Insert in my ZC Heatilator? or Free standing woodstove -- Englander 30-NCH or PE Super-27?

[Sakislayer]

I'm going round and round and round -- been on the site for hours so I'm hoping you guys/gals can help me...

I have a 2800 Sq home in MD and it's all heated by a heatpump -- sucks! Anyway -- I'm trying to keep my electric meter spinning like crazy over the winter by adding some extra heating... I have a Heatilator ZC fireplace that puts out just about zero heat... It sits in my family room and has a chimney run in a chase going up the side of my house. I'm trying to decide if I should buy a wood stove insert to go into my existing fireplace -- if so, which one? Or should I add a free standing wood stove (Like Englander 30-NCH or PE Super-27) in another room in my house? I have a 20x22 "bonus room" just off of my family room that has the room for a wood stove and nice double doors to help let the heat out. If I went with the woodstove I'd obviously have to run a chimney, but the bonus room is just one level with nothing above it but an attic....

I talked to a PE dealer in my area an they quoated me just over 5K for the Super-27 (all black) installed -- if I build the hearth. Now -- I could get an Englander 30-NCH and all the chimney pipes from HD for about 2k..... Is a woodstove with chimney something an above average do-it-yourselfer can tackle? I've done basements, decks, complete kitchen & bathroom re-do's..... and I got me some tools.... I'm just apprehensive because of the "fire thing"..... I like my house and don't want it to burn to the ground....

Any input would be GREATLY appreciated.... I got all the wood I can handle free on my property so I want to get the maximum for my $$$$...


Thanks

 

[begreen]

You should be looking at the Summit, not the Super 27 if you are heating more than just the area around the stove. At 3 cu ft, the Summit is closer in size to the 30NC. The Englander will win for price no doubt and is a serious big heater. But be sure that whatever stove you get, it's located well and that it is something you can live with for a long time. The best location for the stove depends on the floor layout. If you want good heat, try to locate the stove centrally in the house where a maximum number of rooms will benefit from its heat.

 

[Sakislayer]

I didn't consider the Summit because it was almost twice the price of the Englander.... I understand about the placement of the stove.... I by no means have an ideal situation... my house is a colonial with 3 bedrooms upstairs, then first floor has kitchen/office/living room/dining room (all below the 2nd floor and under the same roof line) -- then off to the side I have a secondary roof line under it sits my bonus room and family room.... I spend the most of my time in those two rooms and they have an large (8x12) opening into the kitchen.... So I know I don't have the ideal situation, but any heat I can get that doesn't cause my electric meter to spin is a HUGE plus.... I'm thinking if I use my ceiling fans (which typically run all the time anyway) and my A/C's blower to circulate the air that should help move it around....

So -- is the woodstove the way to go? And if so -- can a handy guy to it? Or do I need a pro?

 

[HardWood]

If a wood supply is affordably plentiful ( I paid 130$ to 190$ per cord) and u dont mind splitting, stacking, hauling, cleaning, dusting, etc., a wood stove is a good option to the electric heat pump.
I burned about 4 cords last winter. My home is a about 2500 sq ft - tri level. I left the old next to useless heatilator in the wall - but pulled the old 8 inch stack pipe out of the chase. I should have left it in now that I think of it. I cut out a section (3'x6') of carpet and cemented / screwed 1/2" cement board - covered with 3/8' granite tile as a hearth.
Supported underneath inside the crawlspace with three 4x4 posts and cross beam as a Waterford Trinity was installed in front of old heatilator...
Took the time to cut a 4 1/8" round vent pipe for the external air feed through granite and cement board and under floor through the crawlspace to hole in cement foundation block.
New Stainless Grade A Chimney Pipe replaced the old pipe - had to cut the 10" wide hole or so through the wall to attach thimble. Keep clearances to specs. Once the hole for the thimble was cut through the flat stone laid covered wall above the heatilator - the job progressed nicely.
Ultimately, the free standing stove was operating. An insert may have worked - but I dont think the height inside the heatilator would have been enough, atleast for the Trinity.
I had thought about wood burner for sometime - and bought the unit used - and it sat in my living room for over a year a lampstand.
The heat trickles up the steps to the bedrooms very nicely. The heat pump rarely comes on. Granted, Athens GA is not the Great White North - but 15-30 degree spells are common.
Spend the money to get started - hire someone who calls themselves a pro - and u will soon realize that "hey , I can do this too" ...
the cat plops down on the warm granite and thinks she's queen .. what a smart kitty

 

[Sakislayer]

Ummmm..... I had considered doing the same thing -- a stove in front of my piece of crap heatilator, but my wife nixed that idea... she would go for a new built in model or something, but doesnt' want a stove sitting in front of the heatiltor fireplace...

Funny you mentioned granite.... In my bonus room where the stove will (hopefully) go -- I just got done laying granite tile as a counter top on a custom 8x12 bar I'm building. I have some left over but will need some more.... maybe I could use that for my hearth....

After talking to the guy at the fireplace store today and doing lots of research on this site and manufactures websites installing a chimney & woodstove doesn't seem like rocket science. Looks like the big things are getting a hearth that is up to specs and then using the right chimney piping and keeping all the clearances (stove and chimney) correct...... Since the "fire" thing still scares me a bit, I was thinking of installing it and then having the guy who cleans my ZC fireplace chimney take a look before I fire her up the first time..... Slip in $40 and see what he says..... Looks like the stove is the way to go.... Guess I'll be off to HD tomorrow to spend some money.....

Anyone happen to know how far from the peak of the roof my chimney should be? If I put the stove where I want to put it and go straight up I'll be about 1-2 feet from the roofs peak....

 

[jghall]

Id say go with an isert if you can find one big enough to fit in your ZC box... I installed a Buck model 74 in my Tempco 2 years ago and have never looked back... Our house is a Cape Cod 2900 sq' and I heat my entire house with my insert and teh ceiling fans running... My daughters upstair do have small electric heaters on timers in their bathrooms to warm them up a bit in the morning before they get out of bed but thats it... I am in Georgia and not up north but the heat output of my insert is phenominal My praises to Buck Stoves... heres a shot of my buck with without the trim kit...

 

[begreen]

Anyone happen to know how far from the peak of the roof my chimney should be? If I put the stove where I want to put it and go straight up I'll be about 1-2 feet from the roofs peak....

That should work out well. Try not to get too to the ridge or it may be hard to get the flashing under the first courses of shingles. 18-24" should be good. If you can post a floorplan we can make some suggestions for getting the heat moved around. But it sounds like you'll have the core of the house where you all spend the most time covered and that's the goal.

 

[Sakislayer]

Okay -- so I went today and picked up the Englander 30-NCH and all the necessary chimney piping. Got single wall pipe for the stove up the ceiling, the kit with the ceiling box and then 18' of duravent's Duraplus triple wall SS piping. All of it with the stove came to $1650 out the door.... not too bad. I probably don't need 18' of the SS piping, but I figure better to be safe (and return it) then sorry....

So I'll start building my hearth and take some pictures as my progect comes along... I'm sure I'll have some questions for you experts.... Actually I do have a couple now...

1) As I stated earlier -- if I place the stove where I want and go straight up I think I'll be near the peak of the roof and if not -- perhaps on the front side of the roof. So -- is it better to go straight up but see the flashing/chimney on the front side of my roof? or should I get some offsets and bring the chimney up and out the backside of my roof and try to hide it?

2) I haven't opened the boxes yet, but I'm assuming it's all nice shinny SS piping/flashing/cap, etc.... Can I use some high temp black paint to paint it? I figure if the chimney does come out the front side of the roof it may look better BLACK then the shinny SS.

3) I got the single Wall stove piping to head up to the ceiling and connect with the box... Would I be better off getting double walled piping? What are the pro's/con's?

I love this site and can't wait to get my stove fired up....... Now I have to research building the hearth...

 

[crazy_dan]

you are way better going strait up less offsets = better draft, and in my opinion the chimney stays cleaner as diagonal and horizontal parts seem to creosote up faster.

Not sure about duraplus I used supervent and mine was very shiny very pretty, You could paint it if you wanted to.

single wall will let more heat in to the room
It also requires more clearance space from walls and such

Double wall keeps flue gasses hotter which may result in better draft
lower clearances to walls and such