Looking for non epa compliant wood burning stove

[ruffrider]

I need to buy a new woodstove. Looking for a non epa compliant stove. The one I have now is an Ashley ec95 circulator. I don't really like the circulator, doesnt heat my house well enough. I used to have a soapstone which brokedown.

So I am looking for companies that make good woodstoves that can heat up to 2000 square feet. Not looking for a soapstone either. Looking for a solid meaty stove that can handle up 23" logs, and has good burn time also. Price wise...... something under $2000. Thanks.

 

[BCC_Burner]

Just want to be the first voice in the coming chorus of answers that tell you to buy an EPA approved stove. You'll get a lot more heat out of a lot less wood, and you'll be generating less pollution as well. There are no valid reasons to purchase and install an exempt stove nowadays unless you are looking to buy and restore an antique stove.

 

[JA600L]

Can I ask why you don't want Epa certified?

 

[ruffrider]

Really here we go with the environment bs. I am looking for what I am looking for thanks. I see them still sold everywhere from different companies. I am just looking for a good company that sells that type of stove. I don't want anything with epa on it. My ashley isn't epa cert and that's almost new. And how can they be antique if I am finding companies still selling non epa cert stoves????

 

[ruffrider]

I don't want anything with a catalytic converter on it. It doesn't produce the heat. I know that for a fact. Actually someone show me the results of an epa cert stove outperforming a non epa cert stove and I will take a second look. My stove is in a basement and I need the power to heat the whole house 2000 Sq ft. I loved my hearthstone soapstone h1 series pre epa. What an awesome stove.

 

[begreen]

Sounds like you will have to find an old smoke dragon used for that criteria. Modern stoves produce more heat with less wood. I would look for another Hearthstone H1 in good condition. They show up used fairly frequently and parts are still available if it needs fixing. If you go to the classics forum here you can see an H2 being rebuilt. https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/1985-hearthstone-ii.143670/ Maybe he has a lead on one for you? Otherwise I would head over to Woodstock stoves in W. Lebanon, NH and see their Ideal Steel in action. It's a good heater.
http://www.woodstove.com/ideal-steel-hybrid

PS: Blaze King catalytic stoves are commonly used in AK and Northern Canada. They heat full sized homes, but like any stove they require seasoned wood to perform well. Most complaints we see here about catalytics and other stoves is because the wood is not seasoned. This is particularly true with folks burning semi-seasoned oak, hickory,etc..

 

[Ashful]

Wealthy republican capitalist pig dog here (me, not you...), and I'll be the first to tell you that efficiency has everything to do with extracting more heat from less wood. I'm running two 3.0 cu.ft. stoves, and anything I can do to cut down on wood usage is of interest to me, environment being only a secondary consideration. With a catalytic stove running 200F chimney temps, versus a non EPA running 500F on the flue, you'd have to be a flat out moron to deny you're not keeping more of your hard-earned BTUs in the house, versus up the flue.

Me? I'll take 30 hour burn times, higher efficiency, and less frequent flue cleanings, at almost any price. The "environmental BS" is just gravy.

 

[begreen]

FWIW, many of us here have been burning for decades in old stoves and newer ones too. I still have our old Jotul 602 (non-epa) out in the greenhouse. I had to relearn burning habits and be sure my firewood was dry all the way through in order to get the most out of new stoves. Now I wouldn't go back if you gave me the stove. Note that the early Hearthstone soapstones were some of the early attempts at clean burners. That's why they have the upper baffle and secondary burn tube.

 

[ruffrider]

What about Ashley? How bout this someone give me a list of epa cert stoves that produce heat for 2000 Sq ft or more for under $2000. And I want to read the reviews on them. I don't want to be disappointed. I don't want another soapstone too much money. $5000 for one comparable in size to my h1, no thanks.

How bout cast iron? I don't want anything with glass doors either hate cleaning them. Ashley ec 95 is nice but doesn't push the air all the way to the back of the upstairs part of the house. My soapstone would put the house at 80-90 degrees f and keep it there for a while.

 

[ruffrider]

I am not trying to piss in anybodys pond talking about the environment, I just want a stove that will last more than 10 years hold its weight and produce the heat I want it to. Last year here in vt we burned about 10 cords. Half way through the winter I went to the ec95 ashley because my soapstone was imploding on itself. Yes imploding. Now my ec 95 needs firebrick after just one year of use ugh. I way overload that thing trying to get my heat. But with pipe Temps of 700 all the time I see I'm loosing heat up the flu. Yes you are right. I don't want this.

 

[begreen]

Is the basement insulated? If not about a third of the wood burned, one cord in three, is going out the walls to heat outdoors. In that case insulating the basement walls is the most effective way to heat better with the same stove.

The stove is an area heater which means that heating from a basement is often very inefficient. How well does the heat get out of the basement? How hot does the basement have to get in order to have the first floor at say 70F when it's 10F outside?

 

[JA600L]

If you want a solid whole house heater for under $2000 do as Begreen mentioned and go for a visit to Woodstock Soapstone company in NH.

They built a steel hybrid stove that is a serious bang for your buck. Also, they would listen to and be informative about your desires and set backs. You can check their website for reviews. Built in the USA.

 

[tcassavaugh]

i think the problem you're going to have is the under $2000 price. stoves aren't cheap any more. i'm not keen on cat stoves either but my experience was long ago and using not so seasoned/dry wood. now, the blaze king manufacturer has gotten my interest. i have a PE Summit in the basement that in order to heat the whole house (@2300sq ft 1200 downstairs and 1200 upstairs) that i have to run pretty high to accomplish that. i have a little Jotul F3 CB that i can heat the upstairs with nicely with the only drawback being having to feed it often because of the smaller wood box. i've thought about a princess to replace the jotul but its a little larger than i would like. the jotul fits nicely.
good luck with your search.

 

[begreen]

The 23" wood requirement puts this into the old smoke dragon category. Modern stoves that take that size wood are typically side loaders and over budget. Wood length will be an issue with the Ideal Steel, the Englander 30NC and the Drolet HT2000 which would be first choices at this price otherwise.

Maybe look for an old Cawley LeMay, Hearthstone or Nashua.

 

[jeff_t]

Grandpa Bear?

 

[Grisu]

For a large budget stove check out the Englander 30NC (e. g. at Home Depot) and the Drolet Myriad and HT2000. Especially for the Englander you will find many happy owners here when you do a forum search. Drolet is also well-liked but not as common. You could also look at the Jotul F55. They currently have $300 off when you trade in a pre-EPA stove ((broken link removed to http://jotul.com/us/campaign)). With that you will come close to the $2000.

What kind of chimney do you have? Those all need a 6" diameter flue, usually with a minimum length of 15 ft and preferentially insulated.

How dry is your wood? When you don't want to waste a ton of heat up your flue it needs to be split and stacked about 2 years in advance, especially here in VT where summers are short.

 

[kennyp2339]

What about Ashley? How bout this someone give me a list of epa cert stoves that produce heat for 2000 Sq ft or more for under $2000. And I want to read the reviews on them. I don't want to be disappointed. I don't want another soapstone too much money. $5000 for one comparable in size to my h1, no thanks.

How bout cast iron? I don't want anything with glass doors either hate cleaning them. Ashley ec 95 is nice but doesn't push the air all the way to the back of the upstairs part of the house. My soapstone would put the house at 80-90 degrees f and keep it there for a while.

I will be more than glad to do all the research for you for a small fee$$. Never mind, I don't want to work for you; you sound pretty demanding

 

[JA600L]

23" is asking a lot. The Ideal Steel can handle 22" splits left and right. A few 23" splits would fit on an angle.

 

[sparklow]

I've got a stove for you if you are willing to drive down to Tolland, CT to pick it up. 370 lbs. of boiler plate, cast iron, and refractory and the best heating wood stove I ever owned. I bought the stove new, used it for maybe ten years and since then it has sat in my downstairs family room. It is a Kickapoo Starlor built in Wisconsin and is in very good shape, needs nothing. It is a massive heater and easily heated my colonial. Stove takes 24" logs. Picture attached -

 

[JA600L]

I've got a stove for you if you are willing to drive down to Tolland, CT to pick it up. 370 lbs. of boiler plate, cast iron, and refractory and the best heating wood stove I ever owned. I bought the stove new, used it for maybe ten years and since then it has sat in my downstairs family room. It is a Kickapoo Starlor built in Wisconsin and is in very good shape, needs nothing. It is a massive heater and easily heated my colonial. Stove takes 24" logs. Picture attached -

That's one hot rod of a Woodstove there.

Is it efficient and ul listed?

 

[tcassavaugh]

sparklow, that thing is a Beast.....lol

 

[quotejso]

According to Woodstock soapstone company their progress hybrid has the highest btu output on the market. Of course it is epa and all that stuff.

 

[bholler]

According to Woodstock soapstone company their progress hybrid has the highest btu output on the market. Of course it is epa and all that stuff.

You do realize that those epa regulations made much better stoves. I understand you don't give a crap about the environment and that is your prerogative. But by burning cleaner that means your chimney is cleaner and has much less chance of a chimney fire. They also burn efficiently which means more heat out of each piece of wood. If you don't like cat stoves don't get one get a tube style stove they are generally cheaper and the good ones are a little easier to maintain than most cat stoves. But most of the biggest modern stoves have cats. Yes there are still some epa exempt stoves out there but they generally are not very good stoves. All of the good manufacturers have switched over and are selling compliant stoves. As far as not wanting to clean the glass burn it correctly and you wont have to

 

[jeff_t]

Yes there are still some epa exempt stoves out there but they generally are not very good stoves. All of the good manufacturers have switched over and are selling compliant stoves.

I think the OP experienced this with the Ashley circulator If someone really wants a smoke dragon, they need to look for a solid, old stove.

EPA regs have been a blessing to wood burners.

 

[bholler]

If someone really wants a smoke dragon, they need to look for a solid, old stove.

Yes there are some good old stoves out there for sure some of them like mine can even burn pretty cleanly. And although i love my old stove when i have the funds i will replace it with a bigger cleaner stove for sure