Insert enlightenment

[KYrob]

Loaded up the wife and went to Home Depot and a couple Lowes stores looking/hoping for a deal on a closeout insert. Must not be cold enough around here cause none of them even carried woodburning stoves or inserts. Then we stopped by the "stove store" that specializes in wood stoves and inserts. Checked on Lopi, Napolean,Pacific Energy and something Extroidinaire. Only thing I found extrordinary was the prices. They could set me right up for as little as 5000 bucks give or take a couple hundred. Didn't seem to have any cheaper models but hold on, these stoves and inserts qualify you for a 1500 cash back tax writeoff if you spend enough. This price did include a chimney liner which they said I would definately need since I had a masonry chimney that had about a couple dozen fires in it over the past 12 years. The local ACE has a Century for 700 but the firebox is 1.3 cu.ft. Looks like a shoebox might fit with enough greas and a good shoehorn. I can't see that 1.3 heating much so didn't look to long. Anyway, you guys up North that run up on the closeout deals are lucky but I guess with the winters you have, you need a break when you get it. OK, I'm done complainin and back to lookin for a deal on an insert.

Rob

 

[Dix]

My total install was under $3500, insert included. I live on Long Island .

If you're handy, you could do a DYI. Or see what a local sweep would charge for the install if you supplied the stove, etc.

You'd still qualify for the credit, I believe. You'd better check on that part. I bought my stove and new doors/windows last year :coolsmirk:

 

[tickbitty]

I'm in VA and nobody here quoted me anything quite that high.

You may not have much chance of picking up a really low closeout price if the places by you don't have stock, but if you check Lowes, Home Depot, etc online they frequently have a free "ship to store" option on things you buy online. So maybe you could still get a deal on something from them. If you are looking specifically for a wood insert though, you may not find that many options, the box store brands seem to only go "up to" 1500 squ ft heating capacity and a pretty small firebox. If you are looking for something bigger you might need to go with a dealer stove.

 

[prajna101]

Watch Craigslist. Be patient. DIY.

I am into an EPA insert and chimney liner for under $500. TOTAL INSTALLED (by me). Most of that was the new SS chimney liner.

I cant imagine spending that kind of money (5000) on a wood stove. A new 97% efficiency gas funace is only $4500 installed here. $2500 in tax rebates. makes it $2000 and most installers were offering 0% financing with zero payments for 2 years. A woodstove has to be pretty efficient and cheap and free wood and a love of wood processing to even make an arguement.

But then again, my house is in the upper 70s with wood as opposed to mid 60s with gas.

t