Insert Advise Please!

[riggsay]

Hello all! I'm new to the forum and new to woodturning, and figured this would be a good place to start.

My wife and I just moved home to IN after 6 years of glorious active duty service in the USCG and have moved into our first home as homeowners. That being said we are looking to supplement the heat with an entry level insert. While stationed in NC we had the luxury of a wood pellet stove insert and I personally do not want to go down that road again. All of the mechanical issues are a nightmare for the convenience of pellets. So, we have decided to go with a proper wood burning insert. Our home is approximately 1600 sq ft. classic brick ranch. The fireplace is centrally located in the home and currently has a worthless set of vented gas logs. I have a good friend who has serviced and installed fireplaces and chimney swept for sometime and has directed me that a wood burner insert is the way to go. The downside to his knowledge is that he is only familiar with just a handful of manufacturers on the market.

Here's the rub. I have researched for sometime online to all of the options available/manufacturers available but after all of this I still don't know what is crap and what is not. I was initially drawn to US Stove Company because 'Merica! Right?? Well in further research maybe not. I have also looked at Vogelzang, Regency, Lopi, Century, etc... So, at this point I'm not sure what's worth buying and what isn't. We are hoping to keep the stove cost below $1000 and the install will be performed by myself and my fireplace buddy. I know that we want the new EPA approved "High efficiency" style stove but don't want to sell a kidney or semen to pay for the thing.

I'm hoping that you all will be able to shed some light on the subject. Do any of you have experience with US Stove, Vogelzang stoves in particular? I mention this because these are the contenders coming in at the price as stated. I realize that this is a bit of "You get what you pay for" type situation but I also feel that there has to be some comparison as far as heat output for $1000 vs $3500. Any input would be greatly appreciated! I will attempt to link some of the products I have looked at and am considering below. Thank you all!

https://www.menards.com/main/heatin...377-c-6884.htm?tid=8180328782116514225&ipos=8

https://www.menards.com/main/heatin...02-c-6884.htm?tid=8180328782116514225&ipos=13


Being 1600 sq ft. this one may be too much. Yes, No???
https://www.menards.com/main/heatin...01-c-6884.htm?tid=8180328782116514225&ipos=14

These are just a few of the options I'm looking at but I'm very curious to see what you all have to say regarding the brands. Who's product is good vs. crap. From what I've heard, Lopi is where its at but I'm not sure that $2k or $3k is in the budget.

Thanks again all!

 

[begreen]

Of the three I would be leaning toward the Century CW2900. It won't be too big if the floorplan is somewhat open.

 

[edyit]

Welcome to the site. US stoves is sadly made in china. If you're looking for a "budget" stove check out

(broken link removed to https://heatredefined.com/collections/englander)

the 13-nci might fit what you're looking for. also if you're looking to get decent heat with an insert look up "Block off plate" on here.

 

[PaulOinMA]

Thank you for your service. Where in NC? Elizabeth City?

We know a former Corolla Ocean Rescue lifeguard that is in the Coast Guard. Was in Alaska, then Elizabeth City. Moved to PR earlier this year.

I bought a Lopi Answer a few months ago. Like it a lot. Much better than what I had before. I'm in a t-shirt at night. My wife really likes the heat it puts out.

 

[ColdNorCal]

CW2900. Larger fire box makes thing easier and more flexible for burns. The SBI/Century stoves are great value and perform well.

 

[riggsay]

PaulOinMA, yes we were stationed in Ecity NC. What a different place that is! And the Ecity to AK bounce is fairly common due to the aircraft type that is located there. Doesn't surprise me that the Coastie was bounced from those two duty units. Pretty common really.

ColdNorCal, is the bigger stove going to maybe be too much? My concern with just 1500 to 1600 sq ft. is being baked out of the house but at the same time I understand that with a larger capacity it will be able to hold more. Talking to a chimney sweep he informed me that you need to burn a HOT fire at least once a day to keep creosote down in the chimney. That being said on a chilly night but not a cold night I'm concerned that the baking issue will take place.

Does anyone on here have experience first hand with the century models? In physically looking over the unit it appears to be the same unit as a Vogelzang. Makes me wonder if they are in fact one in the same.

 

[wooduser]

<<Does anyone on here have experience first hand with the century models?


You might try doing a search in the "review" section. There are many pages of reviews on different equipment, along with usually very interesting comments by people using that equipment.

You may be able to do a search on that page and come up with one or more reviews on equipment you are considering.

 

[ColdNorCal]

ColdNorCal, is the bigger stove going to maybe be too much? My concern with just 1500 to 1600 sq ft. is being baked out of the house but at the same time I understand that with a larger capacity it will be able to hold more. Talking to a chimney sweep he informed me that you need to burn a HOT fire at least once a day to keep creosote down in the chimney. That being said on a chilly night but not a cold night I'm concerned that the baking issue will take place.

Does anyone on here have experience first hand with the century models? In physically looking over the unit it appears to be the same unit as a Vogelzang. Makes me wonder if they are in fact one in the same.

Many of the experienced on this site continually say its always possible to make a larger stove make smaller fires. But can not make a small stove make a larger, hotter fire. Also, given an inserts limited radiant heat design is another reason I'd go larger. I am heating ~1400 sq ft with a Century stove rated up to 2000 sq ft and am glad I have the larger fire box.

Vogelzang is not the same as SBI/Century. SBI/Century are made in Canada and have been very responsive before and after the sell from Home Depot.

Be aware that if an "offset adapter, the square box type, is required the cw2900 recommended minimum flue height is 20 ft. Otherwise, 12 ft min. All things considered, Century/SBI stoves draft easily.

btw - the cw2900 was the top of my list but I was able to install a wood stove instead.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

PaulOinMA, yes we were stationed in Ecity NC. What a different place that is! And the Ecity to AK bounce is fairly common due to the aircraft type that is located there. Doesn't surprise me that the Coastie was bounced from those two duty units. Pretty common really.

ColdNorCal, is the bigger stove going to maybe be too much? My concern with just 1500 to 1600 sq ft. is being baked out of the house but at the same time I understand that with a larger capacity it will be able to hold more. Talking to a chimney sweep he informed me that you need to burn a HOT fire at least once a day to keep creosote down in the chimney. That being said on a chilly night but not a cold night I'm concerned that the baking issue will take place.

Does anyone on here have experience first hand with the century models? In physically looking over the unit it appears to be the same unit as a Vogelzang. Makes me wonder if they are in fact one in the same.

No, they are not the same. Century, Drolet, Flame Energy (discontinued), Enerzone, Osburn, are all SBI, Canadian-built stoves. I'd recommend you check out these. While i have no personal experience with the china built ussc stuff like Vogelzang, they don't have a good rep on here. My SBI stove is nice budget stove insert.

You can find a bunch of the SBI stuff at my fireplace products.com. that is where I got mine, and it was a good experience.

 

[jatoxico]

Talking to a chimney sweep he informed me that you need to burn a HOT fire at least once a day to keep creosote down in the chimney.

That's kind of an old fashioned (outdated) way of looking at things. With properly dried wood you can keep creosote formation under control without resorting to to the old methods especially with your interior chimney. As far as baking you out of the house, "tube" stoves tend give more of a cyclic burn so more temp fluctuation vs a cat stove which can be run lower and steady and while still burning cleanly.

 

[weatherguy]

I'm sure by now you know these stoves all need seasoned wood, have to plan that ahead.

 

[webby3650]

Since you are installing it yourself, have you looked through Craigslist and marketplace? Sometimes I see high end inserts with liners for sale for under $1K
I picked this Lopi up for $100!

 

[PaulOinMA]

PaulOinMA, yes we were stationed in Ecity NC ...

Just read that the last Pendleton rescuer passed away.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/19/...odule=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=Obituaries

Good series of books: http://www.michaeltougias.com/books

 

[PaulOinMA]

... Ipicked this Lopi up for $100!

Wow!