old stove ID

[Stovimetry]

Newbie here-
Can anyone help me identify this stove and any tips for performance? New rental house and the owner doesn't know much about it.

 

[BrotherBart]

It is called a Franklin Fireplace. Hundreds of thousands sold by places like Sears and Montgomery Wards during the oil crunch in the 70's. That was my first wood stove. Things are inefficient as heck and virtually uncontrollable when filled with wood. They make a nice ambient burn fireplace with a proper screen and the doors open.

Wouldn't have another one in my house on a bet.

 

[Stovimetry]

bummer... I wonder if it will put out any heat more-so than a traditional fireplace? Maybe I'll looking into swapping it out and putting in a new model wood stove if it's that useless. The oil heat is a killer.

 

[Don2222]

Hello

I had one of those Franklin Fireplaces in the garage not hooked up when I moved into my house. So I hooked it up in the basement. I am not sure if it pulled more heat up the chimney than it put into the house? LOL I pulled it out after a few years and replaced it with an airtight Vermont Castings Consolidated DutchWest federal design Coal/Wood stove with the Catalytic Combustor. That was much better but had to buy wood cut split and delivered. That was expensive so I pulled that out and put in a 45k BTU wood pellet stove. Finally that pellet stove heats the whole house very comfortably!

 

[BrotherBart]

With the OP's Franklin in the fireplace it will defiantly be more efficient than burning in the fireplace. No question about that. Just don't expect long burns and be careful about how hot that wood gets around it.

And welcome to the forum. We aren't picking on your stove. Just giving our experiences. There are much better heating alternatives for that fireplace and lots of help available here.

 

[Stovimetry]

great info thank you. Do you think the chimney piping hooked up to the Franklin would be sufficient to just swap out the stove for a more efficient one, leaving the piping in place? Or am I looking at a full change out job here which wouldn't really be worth it for a rental home. My thought is if I can buy a newer, efficient stove that hooks up right to that duct work and then take it with me when I vacate the rental in 2 years to a new home then it'd be worth it, otherwise, I'll probably just stick w/ that for the next 2 years until I buy a home. Of course I would get a professional to take a look first, but just wondering if there is even a possibility before I start making calls.

 

[dougand3]

Do you think the chimney piping hooked up to the Franklin would be sufficient to just swap out the stove for a more efficient one, leaving the piping in place?

Gotta find out what's in there - you or a sweep. 1. Slammer install? (short pipe dumps into masonry chimney) 2. Lined masonry chimney? 3. Air cooled pipe? - doubtful

 

[mellow]

Have you checked your renters insurance to see if they will cover you if a fire breaks out and burns down that house?