Pellet stove costs/ my dilemma

[mrmojo182]

Hey all,

I figured I would write this to see what everyone else out there is thinking on the costs of stoves these days. I'm burning a very old Whitfield Cascade that is running great now, but not what I wanted when I switched from wood to pellets. I wanted something I could control, and put on a tstat. Anyway, been researching the hell out of this to find a great solution. I have a fireplace and all my stoves have been hearth mounted. I would love to get an insert, especially a Harman or enviro buy the prices keep me from doing it. Where I am, an accentra insert is 4000.00 plus. At that amount I would rather upgrade my whole heating system. How are other's making the justification? I also have a gas boiler (old) and do save money with pellets. Heck I enjoy having the heat from the pellet stove since I grew up with it. I know many would say I'm crazy to heat with anything other than gas, but I like it. But I still have a hard time spending 3500.00 on a new stove.

I'm looking at the englanders of course from amfm. My stove now was my dad's, he purchased it new in 95 or 96. When I got it last year it's the first time anything was purchased for the stove other than gaskets. I'm concerned if I get an englanders I will miss the simplicity of the Cascade. Anyway not trying to start a flame war, just seeing what people's thoughts are on my situation.

 

[zrock]

Unfortunately you will get more payback quicker by upgrading your current heating system to a new energy efficient. The new units will cut your heating costs in half. i would upgrade the heating system then when i recoup the money back from that upgrade your insert.

 

[Husky]

I kinda were just like you. I have Natural gas but grew up with a wood stove my entire life. When I bought my house back in 2003 it came with a wood stove insert. I right away was brought back to my childhood and the wood stove I grew up with. After 10 years living in my house and enjoying the wood burning, my stove broke down to the point that it wasn't worth fixing. Pushing 50 I was starting to think about what I wanted to replace the wood stove with and decided I wanted to go with a pellet stove. I knew that probably in the next 10 years I wouldn't want to deal with processing wood and storing godly amounts to stay ahead with dry wood. My son would be gone and I would have to do it all myself. I made the big investment in a harman accentra 52i insert. My total investment was around $5000 after it was installed and a liner put in my chimney. My justification was that I love fire heat and it brings me enjoyment during the winter months. I will probably never recoup the cost vs the saving of burning. I'm okay with that because I have a great reliable stove that should last me for many years.

 

[alternativeheat]

I'll always have a stove on this hearth, been one form or another on it for 40 years now. But if I had natural gas in the house I'd probably have a gas stove on the hearth vs pellets.