Need some recommendations based on my concerns

[moparharn]

I have a 1987 Woodstock Fireview stove that I inherited with my home purchase this year. This is my first woodstove and I enjoy burning enough to know that I want to buy a new stove. I like my stove, but it seems to be very fussy in terms air supply. Initially my stove would overfire because the draft is so strong. After installing a chimney damper I have been able to control the max temperature more easily, and I also installed new seals and caulked the inside of the stove with Woodstocks soapstone paste. If I damper the stove off too much the smoldering smoke will ignite and blow smoke out past the seals. If I allow too much airflow the stove will overfire. It seems I have to leave the door cracked to get the wood going upon recharge (hot coals) as well as have the Cat bypass open and the chimney damper open to get things going. Once going I must close chimney damper to about a 45 degree angle, close the Cat bypass, and close off the door damper to tiny little slits for air. If I forget to do any of these things I risk an over fire or smoldering situation. I apologize for the long winded detail, in short, my stove is too air sensitive, or complicated, or whatever. I fill the firebox around 10 pm and can re-lite from coals as late as 9am or so the next morning. The stove heats my 2600 sq ft house very well with the furnace turning on at 65 degrees only between 5-7 am when the fire has died off. The glass does not stay clear and the box fills with ash sooner than I would like. What stove could I get to heat my house that has EXCELLENT air/burn control, 10 hour burn time, and a nice clear glass front? I am currently leaning towards the Hearthstone Mansfield or the Woodstock Progress Hybrid. I am interested in the Lopi Steel stove but don't know about burn time or air control. I would really like a Tulikivi, but the budget is not there. I would like to own a stove that I could fill over hot coals, set, and walk away for 10 hours. Thanks for any help I might get. This is my first post. Bill

 

[Boiler74]

You need to call woodstock and talk to them. The Fireview is well loved, so something isn't quite right with yours. Woodstock will help you.. Just call.

 

[moparharn]

You need to call woodstock and talk to them. The Fireview is well loved, so something isn't quite right with yours. Woodstock will help you.. Just call.

I have called them a few times. Nice people. They suggested the seal replacement and interior caulking. The stove does not have a sophisticated air control or air wash. They told me the stove was an older design and, well, old. Might be time to rebuild or replace. The Lopi Cape Cod looks interesting.

 

[weatherguy]

Woodstock also has a new hybrid, I'm sure you've seen it, you have a big house so I would lean towards the PH. I'm surprised the fireview heats your house, it must be insulated well.

 

[Woody Stover]

You might post a pic of your setup. Class A chimney, or liner in a masonry chimney, or what? How tall is the chimney? Like Boiler said, something isn't right. How dry is your wood? You need it split and stacked for two years, three years for fresh-cut Oak and other dense woods. It's fine to smolder the stove, if the combustor is working. It will eat the smoke and produce heat. The Fireview is totally controllable (the 205 I had, anyway.) My SIL got one used, a 205, but it had been over-fired and the seams leaked pretty bad. Even with the air cut all the way, still had flame in the box. It would flash over in the box and blow out smoke, like yours (wood that isn't dry enough can cause that, too. Dirty glass is a sign that your wood isn't dry enough.) We sealed the seams from the inside, and it's more controllable now (21' Class A chimney.) I don't think she's had a problem with the back-puffing lately, either. It really need to be torn down and re-built, though.
I don't like shoveling out ashes either, and run a Keystone now which has a grated ash system. I think the PH does also. Sound like your house is pretty tight and well-insulated if the Fv can handle 2600 sq.ft. in MI....this winter especially. A new Fireview would run like a dream, if you like the stove....

 

[smokedragon]

Progress Hybrid, Mansfield, and Lopi are all well liked on here.

If the fireview heats your home, a progress hybrid would definitely be up to the task.

It sounds like you don't mind a catalytic stove, so you may also look at other catalytic stoves like Blaze King Princess.

The Mansfield and the Lopi will not be catalytics, so it will be less even heat.

There are lots of stoves out there.

I kind of have to agree with Woody Stover.......if you like the 1987 fireview, why not upgrade to the newer model fireview.

Do you have a Jotul dealer nearby? They have both catalytic and non-catalytic stoves.

I am going to be moving to an EPA stove this spring, and almost pulled the trigger on a F55 from Jotul (until I convinced myself I wanted a catalytic stove).

Clear as mud, right......

 

[begreen]

Jotul does not currently make a catalytic stove. If you are looking for a new cat replacement, look at a new Woodstock or Blaze King stove like the Ashford 30.

 

[Woody Stover]

I kind of have to agree with Woody Stover.......if you like the 1987 fireview, why not upgrade to the newer model fireview.

Hmmm, I was just thinking, if he was often close to over-fire territory, maybe that's why he is able to heat that place with a stove that would appear to be under-sized. In that case, I'd go a bit bigger....

 

[moparharn]

Hmmm, I was just thinking, if he was often close to over-fire territory, maybe that's why he is able to heat that place with a stove that would appear to be under-sized. In that case, I'd go a bit bigger....

Here is a picture of my set up. You can see that it is a pretty open room with a cut out in the wall to the stairs going up to the bedrooms. The heat goes right through that cut out and heats upstairs. What I want in a stove is what I have seen in showrooms- total control of the fire from a single damper rod. Pull it and boom, big fire, push it, and the fire goes right down for a long burn time or completely out. In an emergency, you could not put out a fire in my stove, it just gets too much air. I have been told that you can't really put a fire out in any stove and that they will all continue to burn to varying degrees. The Lopi Cape Cod appears to be a catylst stove I thought. It is 80% efficient with a large fire box, ash pan, and nice functioning dampers (on video). I don't know what they cost though. I can get a nice enamel Mansfield with ash pan for $3180, and the Progress Hybrid is $3295 plus delivery. My Fireview is almost thirty years old and this says a lot for Woodstock, but the Mansfield is gorgeous and the Lopi looks very functional. Tough one.

 

[prezes13]

Very nice looking setup. I have a cape cod insert very easy to control. Freestanding cape cod is a hybrid stove, I think it would cost you $3500 at least that's what my dealer was asking for it.

 

[smokedragon]

I have been told that you can't really put a fire out in any stove and that they will all continue to burn to varying degrees

Not really true. Many stoves that are truly air tight can damper a fire down to a smoldering blob if cut all the way down. Many of the EPA stoves (particularly non cat) cannot be smoldered out because they must have some air to meet regs.

The hearthstone or the progress hybrid will both make great stoves. If you like the catalytic stove, I would look at catalytic stoves. They will probably give you finer control on the lower end any way, which is what they are good at.

 

[Papa-Yankee-Romeo-Oscar]

When I was stove shopping I was quoted $3100 for the cape cod. I ended up going with the Hearthstone Manchester and am kicking myself. Hearthstone quality control is horrible and so is their customer service

I would look at the Woodstock PH, the Lopi Cape Cop, or the Blaze King Princess or king. I would definitely steer clear of anything Hearthstone Manufactures. If you do your research you will find quite a few people unhappy with Hearthstone.

 

[Woody Stover]

The only stoves with "one-lever control" are the secondary burn stoves but some of those also have a bypass lever. Cats aren't complex, and are easy to control. Yours is an exception, for whatever reason (probably air leaks in the stove.) How tall is your stack?
The PH and Cape Cod, both hybrid stoves (secondary combustion plus cat combustion) burn hotter with a good bit of secondary action at the beginning of the load, from what I've read here. The Woodstock Ideal Steel appears to have the ability to be shut down more at the beginning of the burn, the beta test stoves anyway. With a straight cat like the Fireview you'll have "from a whisper to a scream" control at any point in the burn. A metallic blue Fv (looks medium gray) would look great in there, if you like that style in your setting. It'll also be several hundred cheaper at least than the others. I think an enamel cast stove or the PH rock would look good too, but maybe the Ideal Steel in the right color scheme would also be to your liking. It'll be even cheaper than the Fireview....

 

[moparharn]

The only stoves with "one-lever control" are the secondary burn stoves but some of those also have a bypass lever. Cats aren't complex, and are easy to control. Yours is an exception, for whatever reason (probably air leaks in the stove.) How tall is your stack?
The PH and Cape Cod, both hybrid stoves (secondary combustion plus cat combustion) burn hotter with a good bit of secondary action at the beginning of the load, from what I've read here. The Woodstock Ideal Steel appears to have the ability to be shut down more at the beginning of the burn, the beta test stoves anyway. With a straight cat like the Fireview you'll have "from a whisper to a scream" control at any point in the burn. A metallic blue Fv (looks medium gray) would look great in there, if you like that style in your setting. It'll also be several hundred cheaper at least than the others. I think an enamel cast stove or the PH rock would look good too, but maybe the Ideal Steel in the right color scheme would also be to your liking. It'll be even cheaper than the Fireview....

This kind of reminds me of when I bought my first bike as a kid. The Schwinn was more money and not as pretty as the purple Sears stingray. I wanted the pretty bike with all the bells and whistles, and it was a pile of junk. All that glitters ain't gold was essentially the lesson. The only real thing I like about the Mansfield is its beauty. No way am I going to buy a stove that has even a whisper of quality issues. I think I will fosus on an enamel Lopi Cape Cod, or the Progress Hybrid. In the meantime I will start researching the Blaze King as I know nothing about them. Thanks for all of the good help. BTW, I would guess my stove pipe runs 20-22ft from stove to outlet. The inside room run is about 10ft, then the roof penetration, and then another 10ft of chimney outside. Here is a pic of the outside.

 

[Woody Stover]

I think I will fosus on an enamel Lopi Cape Cod, or the Progress Hybrid. In the meantime I will start researching the Blaze King as I know nothing about them. Thanks for all of the good help. BTW, I would guess my stove pipe runs 20-22ft from stove to outlet.

That chimney height shouldn't cause excessive draft; No doubt the Fireview is leaking like a sieve. But you might as well ride out the season with it and do your research in the meantime. Lots of good threads on these stoves if you use the search function.
I just saw your comment on the Tulikivi....maybe you'll end up with the mini-Tuli, the PH.

 

[moparharn]

That chimney height shouldn't cause excessive draft; No doubt the Fireview is leaking like a sieve. But you might as well ride out the season with it and do your research in the meantime. Lots of good threads on these stoves if you use the search function.
I just saw your comment on the Tulikivi....maybe you'll end up with the mini-Tuli, the PH.

Ok so I spent some time looking at the Blaze Kings. What intrigues me is the thermostatic control and various options for legs, ash pan, and trim. A couple of questions I have are this 1. Is the thermo control BS? Can you really get the fire started, close the bypass, set the control, and it maintains a constant heat (surface +- 75 degrees)? You just walk away and come back ten hours later? I would be interested in the King as I could get longer burn times and fewer charges. If the stove only burns what you set it at then this sounds like something that could work for me. 2. Does the finish on steel stoves hold up? The used ones I have seen look like they were raised from the bottom of some harbor. My Woodstock looks excellent after almost 30 years. Hint- Progress Hybrid is moving forward. Bill

 

[begreen]

The thermo on the BK is definitely no BS and quite a nice function. It's part of how they achieve a long low burn. If you want a beautifully finished stove that will look great a decade from now i would consider a porcelain glazed Ashford 30.

 

[mark cline]

I have the Mansfield , which I bought in Toledo, OH , its not enamel but was $2700 ,then I got the energy credit for $300.I did have a stone crack (posted on here) but Hearthstone said its not worth replacing , but would if I wanted them to. I opted not to replace it ,but they sent me a replacement stone ,in case I wanted to change it in the future. It has the 1 lever control and performs like you expect . I thought customer service was very good to me. Love my Mansfield.

 

[begreen]

Unfortunately a bad dealer can give a stove a bad rap. I've seen this locally. Things go wrong occasionally in any mass production. And stone is a natural material. You need a dealer to step up to the plate when you need them. Before buying ask the dealer about their warranty policy and ask for some references.

 

[moparharn]

Unfortunately a bad dealer can give a stove a bad rap. I've seen this locally. Things go wrong occasionally in any mass production. And stone is a natural material. You need a dealer to step up to the plate when you need them. Before buying ask the dealer about their warranty policy and ask for some references.

One concern I have about the Blaze King in the King model is the 8" pipe. I currently have 6" single wall and god knows what through the roof and chimney. I think the Blaze King also runs with a fan, and I do not have an outlet near my hearth. 8" triple for my house would be over 2 grand in parts alone, plus the cost of the electrical outlet. I think the Princess is a fan unit also? The princess I think could handle my 6" single wall, but does it have to have to run a fan? Will a Princess radiate heat like a Woodstock? I am guessing not.

 

[begreen]

The Ashford 30 is 3 cu ft and takes a 6" pipe. It's a bit larger than the Princess or PH. The need for a fan or not depends on the house and stove location. If centrally located in a fairly open area then the stove may convect naturally pretty well. We only use the blower on our stove when it gets pretty cold outside. You should ask alforit or webby3650 about running the Ashford without the fan.

 

[blueguy]

Fans on a BK aren't mandatory - my Sirocco held 72F temps in my house without a fan last week when it was below 0F here for 12 hours.

 

[smokedragon]

I would be interested in the King as I could get longer burn times and fewer charges

As you have already stated with this idea, it requires 8" pipe.

One concern I have about the Blaze King in the King model is the 8" pipe. I currently have 6" single wall and god knows what through the roof and chimney. I think the Blaze King also runs with a fan, and I do not have an outlet near my hearth. 8" triple for my house would be over 2 grand in parts alone, plus the cost of the electrical outlet. I think the Princess is a fan unit also? The princess I think could handle my 6" single wall, but does it have to have to run a fan? Will a Princess radiate heat like a Woodstock? I am guessing not.

The BK line are made to run blowers (so they have internal air chambers very much like fireplace inserts that allow the air to warm). They are not going to radiate as well as a free standing stove, as they were made to be run with blowers (especially if you want to take advantage of their set it and forget it temp control). Will they run without them, sure.....but I don't think you will be getting "as much" heat.

BK has a very loyal following on here. If you really want to hear real users chime in, start a new thread and let them know you are considering the princess (and copy the specs/pics on your house and current stove).

A free standing princess might be a good option for you. And you would still get LONG burns from that stove (unless it was really cold and you demanded more heat, but that's any stove).

IMHO, if an old fireview of unknown quality (don't know what shape the gaskets/cat are in) can heat your area, a princess could to.

The cost of putting an outlet in the vicinity of your hearth is small, so add the princess to your list and do some searching.

The Lopi and Progress Hybrid are both good stoves, I don't think you could go wrong with any of the three (but I am partial to the PH)

 

[Rickb]

The BK line are made to run with or without blowers

Here fixed it for you.

 

[moparharn]

The Ashford 30 is 3 cu ft and takes a 6" pipe. It's a bit larger than the Princess or PH. The need for a fan or not depends on the house and stove location. If centrally located in a fairly open area then the stove may convect naturally pretty well. We only use the blower on our stove when it gets pretty cold outside. You should ask alforit or webby3650 about running the Ashford without the fan.

According to BK's site, the Ashford has a 2.65 cft fire box and the princess has a 2.75. The btu's are 33,500 and 37,500 for the princess. The Ashford appears to be a smaller stove with less output if I am reading the website correctly. The Ashford is nice looking though.