Newbie still figure out how to get woodstove

[LisaInOregon]

Been talking about it, still haven't done it, but have budget now to rip out the useless kiva and put in a woodstove. But the stove brand/model research is driving me CRAZY.

Question: we had one installer tell us to avoid the european brands, that getting parts in could take weeks or months. Is this a real issue? I like the looks and the specs for the Morso and Scan stoves better than most, and there's a local dealer (not the one associated with this installer... who recommended hearthstone, but I don't like the look much). We only need a small stove, mild winters and smallish very well-insulated house, I want a non-cat clean burning lowest-emissions stove I can cook on, and narrow front to back rather than square one (if that makes sense). The european ones seem better designed for our needs - the smallest Quadrafire, for example, is about 7" deeper than the Scan. I'm going to go shopping tomorrow (I hate shopping) and look at some in person, but this is a big sticking point.

Our floor is tinted concrete with radiant floor heat tubs in it. I'm assuming that this is suitable for mounting, but could the stove heat damange the tubing? I seem to recall these tubes are plastic...

thanks... Lisa

 

[savageactor7]

Lisa I don't know jack about cooking ...the only advice I have for you is to get a stove that loads north to south.

The quad and hearthstone are both quality stoves. Talk to some of your neighbors with stoves and to better get a feel what would suit you best.

 

[begreen]

If you stick to the big brands like Morso, Jotul, parts should not be an issue. But frankly, if cared for, these stoves don't often need any parts for the first 10 years outside of gaskets. Scan, Rais, Wittus, are also good brands, but a little rarer and may be a bit harder to get parts for. From what you've said I would go see the Morso dealer first.

 

[LisaInOregon]

...get a stove that loads north to south.

What does that mean? Side load rather than front load?
The way the room faces the north side will be the back of the stove - never heard of back loading stoves... :cheese:

 

[begreen]

A north/south loading stove is one that loads with the wood parallel to the sides of the stove. The stoves you've mentioned load east west, they have a shallow box and load wood parallel to the front of the stove. Don't worry, as long as the stove has a good flue system, it will be fine.

 

[RedRanger]

...get a stove that loads north to south.

What does that mean? Side load rather than front load?
The way the room faces the north side will be the back of the stove - never heard of back loading stoves... :cheese:

north south means put the wood straight in. east west means load it side to side. eg: 16" log goes in end wise. for n>w., or 16" log goes in sideways" east-west.

east west=side to side---north south= front to back. or another way of putting it , is open the damn door and shove the firewood straight in -end to end. and that would be N/S.. also = shorter burn time. but hotter fires.

Want longer burn times - then buck your wood shorter so it loads east to west.