Looking to buy an insert for a 1888 sq ft Ranch - Lopi, Osburn ???

[whodaman]

Hello All,
I am new to forum and have been reading some previous posts on models that I have been looking at. I just moved out in the country and have propane heat and came from the city where I had natural gas. Ouch, got my first propane bill and about lost it!! I have a nice fireplace that is large and will take a large firebox. I had 3 companies come out and quote me prices. I live in the Mansfield, OH area. All 3 guys said installation would not be a problem and didn't look out of the ordinary. I just want a plain black unit, nothing fancy.
Here are the quotes:
Osburn 2400 insert - $4486.00 total cost (installation $1000 included)
Osburn 2000 insert - $4110.00 (installation $1000 included)
(quoted for 18' of 6" stainless liner, insulated)
Lopi Freedom Bay - $4274.90
Lopi Freedom - $4171.10
QuadraFire 3100i ACC - $4689.00

My floor plan is very open with high ceilings in the living area. House seems drafty compared to my two story that I used to live in. I'll post pictures of the floor plan and of the fireplace. I do worry about the height of the mantel. Two people who came out and quoted said I would have to get a mantel shield or move the mantel up further.
I really wanted to spend between $3500-4,000 dollars on this project. I just never really thought that installation would cost so much. I may hold off until this summer to install one as I do not have any wood cut up at this point. I was going to start cutting wood now. What would you guys suggest for heating my home. I plan on trying to burn as much as I can, but might not be able to keep it going 24/7 because of my work schedule and kids. My wife is home all the time, so she would be able to keep it fed. Any help is appreciated. I just don't know what to go with?? I really like the Osburn 2400 because I cannot find a bad review online concerning this stove and it puts out a lot of heat. On the other hand, it does stick out on the mantel further and I like how the lopi freedom bay sits back in further. I do like the larger fireboxes and from what I've read, everyone says get the biggest box you can get or you'll regret it.
One thing I might add: The photo was when I bought the house, so that is not my decorating or paint on the walls. We've painted everything the house looks much better

 

[begreen]

Maybe order the stove and liner and have a certified sweep install it for you?

http://www.dynamitebuys.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=1054

 

[Caruso293]

I just purchased the Lopi Freedom Bay this Novemeber. My home is a 2200 sf colonial and the stove heats the entire home very nicely. We have yet to turn the heat on. We run it 24/7. I paid almost the exact same price for mine. Considering what I spent in oil the year prior its been a good investment. You will find out quickly on this site that wood, especcially oak takes roughly 18-24 months to season so you get the most BTUs. So start cutting and splitting. I can say anything about the other stoves especially because the Lopi is the only one I have any experience with. Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[etiger2007]

I bought the Osburn 2000 for $1700 shipped to my drive way. I paid $1,000 to have a liner installed ( liner included). My next insert or I may redue my hearth and install a free stander will have a cat. From what I read on here " burn time is determined by the size of your fire box" this does have alot to do with it but if you want a longer burn a stove with a cat is the way to go. I have to re-load every 4-6 hours to get good strong heat in the dead of winter no matter how full I fill the fire box, if I would have done my home work I would have went with a cat stove insert. Am I happy with my insert? yes, it keeps the house 75+. When I had the opportunity to visit BackWoods Savage ( a forum member) I was blown away by his stove and how far in between his re-loads were.

 

[whodaman]

First I want to thank each of you that have commented so far, thank you!!

Maybe order the stove and liner and have a certified sweep install it for you?

http://www.dynamitebuys.com/store/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=1054

The detailed quote that I received for the 2400 was for $2329.00. When I configured the stove on Dynamite buys, it was the same price. I believe it's really the installation cost that is killing me.
I found a guy that will install cheaper but he does not have any certifications and that kinda scares me. I called him the other day and he estimated $4000 out the door for the 2400 and $3600 for the Osburn 2000. He basically is knocking off $200 off price because Osburn is giving a free $200 log splitter with each stove. He said I could eitehr take the log splitter or take $200 off price.

 

[whodaman]

I bought the Osburn 2000 for $1700 shipped to my drive way. I paid $1,000 to have a liner installed ( liner included). My next insert or I may redue my hearth and install a free stander will have a cat. From what I read on here " burn time is determined by the size of your fire box" this does have alot to do with it but if you want a longer burn a stove with a cat is the way to go. I have to re-load every 4-6 hours to get good strong heat in the dead of winter no matter how full I fill the fire box, if I would have done my home work I would have went with a cat stove insert. Am I happy with my insert? yes, it keeps the house 75+. When I had the opportunity to visit BackWoods Savage ( a forum member) I was blown away by his stove and how far in between his re-loads where.

Thanks for all your replies, it is really appreciated Does the freedom bay have CAT? Sorry if I am dumb about this stuff, it's all new to me. I'm a newbie

 

[whodaman]

Thanks for all your replies, it is really appreciated Does the freedom bay have CAT? Sorry if I am dumb about this stuff, it's all new to me. I'm a newbie

Nevermind, I look up what CAT was and see that it does not. The Buck Stoves do have CAT. From what I read about them, the CAT stoves or the CAT do have a lifespan of 6-10 years and you have to know what you are doing when using them. There are manuals written on how to properly fire a CAT stove and care of them, because you can really screw them up if you don't know what your doing. This is interesting and I'm glad that you brought that up. I found a dealer for Buck stoves and am going to check him out. He is only 25 mins from my house, so it wouldn't hurt to go out and see what he's got.
Thanks again man!!

 

[begreen]

First I want to thank each of you that have commented so far, thank you!!


The detailed quote that I received for the 2400 was for $2329.00. When I configured the stove on Dynamite buys, it was the same price. I believe it's really the installation cost that is killing me.
I found a guy that will install cheaper but he does not have any certifications and that kinda scares me. I called him the other day and he estimated $4000 out the door for the 2400 and $3600 for the Osburn 2000. He basically is knocking off $200 off price because Osburn is giving a free $200 log splitter with each stove. He said I could eitehr take the log splitter or take $200 off price.

So roughly $2300 for the Osburn 2400 and $1700 for the installation, is that correct? What I am not understanding is where the $1000 installation price is coming from in the original posting. Is that for labor only and then $700 in parts? If this is a two story, insulated liner installation then the price is not bad for this time of year, especially if this is a steep roof and it is icy or snowy.

Off season you might be able to get the same job done for $2-400 less, but that doesn't matter if you want wood heat now. Hopefully you have a good stash of nicely seasoned wood to make through the rest of the winter.

 

[whodaman]

So roughly $2300 for the Osburn 2400 and $1700 for the installation, is that correct? What I am not understanding is where the $1000 installation price is coming from in the original posting. Is that for labor only and then $700 in parts? If this is a two story, insulated liner installation then the price is not bad for this time of year, especially if this is a steep roof and it is icy or snowy.

Off season you might be able to get the same job done for $2-400 less, but that doesn't matter if you want wood heat now. Hopefully you have a good stash of nicely seasoned wood to make through the rest of the winter.

This is a ranch and the roof is not steep at all. The installation looks simple other than cutting the damper out and putting some sort of damper sealing kit. I would do it myself, but it just scares the hell out of me when it involves fire and my house and the safety of my family. Please see quote attached.

 

[whodaman]

I do not have any wood right now, so I will probably wait unit the off season and start splitting wood now. I do want to do my research and get the best stove for my house. It's a lot of money and I want to make sure I get something that we will be happy with. This website is great and there is a lot of information on here. Thanks guys.

 

[aansorge]

Buck sells Catalytic and non-catalytic....I'd probably get a cat if I could do a re-do. From what I read on here, the cats are just as easy to run as the non-cats and you can better control the burn rates. The non-cats generally keep their glass cleaner though and make for beautiful fires.

I too have a wife that is home during the day, so not having super long burn times isn't a big deal. I get about 6 to 10 out of mine...however it is the first 5 that generate real heat. A cat stove can put out more even heat for longer periods and I am sure that they are more efficient overall.

 

[aansorge]

Buck and BlazeKing both sell good catalytic inserts.

 

[Swedishchef]

Whodaman: An Osburn 2400 will heat your place quite well. However, i t will only heat well if you have properly seasoned wood. And I do mean seasoned. Not 4 weeks old. Start cutting wood now and splitting it ASAP. Leave it stacked in the open sun/wind and let the wind blow through it. IF you cut it now, softwood will be seasoned for next winter (spruce, poplar, etc). Hardwood normally takes 2-3 years.

If you can find someone local who is selling properly seasoned wood (20-22% moisture content or less), go for it.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Andrew

 

[bag of hammers]

whodaman - echoing some of etiger and swedishchef's comments; I also have an Osburn (I run the 2200) and I really like the stove, and the customer service so far (in my limited experience anyway). And I would also consider a cat stove in the future, for reasons discussed at length on this forum. There are pro's and con's to everything. My impression of the cat stoves (from reading here, I've never owned one) is that they are not a beast to operate anymore, so I hope that perception doesn't scare you. But the EPA stoves are also awesome. Depends on what your requirements are. FWIW I'd love to have the big firebox like the 2400 has. Anyway, nice to see you're researching. Getting good wood as everyone here will tell you is key. No matter what you install, you'll get a less than satisfying result if you're trying to burn junk.

by the way, your installer needs to run a spell checker on their quotes...

 

[TradEddie]

I've got plenty of good things to say about the Lopi Freedom, but have to reinforce the words of others, you need wood drying now to use in 2013/2014. I have 2 year old oak that's only barely burnable. Don't panic, most other wood will dry within a year.
I got a good deal at the end of last season on a floor model, so waiting may be a good idea. Installation was expensive and although I'm very good at DIY, I'm glad I paid someone else to do it, it ended up being much more difficult than even the installer anticipated.
Getting the most out of a woodstove does require some attention and geekiness, so if Mrs. W isn't on board, you're not going to get far. Even if you only burn on weekends (as we do), buying an insert will be a good investment, and a reliable backup heat if you lose power.

In the meantime, there are many things you can do to reduce your heating bills, without having to turn down the thermostat, especially in an existing home where insulation and air sealing was not a huge concern to previous owners. I've been impressed at how air sealing has improved my comfort, at very low cost.

Lastly, keep those stove and installation receipts, tax credits were re-instated in the fiscal cliff deal.

TE

 

[mellow]

Call one of these guys to come and look at your chimney, they may also give you a better price on parts & install.

Buckeye Stoves
236 W Sandusky St
Fredericktown, OH 43019 1264
19.3 miles

Chim Cheroo Chimney Sweeps
2276 Alpha Rd
Greenwich, OH 44837 9458
20.1 miles

Rhino Chimney Service
601 Crystal Ave
Mt. Vernon, OH 43050
24.3 miles

Top Hat & Tails Chimney Sweeps
16 Electric St
Seville, OH 44273 9518
38.2 miles

Clean Sweep Chimney Sweeps
3275 Cooper Foster Park Rd
Vermilion, OH 44089 2613
45.1 miles

 

[whodaman]

Hey, thanks for all the great comments and feedback. Lots of very useful information in here.
As far as wood goes, is there a book or someplace I can research to learn about identifying hardwood and softwood?
So I assume you stack hardwood and softwood seperatly? Wow, I've got a lot of learning to do

 

[whodaman]

Call one of these guys to come and look at your chimney, they may also give you a better price on parts & install.

Buckeye Stoves
236 W Sandusky St
Fredericktown, OH 43019 1264
19.3 miles

Chim Cheroo Chimney Sweeps
2276 Alpha Rd
Greenwich, OH 44837 9458
20.1 miles

Rhino Chimney Service
601 Crystal Ave
Mt. Vernon, OH 43050
24.3 miles

Top Hat & Tails Chimney Sweeps
16 Electric St
Seville, OH 44273 9518
38.2 miles

Clean Sweep Chimney Sweeps
3275 Cooper Foster Park Rd
Vermilion, OH 44089 2613
45.1 miles

Thank you, that is funny, I actually was gonna call Buckeye Stove and was on their website this morning. I will tell you that one of the vendors you listed was out to the house and did give me a quote.

 

[aansorge]

Most don't worry about sorting hardwoods from soft...it all burns and its nice to have a mix. I would sort things somewhat by drying time though. Green oak in one stack, dead standing elm/ash/pine in a different stack. A moisture meter is helpful here.

 

[begreen]

This is a ranch and the roof is not steep at all. The installation looks simple other than cutting the damper out and putting some sort of damper sealing kit. I would do it myself, but it just scares the hell out of me when it involves fire and my house and the safety of my family. Please see quote attached.

$2157 seems a bit steep for an install. If you feel confident in your skills, we can help you with the self-install. That will knock off over $1K from the estimate.

 

[BrowningBAR]

The $1157 in materials seems high.

 

[bag of hammers]

So I assume you stack hardwood and softwood seperatly?

I will load up a pallet with just softwood if I happen to come across a good scrounge - easy to access kindling and shoulder season wood (saves me the trouble of picking thru a stack for softwood at the start of the season). But to be honest, I pay more attention to just keeping old sorted from new (don't mix up the green wood with older more seasoned stuff). I don't lose too much sleep if I top off a stack of maple / yellow birch with some pine. I might get a little more organized if I had a nice woodshed, but for now as long as I can get it up off the ground and drying I'm happy. It's not hard to figure out what I'm bringing in the house when I get into a stack, and sometimes nice to mix up a load of softwood and hardwood in the stove anyway. I think you will find what works for you as you go (part of the experience / fun)...

 

[etiger2007]

If you use the search engine on the home page you can pretty much find any topic you would like to research. I stack my wood by species, oak in one area, ash in another locust, walnut you get the idea.

 

[whodaman]

Whodaman: An Osburn 2400 will heat your place quite well. However, i t will only heat well if you have properly seasoned wood. And I do mean seasoned. Not 4 weeks old. Start cutting wood now and splitting it ASAP. Leave it stacked in the open sun/wind and let the wind blow through it. IF you cut it now, softwood will be seasoned for next winter (spruce, poplar, etc). Hardwood normally takes 2-3 years.

If you can find someone local who is selling properly seasoned wood (20-22% moisture content or less), go for it.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Andrew

So, is it bad to store wood in a shed? Will it season faster in the open sun/under a tarp? I have a 1200 sq ft barn that I have started a small pile in. Should I move that stuff outside under a tarp?

 

[aansorge]

Wind and sun dries wood. Outside is best.