Pre epa wood burning stove vs epa wood burning stove!

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Itslay90

Member
Dec 16, 2022
196
Upstate,NY
Why does it seem like the people that has a pre epa wood burning stove, don’t like the new epa wood burning stoves. Is it because they don’t want to season their wood? Is it because they’re stuck in their ways ? Is it because it’s a learning curve.. what’s your input on this ?
 

bholler

Chimney sweep
Staff member
Jan 14, 2014
31,958
central pa
Why does it seem like the people that has a pre epa wood burning stove, don’t like the new epa wood burning stoves. Is it because they don’t want to season their wood? Is it because they’re stuck in their ways ? Is it because it’s a learning curve.. what’s your input on this ?
For most it's simply lack of understanding. There honestly is very little difference in running old vs new. And old stoves run like crap on wet wood as well
 
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NickW

Minister of Fire
Oct 16, 2019
1,009
SE WI
Why does it seem like the people that has a pre epa wood burning stove, don’t like the new epa wood burning stoves. Is it because they don’t want to season their wood? Is it because they’re stuck in their ways ? Is it because it’s a learning curve.. what’s your input on this ?
Yes, yes, and yes.

But for those of us willing to put forth the effort of learning and getting ahead on the wood supply benefit as does the environment and everyone living in it. Still kicking myself that I didn't kick the old smoke dragon to the curb 15 years earlier...
 

Itslay90

Member
Dec 16, 2022
196
Upstate,NY
Yes, yes, and yes.

But for those of us willing to put forth the effort of learning and getting ahead on the wood supply benefit as does the environment and everyone living in it. Still kicking myself that I didn't kick the old smoke dragon to the curb 15 years earlier...
Have you seen any savings in wood, ?
 

NickW

Minister of Fire
Oct 16, 2019
1,009
SE WI
Absolutely! Went from 5-7 cord of mostly hardwood (and not keeping the baseboards from kicking in) to around 4 cord of a mix (about 1 1/2 softwood and 2 1/2 hardwood) and only having the baseboards kicking in in the morning on the coldest windiest nights. Just installed a damper to help with control issues and I am seeing even more effective use of my wood.
 

Itslay90

Member
Dec 16, 2022
196
Upstate,NY
Absolutely! Went from 5-7 cord of mostly hardwood (and not keeping the baseboards from kicking in) to around 4 cord of a mix (about 1 1/2 softwood and 2 1/2 hardwood) and only having the baseboards kicking in in the morning on the coldest windiest nights. Just installed a damper to help with control issues and I am seeing even more effective use of my wood.
Nice, I wanted to add a damper on my wood burning stove, but I’m unsure if I should
 
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GrumpyDad

Minister of Fire
Feb 23, 2022
1,092
Champion, PA
Why does it seem like the people that has a pre epa wood burning stove, don’t like the new epa wood burning stoves. Is it because they don’t want to season their wood? Is it because they’re stuck in their ways ? Is it because it’s a learning curve.. what’s your input on this ?
I remember renting a cabin with a modified oil drum stove. We tossed wood in there all night trying to get that place warm. That heat just whoosed up the stove pipe so fast. I was non stop splitting bigger pieces and tossing them in to get good flames and heat out of this thing. What a pig.
 

bholler

Chimney sweep
Staff member
Jan 14, 2014
31,958
central pa
I remember renting a cabin with a modified oil drum stove. We tossed wood in there all night trying to get that place warm. That heat just whoosed up the stove pipe so fast. I was non stop splitting bigger pieces and tossing them in to get good flames and heat out of this thing. What a pig.
Also probably wet wood right? Even on a primitive stove like that dry wood matters
 

EatenByLimestone

Moderator
Staff member
I did that with an open fireplace in an uninsulated cabin. It was a cold morning when we woke up, lol.
 

NickW

Minister of Fire
Oct 16, 2019
1,009
SE WI
Nice, I wanted to add a damper on my wood burning stove, but I’m unsure if I should
I wasn't having "healthy" fires on full loads. I had to shut the air all the way down and run on secondaries only for over an hour sometimes 2, then open it up a little. I have 24' total flue height so it was sucking hard. Damper adds one more variable that I am still working on perfecting, but I can see the difference and I'm getting better.

The damper for mine is integral in the stove adapter. Pulled out the old one without, put in the new one with, adjusted the telescoping section because the new one was 2" taller... Same manufacturer and line.
 

bholler

Chimney sweep
Staff member
Jan 14, 2014
31,958
central pa
I wasn't having "healthy" fires on full loads. I had to shut the air all the way down and run on secondaries only for over an hour sometimes 2, then open it up a little. I have 24' total flue height so it was sucking hard. Damper adds one more variable that I am still working on perfecting, but I can see the difference and I'm getting better.

The damper for mine is integral in the stove adapter. Pulled out the old one without, put in the new one with, adjusted the telescoping section because the new one was 2" taller... Same manufacturer and line.
What was wrong with shutting it all the way?
 

Itslay90

Member
Dec 16, 2022
196
Upstate,NY
I wasn't having "healthy" fires on full loads. I had to shut the air all the way down and run on secondaries only for over an hour sometimes 2, then open it up a little. I have 24' total flue height so it was sucking hard. Damper adds one more variable that I am still working on perfecting, but I can see the difference and I'm getting better.

The damper for mine is integral in the stove adapter. Pulled out the old one without, put in the new one with, adjusted the telescoping section because the new one was 2" taller... Same manufacturer and line.
Do you think I will need one ? My chimney is 15’
 

NickW

Minister of Fire
Oct 16, 2019
1,009
SE WI
I'd lose draft overnight and have charcoal, few coals, and smoked glass if I left it shut all the way. Flue temps on a full load were getting higher than I'd like (over 900). Didn't want to have to keep starting the overnight fire so early to give so much time to settle down and open up a little. Wasn't holding the heat overnight. Stt was typically 200-250 degrees below flue temp. Shutting all the way I had no primary's, but just the slightest bit open was running too hot.

Now I can keep the flue in the 700-750 range and have 600-650 stt and the heat from the coals in the morning actually gives me usable heat yet.
 

bholler

Chimney sweep
Staff member
Jan 14, 2014
31,958
central pa
I'd lose draft overnight and have charcoal, no coals, and smoked glass if I left it shut all the way. Flue temps on a full load were getting higher than I'd like (over 900). Didn't want to have to keep starting the overnight fire so early to give so much time to settle down and open up a little. Wasn't holding the heat overnight. Stt was typically 200-250 degrees below flue temp.

Now I can keep the flue in the 700-750 range and have 600-650 stt and the heat from the coals in the morning actually gives me usable heat yet.
Ok those are definitely good reasons. I just don't understand why you had to open it up a bit. It's very odd.
 

NickW

Minister of Fire
Oct 16, 2019
1,009
SE WI
Ok those are definitely good reasons. I just don't understand why you had to open it up a bit. It's very odd.
I go up 42", then horizontal 42" (slightly pitched), then up 20'. My assumption is it would get up to temperature and be drafting too hard; then as it cooled the horizontal run at some point would inhibit the draft and it wouldn't pull enough air through the air wash and secondary tubes to keep the coals going.
 

bholler

Chimney sweep
Staff member
Jan 14, 2014
31,958
central pa
I go up 42", then horizontal 42" (slightly pitched), then up 20'. My assumption is it would get up to temperature and be drafting too hard; then as it cooled the horizontal run at some point would inhibit the draft and it wouldn't pull enough air through the air wash and secondary tubes to keep the coals going.
Maybe. But regardless it works now which is what matters
 
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kennyp2339

Minister of Fire
Feb 16, 2014
6,924
07462
I think back in 2021 I was getting sucked into the "my pre-epa heated better then my new 2020 stove" camp, I seriously was thinking about biting the bullet and finding an old fisher and swapping my stove out to see if the saying held true. That was until a friend who had an injury ran out of wood, I hooked him up with a load that would have lasted my 6 weeks no problem, it lasted him 3 weeks... made my call to stick with technology biased off of that.
 

Itslay90

Member
Dec 16, 2022
196
Upstate,NY
I think back in 2021 I was getting sucked into the "my pre-epa heated better then my new 2020 stove" camp, I seriously was thinking about biting the bullet and finding an old fisher and swapping my stove out to see if the saying held true. That was until a friend who had an injury ran out of wood, I hooked him up with a load that would have lasted my 6 weeks no problem, it lasted him 3 weeks... made my call to stick with technology biased off of that.
How do you like your stove now?