Looking at a used Heartland Oval cookstove - advise please

[curdy]

Hi everyone, I lurk a whole lot more than I post on here. Wife and I were recently talking about getting a wood cookstove for our farm house kitchen. I found a Heartland Oval w/o reservoir about a hour from my house. It is about 16 yrs old and seller says it hasn't been used for about 5 yrs. Seller bought the house with the stove and has never used it. They are more interested in getting a dedicated heating stove as opposed to a one used to cook.

I plan to swing by there Thursday evening to take a look. Seller said he would be happy to light a fire in it. I asked that he not do that until I can look it over as that would be easier to do while cold. So I'll plan to make a small fire after looking it over well.

Can anyone advise me on what to look for? I would be interested in setting this stove up to feed the water heater or possibly tie into the radiator in a small bathroom upstairs. The kitchen and that bathroom are on the same loop, so it would be nice to get some heat up there if possible. Will current parts fit this stove?

Thanks!

 

[KodiakII]

Make sure it is certified, if not insurance and installation can be a night mare!

 

[curdy]

How do I verify that?

 

[KodiakII]

Don't know how it works in the USA, but in Canada there is a plate (usually on the back of the stove) that states its' clearances and that it is CSA approved.

 

[coaly]

I believe he means "Listed" as in tested having a UL or other testing lab tag on the back.
It won't be EPA Certified, since cookstoves (with left hand firebox) are EPA exempt.
As long as you're referring to the modern 1903 Model (not the year) this page will show many photos so you know what you're looking at, and give you an idea of heating capacity; Owners manual is there as well. They are Warnock Hersey tested and a label is shown in the link below.
(broken link removed to http://www.antiquestoves.com/heartland/oval/index.htm)

With baseboard or cast iron radiation upstairs above it, you shouldn't need any circulator. (Using water jacket or coil in firebox - not reservoir) The heated water will rise to the highest point and drop as it cools. Just make sure there are no trap type dips in the piping, and leave a way to fill from the top to purge air. A float type vent (maid-O-mist type) at the highest point bleeds any air automatically. You will need an expansion tank and relief valve as well. I ended up adding a bypass line under the radiation and put a manual valve at the baseboard to decrease the flow through the baseboard since it circulated a little too well. I used all 3/4 oxygen barrier Pex tubing (oxygen barrier type tubing is required if using plastic, and I'd recommend it) and the fittings I use are not the insert type that reduces inside diameter. So mine is more plumbed like an old steam system and is why it circulates so well.

 

[curdy]

Been away for a couple of days and just getting back to this. Just for reference sake, yes we are discussing the modern stove, but it is a 1902 model as it does not have the reservoir.

I went over last night to meet the seller and check out the stove. Oven looks as though it was never used. Very sooty with lots of ash inside that would need to be cleaned out. The fire brick is cracked in a few spots and seller said he would adjust the price accordingly for that (I did my research before hand and found the firebrick to be a bit pricey). Really the only issue I have is the rust on the stove top. I've restored several shop tools with cast iron tops, but haven't had to deal with much pitting...this stove has some pitting. I wouldn't say severe, but its there. So I'll have a fair amount of elbow grease to put into the top before I can put the stove to use. It appeared that there are machine screws that hold the top on? If I could remove the top, it would be much easier to work on properly. Thoughts?

Thanks

 

[coaly]

I found firebrick $1.50 each at a local masonry supply! (where I thought they would be the most) About 3.00 or more each at Ace Hardware by the box.

My Kitchen Queen with cold rolled steel top had surface rust on top when I got it. It had never been fired, but the protective cosmoline had been removed on the top only to sit things on when in storage. I meticulously cleaned the top with fine paper, same direction 220 I believe, then wet sanded the same way, then scotch brite wet with PB Blaster. I wet the top down with PB and oil mix since my schedule doesn't allow me to work non stop on things and may come back to it a day later or more..... After polishing, I had my first fire and coated with cooking oil to season like a cast iron pan. I do that occasionally and no rust has formed. The black protective build up will fill in the pits and not be an issue if you use that method.
Here's pics how mine turned out;





The first time the top heated up with the first fire it darkened above the firebox and I realized I didn't need to take so much time making it perfect. It looked like new though.

LOTS of smoke inside, but I have a commercial Garland range fan above the gas range that will empty the house just in case. It took a few fires and oven use to darken the oven side, but after a year of use it all looks the same.

Drying onions with a light fire. I cracked the lid to show it's burning. Notice the gray area to the right of firebox lid. This is where it gets the hottest and needs the most reseasoning with oil from time to time. A light wipe is all it takes. The flakes on stove top are onion skin debris, not rust. Nothing sticks to the top. It makes a hard black finish. I don't think you'll notice much pitting.

The best thing I did for the stove was to add a thermostat after talking with the builder. It also allows coal use giving it air up through the grate. The fire lights up quick as a light bulb in the morning when opened up. Hope you like the Heartland as much as we like our Kitchen Queen. They are a pretty stove. The Queen is all about utility and everything about it works great. I went with it for the opposite direction circulating oven that stays cleaner than ovens that circulate top down leaving a mess underneath. These pictures are before I installed the 24 gallon reservoir on the back. That much hot water keeps the stainless tank radiating most of the next day and humidifies the house just right. It's our only heat source for 1880 SF and we have plenty of heat.

We had to drive from NE PA to MD to pick it up, but for $900 brand new still on pallet it was a super deal. Found it in eBay Classified ad just at the time I was going to buy a new one driving to Indiana. Duane the builder couldn't believe it either. He has a waiting list and can't build them fast enough so didn't mind.

 

[curdy]

One of the drawbacks of this stove is the proprietary firebrick. Once you see it, its obvious where the stove gets it's name. The brick is oval shaped. With shipping, that part is about $250. Not the end of the world.

I like your stove, and if I didn't come across this Heartland, its what I would probably go with.

I think what I will end up doing is just remove the back splash w/warming cabinet and work the stove top down in my shop. The top should probably be removed for transport anyway. Like I said, its going to be quite a bit of elbow grease to even out the surface, but for what I'm getting, I think its worth the effort.

Then there's the new chimney and hearth I'll have the make...

 

[coaly]

Removing the top for shipment may allow something to flex?? I don't think they remove it for moving. It could hold things in square and cause problems. I'd ask about that before doing it.

Yeah, I have a problem with special order formed fire brick too. Pioneer by Suppertime uses a molded preformed liner that scared me away. The Queen uses regular 1 1/4 thick at sides and back, but the front is full brick thickness. Never saw a brick like it in a stove. May be common for fireplace building. It keeps the front cooler to stop radiation at lower leg level. They can be removed and there is a secondary water heater in flat plate form that goes there. I think it's called a plate heater, but it would work good on the side of any firebox and has threaded 3/4 pipe inlet and outlet. The firebox heating "coil" is a 3/4" stainless pipe U shape on the right side of firebox. I didn't install it to connect to the reservoir. The stove is designed for a lot of hot water usage (the only hot water in an Amish home) and if you don't use enough, it will boil in the reservoir creating way too much humidity in the house. I want to eventually connect that U coil to my domestic electric water heater, so to make sure I get enough heat from the rear edge of stove top to the tank, I made a 1/2" thick aluminum heat sink to sit the reservoir on. Stainless isn't great for conductivity, so the added surface area makes plenty of hot water for us without overheating it. The secondary boiler plate across the front could run some distant baseboard.

I'm impressed that the Queen has stainless oven box and inner oven door panel and hinges. The only thing I wasn't satisfied with was all the hardware that holds the rails, rear shelf and door skins on was regular zinc plated steel. I switched it all to stainless.

 

[curdy]

Picking it up Monday evening. Not planing to remove the stove top for transport, just the back splash and warming cabinet. I reread my last post and could see how that may have been misleading. The plan is to get the stove back here to the farm and I'll put in all in my work shop. Will just leave the top on and work on it there. Once done, I'll drive it into the garage and roll it into place in the kitchen (both are on the same level making it nice and easy.

Will post some pics this week.

 

[coaly]

Understood. Thought you were referring to removing the cook top too.
Sounds like a plan.

 

[curdy]

Understood. Thought you were referring to removing the cook top too.
Sounds like a plan.

Got the stove back last week. Having a tractor to unload sure is nice! I was away most of last week so I didn't have much time to work on it. Have several hours into it already getting it cleaned up. The stove top needed a lot of work. My oldest son saw an opportunity to run power tools and volunteered to help!