According to their website, the Lopi Evergreen qualifies at 77.1% HHV, but none of the others do. Also, all of the Lopi inserts are noncat, they discontinued their hybrid inserts starting with the 2020 models.
The credit matters if you are in the process of converting your traditional fireplace with an insert. I got quotes last month and they were $7.5K for Lopi Large, Liner, Electrical and Labor.
Just noticed they have just released Evergreen insert. Specs are great but looks awful.
Totally worth it if you are heating 100% with wood. Supplementing my heatpump the tube stove is great. Heatpump works on the warmers days. Do you want to monitor a cat? I think objectively the BK is a better stove. 1000$ better probably but not double that. Spending 1000$ on insulation can get some meaning results winter and summer
Without getting too personal, you did not have enough taxes to offset the credit? I read it can be a "carry-forward" credit meaning if you can't use this tax season, you can use next year.
What kind of burn times do you get? From the time i leave for work until i get home, can run10-11 hours sometimes. I am drawn to BK's long run time. I currently have Drolet Heat Commander Furnace. It may be draft issues, but i am lucky to get 5-6 hours burn on that. If the tube stove's burn time would last while i am gone, I would definitely burn 100% wood.
I bet I could do 8 an hour reload Schedule. As a second stove in the basement that we don’t spend a lot of time in I really haven’t run it 24 hours straight. Loaded it up good once and had coals 18 hours later. Burn time is subjective and real depends on the heat I need. my work schedule is super flexible. I scrounge all my wood. Nothing is uniform. I burn a lot of pine. Come this time of year I’m getting over the novelty of wood heat.
It probably doesn't fit into your plan, but the Kuuma furnace will do 12 hour loads easy on my crappy lodgepole pine. They're expensive, but no liner, probably no install (diy), and no wood chips and such in your living room. Get the credit and sell the Drolet. Just spitballin.
I think i decided on the drolet. Trying to order, do i need the optional 1/2" insulation wrap for the 6" liner?
Unless you are sure chimney meets code you need insulation. Code says minimum 2” clearance from brick to any combustibles. Ie framing roof sheeting ect. (1” for exterior chimney). And I think code call for 1” insulation.
I plan to buy 30 degree elbow and the liner connection device. My only offeset will be to get the liner thur the old fire damper door of fire box. My overall height is between 22-25'. How will i know if a damper is needed? How can you access damper control in flue pipe in an insert scenario?
