Need HELP, choosing a stove

[jetsam]

WOW REALLY HELPFUL Thank you so much. So the place that does custom panels is called fireplace xtrordinair.

So right now I am about $2K for the install of a 6" stainless steel duck that goes about 25'; this also include the damper area block-off plate. Plust lets say $2.5K for the stove (nova) I am at $4.5K.

Now a really low emission insert with a catalyst is about $3.5K and the install will be about $200 cheaper (no damper area bock off plate needed). Plus I now need to make custom panels.. this could get VERY expensive... over $6k. At this price point, I am leaning towards putting in the stove... but I am not sold yet.

Can you recommend some low emission wood inserts? I need to follow up on the cost of a custom panel. And I still need to choose an insert.

AGAIN... thank you

You may want to also look into the cost of 50 bricks and a bag of mortar, unless you just want to spend $6000 on an iffy stove.

 

[Ashful]

You may want to also look into the cost of 50 bricks and a bag of mortar, unless you just want to spend $6000 on an iffy stove.

Quick... someone fetch the antidote! Jetsam has gone over to the dark side.

 

[joshuaboston]

You may want to also look into the cost of 50 bricks and a bag of mortar, unless you just want to spend $6000 on an iffy stove.

Hi,

The problem is... I have a wife and I want to keep the value of my house as high as possible. Do you really think I can match the exact same brick, also the ugly metal pool will not disappear if I use bricks and I don't want to paint the bricks.

I see that I have two options... free standing stove (the Nova... I really like the look of this stove and it FITS) or an insert with custom paneling (I am going to say about $2-3K more).

I will not have time this weekend, but I will look into getting an insert. But I feel deep down, that I will end up with the Nova. I find the look of the house will not be that bad and I will finally have a fire and the cost will only be around $4.5K or less.

What I really need is a recommendation of someone that works in the Metro West Area of Boston, who can install the stove. As mentioned, I have one company that wants to charge me like $1.5k - $2k! (I would love to lower this cost and use someone's recommendation).

Right now I have come up with a cost of $4,721.00 for the Nova Stove.

Another thing to consider is putting an outlet into the fireplace. With the stove option, I do have a outlet about 6' away on the wall... with the side opening of the fireplace, I think having the cord go their is no big deal and I can always install a plug in the fire place in the following year if I want one. If I get an insert, I will have to install a plug in the fire place right away.

I think the cost of an insert is just out of control! At $4,721.00, I am already at the high end of my budget.

 

[joshuaboston]

Another question, if I get the stove (which is what I think will happen), I would like to clean the bricks on the inside of my fire place, what do you guys recommend.

Thank you.

 

[Ashful]

Joshua, could you list what’s included in the $1500 - $2000 install price? If there’s a liner install in that quote, it’s not out of line with common pricing. If doing a liner, you should consider insulating it, for best performance.

 

[Woody5506]

I think that big window is a gas stove.

Pretty sure it's the wood stove. I see nothing about gas in the link you posted, or for the Nova in general. Just pointing out that unless there's some kind of ember/ash catcher that I'm not seeing maybe behind the glass somehow then it looks like stuff would just fall out of it. Something to consider, as you will need to rake coals around before reloads.

 

[joshuaboston]

Joshua, could you list what’s included in the $1500 - $2000 install price? If there’s a liner install in that quote, it’s not out of line with common pricing. If doing a liner, you should consider insulating it, for best performance.

I expect this will include (1) damper area block off plate (2) sealed chimney cap (3) 25' 6" stainless steel tubing (4) taking off flue and opening fireplace to fit the 6" pipe (5) intstalling the stove.

I think that is what it is. I was told I don't need a liner since my chimney should have a clay liner installed... does this make sense?

Again, I am a NOOB.

I would still much rather use someone's recommendation to a good installer then my local shop that I have no clue about.

 

[Ashful]

I expect this will include (1) damper area block off plate (2) sealed chimney cap (3) 25' 6" stainless steel tubing (4) taking off flue and opening fireplace to fit the 6" pipe (5) intstalling the stove.

I think that is what it is. I was told I don't need a liner since my chimney should have a clay liner installed... does this make sense?

Again, I am a NOOB.

I would still much rather use someone's recommendation to a good installer then my local shop that I have no clue about.

Well, you should definitely get multiple quotes, just to educate yourself, and for peace of mind. You can find qualified sweeps and installers thru the CSIA and NFPA, check their respective sites.

But something you say doesn’t make sense, the 25 feet of 6 inch stainless would be a liner, as far as I know it. Your installer is correct, that IF you have a clay liner in your chimney, you may not need a stainless liner for code. However, they’re leaving out a few big “if’s”:

1. Very few older chimneys meet current code. Ask @bholler, he deals with them every day.

2. A clay tile liner chimney is a poor performer, with regards to efficient wood stoves. Chimneys need to be warm to perform nicely, both in terms of draft and creosote condensation. An open fireplace throws sufficient heat up the flue to keep that clay tile warm, and it will work well for that. But a very efficient stove achieves this efficiency by putting very minimal heat up the flue, and so they are not well suited for clay tile chimneys. This is where blanket-wrapped stainless liners excel.

 

[bholler]

Yeah you want a stainless liner for sure. Technically by code you can just run stainless into the first section of clay liner. That is assuming your chimney is built to code. And homstly very few are. But regardless of code the stove simply will not perform anywhere near as well as it could installed in that way.