Pacific Energy Neo 2.5 to replace Yukon/Husky

[Spirithelper]

After following this forum on and off for several years I finally decided to join. I appreciate all the great advise and knowledge available here on Hearth.com. So thanks to the moderators and everyone past and present who continue to contribute.

I may be new to the forum but have burned wood most of my life. We bought a home in northern Michigan about six years ago which had a Yukon/Husky wood/fuel oil furnace in the basement for the main source of heat. I quickly realized it was not set up perfectly, but the past owners used it for around 30 some years and I just kind of dealt with it. Not knocking the Yukon, but the chimney setup was not the best for our little house and creosote buildup was always a problem. Due to my wood not being perfectly dry this fall, and my neglect to clean it one month as I usually did, we had a chimney fire just before Christmas. Luckily, most of the damage was contained to the chimney. The liner was cracked and to shorten this up, it was time for a change. I like the fact that I only used $300 in fuel oil in three years with the Yukon, so I wanted to do something similar. We also have wooded acreage so the cost of firewood is low and I enjoy the exercise.

So the new upgrade is going to be a Pacific Energy Neo 2.5 in our main level fireplace. Part of me did not want a flush mount burner but I trust our chimney sweep and he felt is was a better choice for our setup. I intend for that to be our main source of heat, and for backup we are getting a propane furnace piped in to where the Yukon sat in the basement. I have already purchased a moisture meter and will be checking out the forum here for wood storage ideas to keep everything down in the 10% range. That is something I didn't do with the Yukon. I admit I am not an expert. I am open to any thoughts or advise from those using this or similar inserts. I see some people have had trouble with the glass smoking up on one side with this model. I hope this is not an issue and plan to ask some questions about it. The stove sounds really nice and a perfect fit for our 1400 sq ft home. I will post how it's going when the install is finished.

 

[stoveliker]

Look at the wood shed forum for good ideas and pics. There are cheap ones, fast ones (solar kilns), nice ones (see the one from highbeam that I copied), and any combo of that.

And get as much soft wood split and stacked asap, before spring is really here. If stacked so that the wind blows thru, top covered, pine can be below 20 pct in one year. Cherry and ash too.

I started with 2*4 on cinder blocks with a tarp. A shed is better, but it works. (Make sure there are no puddles of water on top that leak in.)

I don't know the neo, so I have no suggestions there other than the general ones.

Sketch of the install. Height of the chimney? (Lined with an insulated liner or class A?)

 

[Spirithelper]

Look at the wood shed forum for good ideas and pics. There are cheap ones, fast ones (solar kilns), nice ones (see the one from highbeam that I copied), and any combo of that.

And get as much soft wood split and stacked asap, before spring is really here. If stacked so that the wind blows thru, top covered, pine can be below 20 pct in one year. Cherry and ash too.

I started with 2*4 on cinder blocks with a tarp. A shed is better, but it works. (Make sure there are no puddles of water on top that leak in.)

I don't know the neo, so I have no suggestions there other than the general ones.

Sketch of the install. Height of the chimney? (Lined with an insulated liner or class A?)

I was just looking at the wood shed forum. Lol. Good ideas there, you are right. Learned quite a bit just tonight. I have some corrugated aluminum industrial roofing which was cut into four foot lengths and used as fencing. Thinking about using that for a roof of a wood shed, and maybe the west side where we get the most weather from.

I live in a maple, beech, ash area (Not much ash since the emerald ash borers), but not much soft wood.

Chimney is going to be triple wall stainless I believe, and insulated. It is single story, I think about 12' or so. The fireplace is a little small for this insert, so they are planning on cutting a section of the fireplace back out to make it fit right.

 

[Spirithelper]

Also, Stoveliker, I failed to mention, I have about 30+ face cords of red oak, which I bought a truckload of last fall. First time I ever bought wood in my life. It was standing dead trees about two years old that I thought would be ready to burn this winter. I found out oak doesn't season up as quick as ash does that has been standing dead. Thus the creosote and fire. I have most of it cut and about a third of it split, but the split stuff is just in a pile under a tarp right now. Plans to get everything off the ground and under cover this spring. I may still have to hunt for some ash to get through this next winter. Not sure if the oak will be ready for one of these efficient style inserts. I hear it has to be pretty dry to work properly.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

That oak will probably be wet by this winter. Try to get it stacked and drying ASAP.

Less dense woods dry faster, you caan add soft maple, conifers, and poplars to the fast drying list. Pallets and compressed sawdust will also work.

 

[stoveliker]

Yes, wood only starts drying for real when split and stacked.

Twelve foot may be on the short side for a chimney... Check the requirements in the manual. Straight up is good.

I understood that triple wall is not as good as double wall. @bholler?

 

[bholler]

I was just looking at the wood shed forum. Lol. Good ideas there, you are right. Learned quite a bit just tonight. I have some corrugated aluminum industrial roofing which was cut into four foot lengths and used as fencing. Thinking about using that for a roof of a wood shed, and maybe the west side where we get the most weather from.

I live in a maple, beech, ash area (Not much ash since the emerald ash borers), but not much soft wood.

Chimney is going to be triple wall stainless I believe, and insulated. It is single story, I think about 12' or so. The fireplace is a little small for this insert, so they are planning on cutting a section of the fireplace back out to make it fit right.

What type of fireplace is this insert going into?

 

[Spirithelper]

That oak will probably be wet by this winter. Try to get it stacked and drying ASAP.

Less dense woods dry faster, you caan add soft maple, conifers, and poplars to the fast drying list. Pallets and compressed sawdust will also work.

 

[Spirithelper]

How is beech for drying, burning? I have quite a bit of that standing dead.

Plans are to start working on the oak as soon as I can. I also have a good size pile of ash which was standing dead for about five years. I just dropped it last Fall and it needs to be split.

What do you mean about pallets and compressed sawdust - to burn or to stack wood on?
Thanks.

 

[Spirithelper]

What type of fireplace is this insert going into?

Masonry style. Is that what you mean? I'll post a pic.

 

[brenndatomu]

How is beech for drying, burning? I have quite a bit of that standing dead.

Burns like oak, dries like ash...good stuff!

 

[Spirithelper]

Yes, wood only starts drying for real when split and stacked.

Twelve foot may be on the short side for a chimney... Check the requirements in the manual. Straight up is good.

I understood that triple wall is not as good as double wall. @bholler?

Yes, wood only starts drying for real when split and stacked.

Twelve foot may be on the short side for a chimney... Check the requirements in the manual. Straight up is good.

I understood that triple wall is not as good as double wall. @bholler?

Yeah it probably is taller than I posted. I was taking a wild guess from my living room last night. I am thinking you mean from top of fireplace to the cap. So probably 5' to ceiling, then maybe 3' through attic, and maybe another 7-8' above that. So 15-16ish. I'll post the outside. It has a funky top which my chimney sweep says he thinks he can get a cap under, but would be better to take off this Summer and redo the top. Also, I am not certain on the triple wall. All I know is there is insulation around it from what he said.

 

[Spirithelper]

What type of fireplace is this insert going into?

Learning curve for me on the forum here bholler. Thought I posted this with my last response.

 

[stoveliker]

ok, 15' is good enough for most modern stoves and inserts (assuming it's all straight up).

 

[EatenByLimestone]

So, standing dead is a good tree to cut down, but will not be dry. You still need to let it sit cut, split, stacked.

 

[Spirithelper]

So, standing dead is a good tree to cut down, but will not be dry. You still need to let it sit cut, split, stacked.

Yeah, I get that now. With all our ash dying here I was just used to cutting them in spring or even early September, split, stack and it would be burnable by Winter. At least in the Yukon. That is keeping in mind that I would load 5 face cords in my basement and restock once or twice during winter. By burning the driest stuff first, the wood always got to dry inside for a couple of months or so. The basement was warm from the Yukon being down there, plus I run a dehumidifier. It was always amazing how humid the basement got when I first brought the wood in. Admittedly, I never owned a moisture meter. I have one now. My chimney sweep recommended the General. Not sure how that compares to others. In fact some of the standing ash I cut down this November is in my basement now, and reads between 8-12% last time I checked. That was splitting a piece and checking the center (thanks to what I've learned on this site). But this oak is an entirely different monster. I do have some of it in my basement too and it has taken a lot longer to dry for sure. I actually haven't split and checked that yet. But the stuff outside definitely needs to get stacked, I agree. Thanks for your input.

 

[stoveliker]

The general moisture meter is fine.. it's not a high tech measurement. I don't think there is any significant difference between these meters, possibly only in durability.

 

[begreen]

The Yukon Husky discussion would be more helpful in the Boiler Room forum.
There is a classified section con Hearth.com where parts or the whole unit can be listed. Then, put a short post in the Boiler room forum telling folks in that forum that it has been listed.

As for the firewood, anything below 20% is going to be ok. Most firewood stabilizes around 15-17% due to ambient humidity. General makes a decent moisture meter for under $50.

Pin-Type LCD Moisture Meter

The Pin-Type LCD Moisture Meter is ideal for use in woodworking, building construction, home inspection, lumber selection and water damage restoration.

generaltools.com

 

[begreen]

Yukon Husky, parts or sale posts moved to the boiler room:

Yukon/Husky being replaced

BG - mod edit: Husky posts move to the boiler room for greater attention. Meanwhile, the Yukon is going to be a fun project to get out of my basement this Summer (not). I bet it weighs 600+ pounds. Luckily I have Bilco doors. Not sure if there is a market for something like this or not. I put...

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