Looking for a wood stove, first time buyer, would like to get your advice

[bholler]

So what you are saying is the original poster cannot get creative and create the space for something different? They cannot do these things?

I believe the Original poster could make something like what i posted.

Converting what they have would also allow the wood stove to sit further inside the wall and protrude less.

Doing so would also mean tearing out and disposing of the entire masonry chimney installing a new prefab chimney and patching all of the damage caused by that. Easily twice the cost of simply installing an insulated liner in the chimney they have. In addition they most likely would not gain much as far as stove placement because the chimney is currently non-combustible. Meaning there is no required clearance to it from the stove. If they remove it they would then have to follow clearance to combustibles. So yes they could potentially do something like what you posted but it would cost more and not gain them much.

Now if the masonry chimney needs lots of work in addition to a liner removing it could potentially make sense financially. But that was not indicated.

 

[JaroMato]

Doing so would also mean tearing out and disposing of the entire masonry chimney installing a new prefab chimney and patching all of the damage caused by that. Easily twice the cost of simply installing an insulated liner in the chimney they have. In addition they most likely would not gain much as far as stove placement because the chimney is currently non-combustible. Meaning there is no required clearance to it from the stove. If they remove it they would then have to follow clearance to combustibles. So yes they could potentially do something like what you posted but it would cost more and not gain them much.

Now if the masonry chimney needs lots of work in addition to a liner removing it could potentially make sense financially. But that was not indicated.

So as it stands right now the best option would be for them to install a 25' + double insulated chimney liner inside of the existing brick chimney? Won't installing this require taking part of the chimney apart? How much are those insulated liners anyway? I have seen them for 200-300 Canadian for 3 feet. It looks like that would be 2500$ just for the liners.
They will also need to build a hearth to put the new wood stove on?

yea i see what you are saying. Upon studying the original photo more i see the chimney is only about 20 inches wide unless those bricks are not standard size.

 

[bholler]

So as it stands right now the best option would be for them to install a 25' + double insulated chimney liner inside of the existing brick chimney? Won't installing this require taking part of the chimney apart? How much are those insulated liners anyway? I have seen them for 200-300 Canadian for 3 feet. It looks like that would be 2500$ just for the liners.
They will also need to build a hearth to put the new wood stove on?

yea i see what you are saying. Upon studying the original photo more i see the chimney is only about 20 inches wide unless those bricks are not standard size.

Just an insulated liner. I believe what you are talking about is prefab insulated chimney which would be used if they removed the masonry. As far as cost it's hard to say because I don't have enough info or know the market in the area. We would most likely be in the $2000 range for an installed insulated liner. As far as the hearth most new stoves only need ember protection so there isn't much cost there. But regardless you would need a hearth if you removed the chimney as well.

And no you would most likely not have to take the chimney apart at all. Just drop the liner in an hook it up.

 

[Rob_Red]

Hey @Rob_Red, thanks for your feedback regarding the GM40.

How big is the room where it sits? I own a 1800 sf two story house, but the stove would sit in a 450 sf room with only a doorway for heat propagation.

You should be fine, my room is about the same size. If I have it really stoked and its not super cold out I may crack a window. A little fresh air is nice!

for 1800 sf if you want to heat 100% with wood this stove is probably slightly undersized, especially in a drafty old house.


Are you able to enjoy a nice burning fire even with the cat turned on? Doesn't it "asphyxiate" the fire somehow by reducing the air output, reducing it to glowing ambers instead?

I am able to have a roaring fire with the cat engaged no problem. This is a "Hybrid" design and it has secondary air as well. It doesn't really run in smoulder mode like a Blaze King . I do run it as pictured when I want a long burn. If the cat starts to smoulder the fire then its plugged with ash and needs a simple cleaning which takes about 20 minutes once the stove is cooled down. When the Cat is clear engaging it has zero effect on draft or air flow.

And are you able to stand the heat from up close? I may be sitting 4 feet from the stove.

I sit about 4 feet away and its just fine. I find that the soap stone evens out the heat pretty well, worst case don't load the stove with as much wood, and or crack a window.

I'm on the fence between the GM40 and the Morso 7110:

• They have almost identical dimensions.
• I like that GM40 is having wood handles (Morso's are plastic) - The quality is high with great fit and finish. I like the wood handles my self
• I find Morso's simpler & more traditional burn system appealing (without cat). - I understand.... If the GM40 didn't have a Cat I wouldn't be upset I may get some additional efficiency but the most obvious benefit of the Cat is no smoke out of the chimney. The Cat is however reliable and livable. It hasn't been an issue to use at all.
• Morso 7110 seems to allows up to 18 in logs (recommending 16.5 in)
• GM40 has a slightly bigger firebox (1.32 cu ft vs 1.04 cu ft for Morso 7110) - Honestly I think the GM40 firebox is about a small as I can possibly get away with. How ever I run the stove 24-7 as my main source of heat. If you only want to burn ocasionally and for ambiance it may not be a big deal for you.

 

[bholler]

All very well said. And I agree with everything but the claim that the cat is what makes no smoke. Noncats burn with no smoke very well also.

 

[Rob_Red]

All very well said. And I agree with everything but the claim that the cat is what makes no smoke. Noncats burn with no smoke very well also.

Very true. Do the tubes in a noncat stove take up fire box room? I wonder if the GM40 was designed as a Noncat if it would have an even smaller firebox.

 

[bholler]

Very true. Do the tubes in a noncat stove take up fire box room? I wonder if the GM40 was designed as a Noncat if it would have an even smaller firebox.

No more than the cat bypass etc. What a cat allows is for a clean burn with a lower firebox temperature. It depends on the house being heated climate etc if that lower firebox temp is an advantage.

 

[stoveliker]

I'd say that cats and associated gas routing take up more space in the firebox than tubes.

But this is only relevant if the tubes (or cat) are added to an existing stove to upgrade to newer regulations. And I'd be wary of such stoves, as a stove designed from the start to burn with tubes or cat (or both) likely is a better designed system. And has a firebox with a size as designed, rather than retrofit with tubes taking up space.

 

[Rearscreen]

A Rumford in that narrow space where it's facing the narrow wall? Get those hot dogs on a stick ready and a S'mores dessert.

 

[simondec]

Thanks all!

@JaroMato: In the beginning I thought about opening the hearth and making it a fireplace, but since it is only 22 inches wide it doesn't really make sense. It would take a lot of effort and I decided to go the easier route of adding a stove in front of it instead. FYI, it is made of 4 x 8 inches bricks, and the inside is covered with ceramic tiles (the flu is about 10 inches wide).

A 35 feet liner (going all the way from the top to the basement where the ash opening lies) cost 400 CAD, and the insulation is another 500 CAD.

@Rob_Red again, no problem with glass being covered in black? Is the 16 inch log measure really tight, or is there a slight error margin?

Didn't know I would have such a difficult decision to make, at least both the Morso 7110 and the GM40 seems like great stoves!

 

[Rob_Red]

Looks closely at this pic.. this is going full blast with the cat engaged. Look at the lower left hand corner of the class you’ll see some build up. That’s as bad as it gets, you just need to get the stove hot once a day or so to burn any junk off the glass. It stays very clear and visible.

logs over 16 will need to be canted at an angle. This is ok every now any then but you definitely want 95% of your wood to be the right size. I just simply work with processors that cut to size and boom problem solved.

 

[Rob_Red]

By the way the build up on the glass easily cleans with a damp rag dipped in ash…. That’s it just wipe it off.

Very easy my bi weekly “stove reset” that includes cleaning out the Ash, wiping the glass, and lightly brushing the cats takes About 15 mins.

This is needed only when burning 3-4 cords per season

 

[simondec]

@Rob_Red I notice that your stove looks pretty close to the stone wall. From what I read in the manual, I thought you had to leave some space at the back to eventually change the Cat?

 

[nortcan]

I have a Hearthstone now, had 2 other ones before and have a small Morso Squirrel now and I can tell you from my personal experience concerning those 2 brand of stove that the Morso quality and simplicity is far ahead of the Hearthstone one. I love soapstone stoves but will will never buy an other Hearthstone stove. In your case, I don't think that soapstone material outside or inside of the stove is important.

 

[Rob_Red]

@Rob_Red I notice that your stove looks pretty close to the stone wall. From what I read in the manual, I thought you had to leave some space at the back to eventually change the Cat?

That’s just how the picture looks, it’s actually spaced from the wall at the clearance hearthstone specifies. It’s somewhere around 15 inches. Which is plenty of room to get to the cat.