Help me pick a new wood stove!!!

[RegencyNS]

I am in the process of having a new 2000 sq/ft(without basement house built in Atlantic Canada. It is a 2 level saltbox with full basement. The primary heat will be a hot water boiler with refurbished cast iron rads. The boiler is on a selkirk chimney. The wood stove will be in the basement in a large rec room connected to a masonery outside chimney. There is a pic of the house at this link, (broken link removed). I know I'm already down 2 points having the stove in the basement and an outside chimney, but this is the configuration we liked. The basement is insulated and gyprocked. the house also has a Venmar Solo 2.0 ventilation system with a recirculation mode. I have read that this recirculation mode, can be used to spread heat from a wood stove through the entire house.

Now the dealer in my area sells Drolet, Vermont Castings, Heathstone and Napoleon wood stoves. I would like to purchase from this dealer as they are very reputable. My needs are a stove which will reduce our oil consumption, heat as much of the house as possible, be efficient, and a stove which will burn for 8 hours or more unattended. My wife and I both work during the day, so we would like to bank it before we leave and still have a fire when we return.

There's one limitation, the stove has to have a 6" flue size as the chimney block is 6". I was looking at the VC Defiant and Encore but this limitation may eliminate them. I was also looking at the Hearthstone Heritage for its long burntime. What are your suggestions?

 

[Mandoo]

I refuse to puff up my chest and tell you what I own is the best! What I will say is although the V.C. brand has been under scrutiny lately they (the factory) and the stove have performed better than expected after I went through the learning curve.

This Defiant CAT has a large fire box, looks great and has 10++ real life burn times. This stove works for me because I need hot stove temps since it's in the basement and vented upstairs with a ceiling cut out. I use a small fan to assist the air flow and keep the basement temps lower.

Good luck and enjoy your new home!

 

[jtp10181]

FYI you will probably be better off running a 6" class A HT chimney up the side of the house and then framming up around it and putting brick veneer over it. A masonry chimney on the outside of the house is going to be very cold and take a long time to warm up.

 

[RegencyNS]

Too late, chimney's on. Do the Hearthstone's through alot of heat?

 

[carpniels]

Madoo wrote: "vented upstairs with a ceiling cut out."

We have had discussions about this regularly in the past, but if I understand it correctly, according to NFPA 211, it is illegal to have a direct connect between floors because it acts as a chimney in case of a fire. Supposedly VERY DANGEROUS.

Can any of the professionals explain this better? I would hate to loose one of our members because they did not know the law.

Thanks

Carpniels

 

[Mandoo]

Madoo wrote: "vented upstairs with a ceiling cut out."

We have had discussions about this regularly in the past, but if I understand it correctly, according to NFPA 211, it is illegal to have a direct connect between floors because it acts as a chimney in case of a fire. Supposedly VERY DANGEROUS.

Can any of the professionals explain this better? I would hate to loose one of our members because they did not know the law.

Thanks

Carpniels

Please post a link or P.M. me a link to the thread about this. The vent was there when I moved in and has nothing to do with the actual stove or installation it has never been pointed out by inspectors or supposed professional Stove/chimney folks. I don't want to Hi-jack this post so please link me to another.
Thanks

 

[begreen]

Dr. Shawn the system is set up for problems. jtp has given good advice, the stove flue will need all the insulation it can get. A chase can be retrofitted. It can be clad in the house siding or brick. Also the stove is likely to need an outside air kit. Or you might rethink plans and put the primary stove on the first floor. A pellet stove could be added in the basement if necessary unless the intent is to live in the basement.

As far as stoves, maybe the Napoleon? In this situation, you'll want the least draft fussy stove possible.

 

[Cath]

Mandoo wrote: "vented upstairs with a ceiling cut out."

We have had discussions about this regularly in the past, but if I understand it correctly, according to NFPA 211, it is illegal to have a direct connect between floors because it acts as a chimney in case of a fire. Supposedly VERY DANGEROUS. ...

Please post a link or P.M. me a link to the thread about this. The vent was there when I moved in and has nothing to do with the actual stove or installation it has never been pointed out by inspectors or supposed professional Stove/chimney folks. I don't want to Hi-jack this post so please link me to another.
Thanks

Mandoo,
Carpniels is absolutely correct. I believe some state and local building codes prohibit this practice. Of course this strategy has been around awhile so I'm guessing a lot of structures are grandfathered which may create the impression that it is safe and acceptable. I know I've seen it in some older homes in my area. I wouldn't have given a second thought to them if I hadn't heard about the safety issue here.

The problem is that ceilings/floors are fire stops. Cutting a hole gives any fire a direct path to the other floor; furthermore, it provides additional oxygen. In the event of a fire it significantly cuts the length of time anyone has to get out of the house. Additionally, as Corie points out, if you have to install one you probably don't want it right above an obvious fire hazard, such as a stove.

Elk would remind us they are especially problematic in the floors of bedrooms since you are most vulnerable when you are sleeping and your response time is already compromised.

Below is a link to a thread Elk started on this topic. You will note that Corie describes a register with a damper and a "fusible link" that should be relatively safe. Apparently they aren't cheap. He did include a link to a more affordable one but the link is dead. I have to wonder how effective the damper would be. Unfortunately you might not find out until too late that they do not perform as advertised.

HearthRoom thread: “A word about cutting floor registers in and things to consider”
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/1437/

Please see Corie’s post (# one following the opening post):
“People certainly don’t realize the importance of walls and ceilings in relation to the spread of fire.
When I installed our floor register, I made sure it was not directly over the stove (although it wasn’t feasible anyway), and I also installed a radiation damper with a 160 degree fusible link. At first glance, these dampers were very expensive. However I was referred to a site by a member here that provided very reasonably priced units. For the price it cost and the piece of mind it will give me, it would have been silly to pass it up.
Anyone considering cutting holes in their floor should absolutely weigh out the dangers and at the very least, be certain to use a radiation damper.”

~Cath

 

[RegencyNS]

This is why I went with a ventilation system with a recirculation mode. To avoid having to put holes in the floor. Concrning draft in the chimney, it is over 30 feet high, shouldn't the height compensate for the outside temps concerning the draft?

Also, I am looking at the Jotul F500 for this house. Should it provide enough heat?

 

[STOVEGUY11]

If you have looked at the hearthstones and you like them, I would stick with the heritage or even go up to the Mansfield. Your going to run into problems venting the VC defiant at an 8in flue. The encore can be traded over to a 6" round flue collar but at that point you can not burn with the doors open with the screen. If you do decide on the VC, look at the non-cat root. If you go catalytic, you have to take that combustor and clean it once or twice a season to get the stove to last. Dont get me wrong the catalytic stoves are awesome, but you have to maintain them. Look at the warranties between the two as well. Drop a stainless liner and insulate it, especially if is an outside chimney

 

[carpniels]

Hi Shawn,

F500 should be fine. Many people here on the forum have one and like it. However, your local dealer does not sell those.

Personally, I have bought all my stoves used. Many people get panicky about high oil/gas prices, spend $5K on a stove and install and realize that it is more work than it is worth. Then they sell the 1 or 2 year old stove for little. This is where I come in

If you know what to look for, there is no problem buying used.

Thanks

Carpniels

 

[RegencyNS]

Thanks Carpneils. Another dealer here deals exclusively with Jotul and I have heard good things. I grew up with a VC resolute and remember all the wood cutting, splitting and stacking. Back then, couldn't stand it. Now I love being outdoors doing stuff like this.

 

[marky_mark896]

I think your link may be wrong. That is not a saltbox pictured in those plans. It's a nice house, but not a saltbox.

 

[RegencyNS]

Farmhouse, colonial whatever

 

[RegencyNS]

OK, I'm jumping around here, but have spec'd a Regency F2400 and am getting a very good deal on it from another dealer I didn't know about. How are these stoves?

 

[STOVEGUY11]

I sell them as well as other brands, But I burn that model at home and I personally love it. The warranty is awesome. It heats the main floor, and also the bedrooms upstairs. I have a blower fan on mine, and also a door way fan to move some heat down the hallway from the room the stove is in.

 

[swestall]

There are many posts as to why but may I suggest you NOT consider a Vermont Castings non-CAT stove. The CAT stoves work well the non-CAT ones require a significant learning curve with constant babysitting after that.

 

[Jimbob]

If you have a Home Hardware nearby, also check out the Drolet and Flame stoves there.

This stove sells for about 870 dollars:
http://www.flame-intl.com/product.aspx?CategoId=1&Id=403

And should easily heat the whole house from the basement. It also features straight-in loading, as opposed to side-to-side loading of the logs. After burning for a while, you'll see why this is important.

Also check out Pacific Energy, their stoves are a bit more money, though.
The Super 27 sells for about $1400.00
(broken link removed to http://www.pacificenergy.net/product_super27.php)