Wondering how long people have held on to their stoves, and maybe the reasons for changing. I bought my VC CDW Seneca cat wood stove for the winter of 1995/96, and it has been in use every heating season since.
How long have you been operating the same stove?
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I generally switch out about every 5 years or when I come across a good deal on something I want to try. But being in the industry I am far from the normal woodstove user. Most run their stoves till they are worn out. Usually 20 or so years
Ctwoodtick
Minister of Fire
Bad LP
Minister of Fire
I’m only on year 5 or 6 but it’s only used about 2 weekends a month. I expect to be here full time in 2 more years.
I plan on running it for at least 15 years.
I plan on running it for at least 15 years.
Year 4 here. But found its heating so well with so little wood Im planning an upgrade to a BK this spring/summer. EAB will keep me in wood for an untold number of years.
We started with an '84 Englander cigar-burn step-top that my wife's grandma got her at a local stove shop. It was still able to provide some heat, even though I was trying to burn wet Oak. Dead Oaks are most of what's close to the house, and I had heard that "Oak is good wood."
I picked up a used Dutchwest 2460 cat stove in 2000, about the same time my SIL got the identical stove for her newly-constructed house. I still didn't realize how long it took Oak to dry, and didn't know about moisture meters, so we crumbled a few ceramic cats along the way. One time I stumbled into some White Ash that a neighbor cut down, and thought "Gee, this stuff really burns hot!" Still didn't make the connection that it was the result of the Ash being drier.
I had stumbled across this forum a couple times in internet searches, but the home page at the time wasn't real intuitive for a non-computer nerd like I was then. Finally, I delved into it and heard from Dennis that I needed dry wood. I finished drying some small White Ash splits in the house with a fan on it, and wow, what a difference!
The Dutchwest still struggled to keep up in cold weather so I took advantage of the federal tax rebate at the time, which was 30% of the stove price.
In 2011 I got me the Keystone, one of the stoves begreen suggested in my "What stove?" thread. I had checked out my SIL's used Fireview and was impressed by the build quality and the design of the internals.
Great stove, the Keystone, which had increased output over the Dutchwest, but I started think "More powah would be even better, wouldn't it?"
I snapped up a Fireview, although my rebate for buying a low-emission stove had already been used. I still got a decent deal on one of their sales. After using the Fv a while, I realized that after I went to the Dutchwest, I'd been spoiled by having its ash grate, and the one in the Keystone. That, and the bigger Keystone window got me thinking I'd be OK with the Keystone if I could tighten up the envelope a bit. With a few more air-leak fixes, the Ks should handle even windy, single-digit weather quite well. Sold the Fv to my BIL, and it's working great over there, on less that 14' of stack.
Check this air leak I found when I moved some stuff during a current bathroom remodel. Good grief!!
Cold air pouring under the bathroom door, into the main room! It was still above 30 outside when I shot this gap in the corner.
![[Hearth.com] How long have you been operating the same stove?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/255/255885-ef22494122cfe337155e4451484f05b0.jpg?hash=JT6Ep8JHah "[Hearth.com] How long have you been operating the same stove?")
![[Hearth.com] How long have you been operating the same stove?](https://www.hearth.com/talk/data/attachments/255/255886-8de46a121bd71edfee9d55d0b3dd4a5e.jpg?hash=HS_l1j8eRy "[Hearth.com] How long have you been operating the same stove?")
I'm thinking about putting a bigger stove in here, as we'll need more firepower yet if we add a room or two onto this place. I want a stove that rear-vents into the fireplace..options are somewhat limited but I can still put a variety of stoves in here, both cat and non-cat.
I picked up a used Dutchwest 2460 cat stove in 2000, about the same time my SIL got the identical stove for her newly-constructed house. I still didn't realize how long it took Oak to dry, and didn't know about moisture meters, so we crumbled a few ceramic cats along the way. One time I stumbled into some White Ash that a neighbor cut down, and thought "Gee, this stuff really burns hot!" Still didn't make the connection that it was the result of the Ash being drier.
I had stumbled across this forum a couple times in internet searches, but the home page at the time wasn't real intuitive for a non-computer nerd like I was then. Finally, I delved into it and heard from Dennis that I needed dry wood. I finished drying some small White Ash splits in the house with a fan on it, and wow, what a difference!
The Dutchwest still struggled to keep up in cold weather so I took advantage of the federal tax rebate at the time, which was 30% of the stove price.
In 2011 I got me the Keystone, one of the stoves begreen suggested in my "What stove?" thread. I had checked out my SIL's used Fireview and was impressed by the build quality and the design of the internals.Great stove, the Keystone, which had increased output over the Dutchwest, but I started think "More powah would be even better, wouldn't it?"
I snapped up a Fireview, although my rebate for buying a low-emission stove had already been used. I still got a decent deal on one of their sales. After using the Fv a while, I realized that after I went to the Dutchwest, I'd been spoiled by having its ash grate, and the one in the Keystone. That, and the bigger Keystone window got me thinking I'd be OK with the Keystone if I could tighten up the envelope a bit. With a few more air-leak fixes, the Ks should handle even windy, single-digit weather quite well. Sold the Fv to my BIL, and it's working great over there, on less that 14' of stack.Check this air leak I found when I moved some stuff during a current bathroom remodel. Good grief!!
Cold air pouring under the bathroom door, into the main room! It was still above 30 outside when I shot this gap in the corner. I'm thinking about putting a bigger stove in here, as we'll need more firepower yet if we add a room or two onto this place. I want a stove that rear-vents into the fireplace..options are somewhat limited but I can still put a variety of stoves in here, both cat and non-cat.
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I'm going to post for the little old lady that sold us the house we now live in. She is now 97 . We moved in 4 months ago. We believe the stove was installed the same year the house was built..1970 An Ashley Automatic. We have been burning wood for sometime with it, but it's time to be replaced as the Ashley automatic air vent is no longer working... But hey! 50 years is getting your money's worth(for Ms Shultz that is)
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You get your money's worth upgrading to a new stove, with the wood you save.But hey! 50 years is getting your money's worth
That stove has blue steel sides! Back when I ran one to survive a New England winter in an uninsulated cabin I would watch the sides to see if it was heating well. If it glowed dull red I knew it was heating.
blacktail
Minister of Fire
Bought my house August 2011. Bought my insert the following month. There were a couple of times when I considered going bigger, but any improvement isn't worth the hassle.
True, but the fun of a new stove might be worth the hassle..
Burned a BK Princess insert for about 8 years and decided I needed more firepower so switched to a Woodstock Progress Hybrid, will probably keep this stove until I move out of my house someday when I retire.
Just this season! Ran the previous stove for 16 years, which the previous house owner had already used for 22.
Into year 21 with our Jotul 3CB. About 6 years ago I replaced all the bolts and nuts with new stainless steel, replaced insulation ceramic wool behind burn plates, and new door/glass gaskets. Also at this time took the baffle apart, cleaned, gasketed and new assembly hardware. The baffle was surprisingly solid with no sign of burning through. We burn 3+ cord a year. Plan on using this stove until we move South. It’s too legit to quit.
I bought the house in the early 1980's and all it had were electric baseboard heaters and a woodstove in the basement. Knowing I wouldn't be able to afford running the electric baseboards I installed an Olsen duomatic wood furnace. The house didn't have any ductwork, so I had to do all that work myself during the first summer.
I tore out the electric baseboard heaters and added an oil furnace inline next to the existing woodfurnace. I never cared for electric heat, too expensive, and cannot be operated during outages on a small generator which I can do for the furnace including the fridge and waterpump.
The setup has served me well and still heats the house fulltime. In close to 40 years living here the original factory built chimney I had replaced 15 years ago. As for the wood furnace, it shows its age as the door linkages are worn. I may try rebuilding the handle or perhaps treat myself to a new wood furnace at some point.
I tore out the electric baseboard heaters and added an oil furnace inline next to the existing woodfurnace. I never cared for electric heat, too expensive, and cannot be operated during outages on a small generator which I can do for the furnace including the fridge and waterpump.
The setup has served me well and still heats the house fulltime. In close to 40 years living here the original factory built chimney I had replaced 15 years ago. As for the wood furnace, it shows its age as the door linkages are worn. I may try rebuilding the handle or perhaps treat myself to a new wood furnace at some point.
Bought and installed a SeeFire, Canada mfr, in 1990. It's been our primary heat source since, replaced door gasket once, firebox secondary burn heat shield several times. The heat shield is simple 4"x 1/4" steel bar stock between the fire below and the secondary air inlets above. Stove shows no sign of wearing out.
In this house I'm on year 8 with the princess and 7 with the NC30 in the shop. I previously did 6 years in this home with a hearthstone heritage and burned about 30 cords with it before it needed to go.
I would like to try a furnace or boiler in the shop someday. Pellets or wood.
I would like to try a furnace or boiler in the shop someday. Pellets or wood.
Not sure how I would ever wear out my Lopi M520 in the house or my Fisher Mama in my shed. Nothing to really wear out if you put a little never seize on the hinges once a season. That's about it.
Metal fatigues over time from all of the heating and cooling. Fishers hold up well for a long time. But I have seen plenty of them burnt out cracked warped etc. Lots of lopis have issues with cracking of the secondary manifolds. Some cracking on the face.
My Lopi doesn't have secondary's and have never overfired either one of them. I fully expect them to out last me and I'm 70. Both work as good as the day they were new.
Ok if they do that's great. They do for some. But I see hundreds of stoves a year and most that are used as a main heat source don't last that long. I would say an average is 20 to 25 years unless they are abused.
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