Opinion on using older insert vs buying newer insert

[stockhouse50]

Hello, I currently have a Elmira works stove 1500 series and have been using it for 28 years now. Had someone come in to check about installing a stainless steel liner and they mentioned that I should look at buying a newer insert. The wood insert they suggested was the Regency i2400 (cannot fit 3100).

My Elmira works fine so I'm wondering if it's worth shelling out the few thousand for the Regency i2400? I live in a long narrow 2500 sq ft 1 story home. The Elmira is on one side of the home and heats about half the home. Will I see about the same results (burn time/heating area) or has technology improved these inserts enough to make the upgrade worthwhile?

Thanks and appreciate the feedback.

 

[saichele]

The technology has come a long way - you'll get better efficiency and longer burn times with a modern insert. Probably 50% more heat from the same charge of wood is a pretty safe ballpark. That said, depending on what you're paying for wood I might not shell out for a new stove if the old one is fine. The burn time issue is really a matter of use.

I'm impressed by the chimney line - have you been 28 years with a tile lined chimney? Or is this a replacement SS liner?

 

[stockhouse50]

Saichele, appreciate the input. It was a tile lined chimney. Probably should have put a stainless steel liner in awhile ago but honestly didn't know about it. Do you believe I'll get the roughly the same heating area as the older insert? I read that some are getting 1000-1300 sq feet of heating (ad says up to 2000 sq ft). I was hoping for around 1300-1500 sq feet.

 

[saichele]

I'm not really a fan of those square foot estimates - depends so much on where you are (how cold it is outside), how insulated your house is, and to some degree how you burn. generally something on the order of 30-50 BTU per SF is a reasonable range, toward the top end for cold areas or less insulation. So if you want to do 1500 SF, you need something between 45 and 75K.

I don't think there's much difference between new stoves and old stoves in the max heat put out instantaneously, but you'll get that heat for longer with a new stove because less of the heat is going up the stack.

 

[Grisu]

What are the dimensions of your fireplace? Maybe you can fit something larger in there other than the i3100. Otherwise, I agree with saichele. You will get longer burn times and use quite a bit less wood with a new insert. However, the wood needs to have less than 20% internal moisture content which usually means to season the splits for one to three years depending on wood species and drying conditions.

 

[Sprinter]

you'll get that heat for longer with a new stove because less of the heat is going up the stack.

It's not that an epa rated stove will put out more heat for a given firebox size, it's a matter of fuel efficiency and air pollution issues. It may take a while to make up for the extra cost, but over the long haul, it's worth it. Some old-time users here claim around a 30% savings in fuel. YMMV of course.

If the fireplace is on one side of the house, that will continue to be a problem regardless, although with a good blower, that could help distribute heat some.