. Pics are to close up.

I think I get it now.....Central air duct up to round flue. Yeah get the right flue before you burn and fire the last chimney sweep.

 

[KWKennedy]

I'm planning on going tomorrow and getting new flue pipes. I guess I'm lucky that I've had no issues last year or this year, since I've probably put two cords of wood through it in that time. That is square coming out of the top of the stove and round connecting to that. The cement.... I dunno about it. The chimney sweep unhooked everything between the stove and the chimney and I asked him to make sure it was sealed back up to prevent drafting issues (I knew that much at least) and that's what he did. Here's some more shots.

 

[mellow]

I would sue the sweep, that is careless to allow someone to continue to burn in that setup.

 

[KWKennedy]

I would sue the sweep, that is careless to allow someone to continue to burn in that setup.

I won't take it that far but I certainly won't be calling him up again. It's the result of hiring the lowest bidder.... live and learn. I was really only concerned with creosote buildup since my wood wasn't as seasoned as it should have been last year, and I figured anyone with a brush can clean it. My stove is in the basement of a two story house, so three stories down. I couldn't find a brush to buy (for a price that fit my wallet) that was long enough... so I hired it out. I'll definitely be replacing the flue tomorrow and I'll be checking into buying a brush that can handle three floors of chimney.

Everyone in this thread has been great, and I appreciate everyone helping out. It sucks to find out my stove is a wood-burning clunker and my flue is a jury-rigged POS, but I can fix the flue and I'll just have to deal with the stove until I can afford an upgrade (Hello Craigslist!).

 

[rwhite]

Get a good sweep and have him inspect the stove and chimney. If everything good you can install brick and the correct flue and burn it just fine. It looks like a good stove. Although not wood effecient a lot of folks burn non-epa stoves just fine.

 

[tcassavaugh]

me, i'm a sucker for old stoves. if the stove is structurally fine, and the chimney is ok, I might look at removing the rectangular pipe and get a rectangle to round connector, like mellow posted, and put round stove pipe in it first and see how it burns. i'd also put a pipe damper 12-18 inches above the top in the pipe to help control the burn....it might help the wood last longer. I use them in both of my stoves.....I've never had a stove without one. personal preference I guess but even as a kid, they were in the pipes.