My Chimney sweep wants to sell me a Napoleon 1402 insert

[leftyscott]

I have an old (25 year?) Kodiak insert that has served me well over the last 13 years. I run it nightly Nov-April as my primary heat source for my living room and upstairs bedroom. Our open living room funnels the heat right upstairs. Just replaced the blower last year. It works fine until temp outside gets to colder than 20 degrees at which time I kick on the electric heat. My part of the country rarely gets this cold for long periods of time.

The sweep keeps telling how how super efficient the Nap 1402 is compared to my old one. I get 6-8 hour burn times in the old one.

One noticable difference is that the Kodiak box is 3.3 cu. ft est and the Nap is 2.25. Is this a big deal? Also, the kodiak can handle a 24 inch log, the nap 18. Would the Nap's increased efficiency make up for the smaller box?

Should I just go for it? Truth is.... I'm a frugal as all get out so I have a tough time spending the coin.

Thanks for any advisement.

 

[karri0n]

You'll go through a lot less wood, but it may not produce quite as much heat as your 3.3 CF Kodiak. You might be better off with an EPA stove that's closer to 3.0CF, which will definitely give you as much heat as your current stove if not more, and go through a lot less wood.


What size is the house you are trying to heat? That can be very helpful to us in figuring if that 2.25 Napoleon will be good for you.

 

[leftyscott]

My house is about 2100 sq ft. although I'm mainly interested in heating an open living room and one upstairs bedroom. LP space heater takes care of the dining room & kitchen. Downstairs is all open (including kitchen & dining room)maybe 800-1200 sq ft except for a spare bedroom that's usually closed off. Not 100% sure of that sq ft # b/c I'm at work.

I know the Nap is advertised for up to 2000 sq ft according to their brochure.
The ceiling in my living room is very steeply pitched so the heat rolls right up to the bedroom.

Thanks again.

 

[dougand3]

Welcome, leftyscott. Main thing I read in your thread - you sure seem happy with what you got. I got the frugality in me, too - I wouldn't change unless you can truly demonstrate an improved situation. Eg - A stove where you never have to use electric heat.

 

[karri0n]

In a house like that, If I were going to look for an EPA upgrade from your fisher, I would look slightly bigger than that Nap. The expense of an EPA stove is well worth it if you get the right one. You say that you do actually still need to use your electric heat with the fisher, and I think the Napoleon will probably heat similarly or a bit lower than the Fisher. You will go through less wood and get lots of savings that way, but if you went up to a 3.0CF or higher EPA stove, you likely wouldn't need your electric heat or your LP heater at all in your climate, unless there was a wicked cold snap. You can get an Englander 3.0 CF stove for as low as 500 around this time if you look around at a Home Depot or Lowes and talk to a manger to get a deal, and you can get lots of other stoves with tons of cool features or nice looks for only slightly more than you would pay for the new napoleon(assuming it's new). It depends on the deal your chimney sweep is trying to get you, but unless it's a great deal I would go a size up, and possibly pay only a bit more or even pay less if you go with the Englander. Don't forget it's easier to heat less with a bigger stove than to heat more with a smaller stove.