Looking for a stove

[800camp]

Hello all, this is a great site. So much information to be gained and I have gained a lot in the month I've been here.

Here's the two main things I've learned: have well-seasoned wood and get the chimney right so you have good draft

Anyway, here's my situation: 2 story, brick and stucco house, built in the 1933, about 1200 sq.ft. give or take, I'm about 20 miles south of Philadelphia. Mid-Atlantic area and we get maybe 2 weeks of cold here, by cold I mean down to between 0 and 10 above. Like I said, the house is 70+ years old, insulation is OK but we did have the window's replaced about 5 years ago along with new doors. The rest of the winter we're usually looking at low's in the mid-twenties at night and highs in the upper 30's to mid forties during the day.

I have a small, masonry fireplace with a tile-lined chimney on an outside wall. I like the idea of an insert but I don't think I could fit a large enough unit in my small fireplace and get the heat and burn times that I'd like. So, I'm thinking of a stove to mount right in front of the fireplace and vent it with SS insulated pipe. I have NG forced air right now and I'd like to get a hearth-mount stove that can take over the main heating duties. The fireplace is in the living room, next to the dining room with a big opening between them. A stairway is at the other end of the living room that takes you to 3 bedrooms upstairs.

The problem is, the one stove I like, the Avalon, the firebox is only 1.3 cu.ft. The others I've liked all have a top-vent only and I want to vent through my chimney. I'd also like to go with a non-cat. I'm thinking I need at least 1.8 cu. ft?

I probably won't buy until late in the season, I've already started collecting wood, bought a cord for the fireplace, slplit it down and now it's stacked so it will be ready to burn next season.

Well, that's it. Any of you guys feeling like chiming with any suggestions/comments feel free, If you have similar installation, please feel free to give your opinion of the stove you use.

Thansk again!

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Rear vent a Jotul Oslo? You need 29" clearance between hearth and top of firebox.

 

[Hanko]

Just about all the stoves out there are excellent, go with the biggest fire box you cn get away with. The guy before me said an oslo because he has one. I have one also but i try to be unbiased. 1.8 cu ft for your house might be a bit shy. Get what appeals to you.

 

[Hanko]

for got to say, sounds like you will need a stove that can exhaust from the rear

 

[Yagminas Masonry and Wood-heat]

Sometimes you can punch through the masonry above the f/p, run your base-t/ thimble system and hook up an ordinary wood-stove to code. Stuff some roxul above the damper of the f/p, close the damper and disable the damper control.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

for got to say, sounds like you will need a stove that can exhaust from the rear

And there are few out there, which is why I recommended the Oslo, not just because I have one..

 

[800camp]

I thought about a thimble, not crazy about the idea, I was hoping to get away with $2000 total including the liner, probably can't do that with the Oslo?

I've been reading about Jotul, there's a dealer in the area, he also handles Regency. I like the Hearth Heater but that firebox is not very big either.

The fireplace opening is 30W x 28H. The 30W dimension is only heald for a couple inches and then it tapers back to 21" at the rear of the fireplace.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

28", not getting away with the Oslo rear venting then.

All in, after tax credit, mine has cost $3200 or so. I installed myself, but my liner was expensive..

 

[tickbitty]

Since you like the Avalon stoves, have you considered an avalon insert? Much the same look. You can pull them onto the hearth as much or as little as you want and they are pretty much the same as the stoves, just without legs - they even convert to use legs too if you want to change it later for a different location. The medium one Rainier has a firebox just under 2'. I believe. Lopi is their sister brand and they have the Republic 1750 insert or the Revere insert which both have fireboxes over 2'. (these do not convert to freestanding stoves though like the Avalons.)

I liked Regency medium better until they remodeled it into that bay-shape, it just looks like too many faces of speakers or something to me.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Take back my last statement - a short leg kit would sneak you under your lintel.

 

[800camp]

I wasn't aware that there were short leg kits available, thanks, I check that out, Carbon.

What made your liner exepnsive if you don't mind me asking?

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Small flue and I wanted insulated, so had to go with oval rigid Simpson.

 

[800camp]

There's a VC Encore on ebay right now, for a real good price, looks like it will fit.

It's a cat though.

 

[CarbonNeutral]

Close to you? - shipping will be $300 otherwise I would guess. Also, I would NEVER buy a stove that I couldn't go inspect myself - look for cracks, signs of overfiring, etc.

 

[800camp]

Yeah, it's not too far away, probably 1 1/2 hour drive. I'd definitely look it over REAL good before I forked over any cash.

Know anything about that stove?

 

[CarbonNeutral]

I don't, but maybe post the link in a new forum post?