Moving south - looking for words of wisdom

[KarynAnne]

Hi guys, I guess I'm getting to be a better wood burner because I haven't asked 8000 questions this season. Here's one for you though, I'm hoping for advice...
We have had a Jotul Oslo for 2 full seasons now in mid state NH on the VT border. Last season I did everything wrong, including having it set up originally in the basement. This year, moved it upstairs, knew what I was doing and the experience was fabulous. And this has been a tough winter. Knowing that we never had to fill the oil tank was priceless.

Here's the question. We are relocating (Mark got a great job) to the Eastern Shore of Virginia. It's beautiful...little spit of land with the Atlantic on one side and the Chesapeake Bay 10 minutes to the west. We're originally from the Maryland end of the Eastern Shore, so I sort of know what to expect. We invested a LOT into that Jotul. I now know how to use it correctly. But we're thinking of leaving it with the house in NH. I hate to part with it, but I think it will be too much stove in that climate for a 1200 sq ft cottage. I'm considering a pellet stove because of the climate. It's not like I would run the Jotul 24/7 like I have now for months on end. I'm really torn. If you guys were making that move and your great stove were only 2 years old what would you do? And if you'd leave it in New England what would you move towards in the mid-Atlantic/on the coast climate?

Thanks for any input.

KarynAnne

 

[btj1031]

Does the new house even have a good place for a stove that big, or would it be awkward kind of sticking it in the corner of a room? I think your idea of getting a pellet stove is a good one. I think I would leave the Jotul in NH. It very well might be a good selling point for the next buyers of your house, given the winter we just had.

 

[colebrookman]

I vote for taking the Jotol iffff, you have a decent source of wood and have or can afford a good chimney and, as been mentioned , you have a nice spot for it. I love my Jotols quiet, watching the flames flicker while reading or when just vegging out after a tough day. Try that ambiance with a pellet stove.

 

[begreen]

I would sell the Jotul, it will likely be overkill for the new house and warmer climate. But there's no reason to donate it to the new buyers unless they are willing to compensate.

As far as supplemental heating in the new home, wait to make that decision. You have plenty to do right now without worrying about this. Once you're settled in, talk with neighbors and local wood stove shops and get a feel for what will be the best fit. If pellet fuel, definitely confirm that you have at least 3 good, reliable sources for pellets. If wood fuel, find out who has the best quality and get a delivery as soon as possible.

For a small place, there are several wood stove choices, but first you will need to determine the stove location, clearance requirements, local wood source, whether there is a good spot to stack wood on the property, etc. The primary source of heat in the house will also be a major factor. If it is a high-efficiency heat pump, then a small supplemental stove may be all that you need.

 

[KarynAnne]

Good food for thought. There would be a supply of wood if we wanted to go the wood stove route. But I like the size of the Oslo for holding overnight burns. I wouldn't be enthusiastic for re-starting fires constantly. So the time drag would end up feeling like an issue with a smaller stove. The only other heat source in the house are individual electric baseboard units. Pricey! Because this was originally a vacation cottage it was not outfitted with year round infrastructure. There are also 2 vent free gas log units (both downstairs). That is what the previous owners were using primarily. But that's just not the answer for us. The ambiance of our wood stove is fantastic. I like the idea of being able to use it regardless of electricity availability. But like I said, I need the size for the convenience of an overnight burn but the size (I think) would drive us out of the cottage.

Any ideas on the resale value of a 2 year old Jotul? It's in great shape. I wonder how much we'd lose on it since it's used. I love this stove. It's been our best friend. Thanks again.

KA

 

[BrotherBart]

Take the Jotul with you. See how it works out and if it overheats the joint then sell it down here and get a smaller stove. You will end up keeping it and just burning morning and evening burns if the place is insulated well. I burn a monster down here and wouldn't have anything else.

Why tinkle good money down a well until you know if you need to.

 

[BotetourtSteve]

Welcome in advance to the Old Dominion, aka The Mother of Presidents, aka The Capital of the Confederacy, aka The Commonwealth of Virginia. As you know from your time on the MD eastern shore, the key weather words you have been paying attention to, Snowfall amount and Windchill, will be replaced with Nor'easter and Hurricane. I suspect that 500 will still come in pretty handy, but maybe just full-time from December-February versus September-April where you are at now.

 

[granpajohn]

There's plenty of cold here to chase away with a wood fire. If you need proof, visit NWS for a count of Heating Degree Days (HDD). The season is shorter, but still....
As to moving the stove....what would you be leaving for the next owner? An empty chimney pipe? Doesn't seem like an attractive visual feature.
Just my opinion...

 

[Jags]

Take the Jotul and open a window if ya need to. I'm not familiar with the weather patterns, but if BroB is running a NC30 --- take the Jotul.

 

[KarynAnne]

Granpajohn...good question. We wouldn't leave an empty place on the hearth. In this neck of the woods you can get a good used stove for not a lot of money. We'd replace the Jotul with a ready to use (used in good condition) stove that we'd buy second hand up here.

We can't wait to get back to where we're from! Thanks everyone.

KA

 

[billb3]

Sounds like a lot of stove for 1200 square feet to me, too.

For all you know, the potential buyer won't want a wood stove and you'll be taking it out.
For all you know, the potential buyer won't want anything but what is there existing.
I'd rather buy a new stove in Va.. the 400 is nice, too.


The only thing you can't replace or find a exact substitue for is people.
(just don't tell your kids that. I like them believing they can be replaced.)

 

[KarynAnne]

Just to clarify - we're moving out this weekend, so the stove would be gone before the house is on the market. My brother, sister and myself own the house 3 ways and it's not going on the market for another month or so. There would be time to get a good replacement prior to anyone seeing the house, but I have to make a decision before the moving truck gets here on Saturday. Thanks.

 

[begreen]

For VA I was going to suggest a PE Alderlea T4 or T5. I think you will get long, easy burns that way. But the F400 would be a nice choice too, albeit with shorter burn times than the F500. Burning hardwoods you should still have coals in the morning for a restart.

 

[swestall]

Sounds like you are already spoiled and you'll miss what you are use to. Those Aldera stoves are very nice, as would be a new Jotul. But, then again, you are use to the one you have. Just take it and home will be there when you install it.
Bottom line, you will have longer shoulder seasons and a shorter 24/7 season. Kind of like one of those mild winters we get up here once every 15 years or so...

 

[grizzly2]

Keep the Jotul. You spent a lot of money on it and obviously like it a lot. Nobody says you have to stuff it full of wood all the time. You can maintain a smaller fire than the maximum the stove is capable of. I have a Jotul 3 and love it. However I put in a coal stove for convenience and 24/7 ease of keeping it going without stoking every few hours. The Jotul is going in the garage for heat. I just couldn't part with it. Best wishes for life in your new home. :coolsmile:

 

[jadm]

Just a feeling I got from reading your threads...sounds like you want to take it with you. Go with your gut feeling. If it is to take it - do it or you will have to deal with feelings of regret along with adjusting to a new home, new job, new friends etc..... Old 'friends' are a comfort in stressful times.

 

[granpajohn]

We can't wait to get back to where we're from! Thanks everyone.
KA

I think you'll be happy to be on the VA side. There's been a lot of discord in MD lately. As if the powers that be would like to cede the shore over to DE or VA. (Don't know how long you've been gone.)
I recently looked at a property plat for a friend on the bay side in Northhampton County. (Setbacks, critical area, well, etc. etc.. ) After a while I was looking at Mapquest to see how far it would be from home/family! Quite tempting, especially at the price.
Best of luck to you.

 

[Cath]

I think you'd be happier taking the Jotul with you, for all of the reasons stated above: you like it; you're familiar with it; you can get over night burns, you'll have a supply of wood; if you can scrounge wood or buy unseasoned wood it will keep your fuel cost down (which isn't the case with pellets); and you can always crack a window if it gets too warm.

Having said that there are a couple of reasons for leaving it: you don't have to deal with the aggravation of moving it; and in a tough seller's market it is a really nice selling point, especially since you can document a reduced fuel cost. You could replace it with something else but I'm guessing the Jotul is more attractive than some of your other options. Whatever you might save in carrying costs could easily pay for a new Jotul, or something comparable.

If your wood supply has dwindled you might even want to consider lining up some wood to sweeten the deal if you start haggling with a prospective buyer.

~Cath

 

[dj2cohen]

Looking at this from a buyer's point of view, I would greatly consider a two year old stove, installed in the proper manner, as a great point for considering buying the home. Not everyone is a wood burner and will appreciate it though. I suspect though, that in your soon to be former part of the country, the majority of people are wood burners and would appreciate the unit, especially the fact that they are going to be buying a home heating system that is very new and not have to worry about it.

From the seller's point of view, especially yours, if you own 1/3 of the house, the big question is do your brother and sister have any capital invested in the unit and install? If you paid for the stove without any money from the other two, why should you leave the stove (and your money) for them to capitalize on? Your labor is important for sure, but your money means a lot in today's screwed up market.

Just my opinion, take the stove with you unless you have a written agreement in place that your investment will be paid back accordingly at sale time. I don't know what your siblings are like, and it is none of my business either, but trust me, when it comes to families and money, the "Triple F" rule applies: "Family is the First to F*** you." I have seen it too many times and experienced it myself too. Maybe I am too bitter, but that is the way that I feel.

I am not trying to stir up a hornet's nest but that is just the way I feel. Some thing to think about.

 

[bmwloco]

A wood stove is still valid and useful - even in "the south". VA/MD isn't really deep south, but winds off the Atlantic could be brisk and cold.

I vote for taking it with you. I have a VC Resolute, nearly 25 years old now. If I move, it's going with me. Oh, it'll be heavy, a task to set up, but in the end, you'll have a warm home.

 

[KarynAnne]

We can't wait to get back to where we're from! Thanks everyone.
KA

I think you'll be happy to be on the VA side. There's been a lot of discord in MD lately. As if the powers that be would like to cede the shore over to DE or VA. (Don't know how long you've been gone.)


Response........

I've only been gone for 2 years. I was born in DC, raised on the western shore, LIVED on the Eastern Shore for 20 plus years. The good people of Maryland's Eastern Shore would love nothing better than to have DelMarVa be it's own state. ie: past Gov. Shaffer's reference to calling the Eastern Shore the 'outhouse of Maryland'. But the revenue that MD gets from the chicken farms/processors and especially Ocean City would prevent that from ever happening. The upper shore is becoming Washington/Baltimore's bedroom. The Eastern Shore of Virginia is isolated/insulated from all of that because it's too remote. LOVE IT! So remote, so rural, so friendly. Water, seafood, waterfowl, deer, trees, more water. But don't tell anyone. They'll want to come too.
KA

 

[BotetourtSteve]

Make sure and get you one of those bumper stickers that says "Welcome to the Eastern Shore! Now go home."

 

[oldgrezmonke]

I like the idea of being able to use it regardless of electricity availability.


KA

is there a pellet stove that doesn't need electricity ? consider this - you said the house was a vacation home so the level of insulation may be minimal . you will be close to the coast so there will be constant wind chill . you like the stove - take it , install it . if it is too much stove - sell it and get a smaller one . looking at garden hardiness maps most of MD and VA are in the same zone - so the weather will be similar .

 

[iceman]

I got the answer!!

take it with you ... drop it off at my house on the way down

 

[argus66]

being that close to the water ud be srprised how cold it ca be all the way to june if ocen is cold and wind is off ocean, i deal with this well into may/june.