Progress Hybrid thoughts and information wanted

[PSPS]

I'm new posting here, though I've been reading for a while. Lots of good information.
First some background, we had a VC Defiant for about 17 years. It was green enamel, and eventually enamel had lots of chips, etc. and I wanted to replace it - for looks only really, since it still worked well. We looked a several stoves, and wound up with a Hearthstone Heritage (2020 Truhybrid). Got that installed, and using this winter. It's too small to heat up the area, not to mention the house! Have found the Hearthstone specs posted for it, and the real specs are pretty different. We do have an old, drafty house with 9' ceilings. LOTS of windows in area where stove is (same place the Defiant was). With the record cold we've had this past week in La, it's not doing a lot of good - helps -but not really heats. Today's supposed to be the last day of this extreme cold, but it's still only 33 as I'm typing this midday. For reference, it wasn't doing what we wanted during our more normal winter weather.
As a result, we're looking into replacing that stove. I've looked at several, and lots of EPA specs now. Had come down to the PH or PE T6. However, since the new tax credit won't cover the T6, guess we're pretty much down to PH at this point since the tax credit would definitely help on cost.
Have read quite a bit on them, but would like some info, pro or con, from any users - especially if in similar type housing situations. Thanks for any input as it will all help.

 

[jetsam]

Any steel stove will probably be a real step up from a soapstone stove in terms of getting BTUs into the house.

If that's all you need, the new 32-NC is the 2021 flavor of the popular old 30-NC. Sells for around $1000 new, 3.5cf steel stove, easy to find, many happy owners.

Plenty of people like the PH too, though... you'll probably get an owner or three to comment if this stays on the front page long enough. (I'm helping!)

 

[PSPS]

Any steel stove will probably be a real step up from a soapstone stove in terms of getting BTUs into the house.

If that's all you need, the new 32-NC is the 2021 flavor of the popular old 30-NC. Sells for around $1000 new, 3.5cf steel stove, easy to find, many happy owners.

Plenty of people like the PH too, though... you'll probably get an owner or three to comment if this stays on the front page long enough. (I'm helping!)

Thanks for the bump, and the input. Hoping some PH owners will chime in. I think the Hearthstone would be ok, if we'd gotten a larger one.

 

[bigiron]

I'm also interested on the PH and planning to get a wood stove (our first) installed in the fall of this year. I have some questions below which might also be useful to the OP.

- with the 700+ lbs of weight, any special floor structure consideration needed if installing on a first floor with a basement underneath? We have 8x2 wood floor joists.

- what's the ideal rear clearance (w/ rear heat shield installed) so I'll have enough space to work on the stove in case of maintenance or parts replacement? I saw a thread in FHC where the air control have to be replaced because of a new design upgrade

- should I get the ash pan? I don't think I'll mind cleaning the ash through the firebox but this will be my first stove. Are there any cons on having the ash pan with respect to sealing, gasket maintenance, additional parts to break, etc.?

- our house is a ranch with 1200sqft first floor and 1000sqft semi-finished basement. House is drafty due to an old patio sliding door and some old windows. Stove will be installed in the living room and kitchen area which is around 600sqft, there's a hall way that goes to the bedrooms. Is the PH going to be too big for this house? I'm hoping it's not.

- how can I move hot air from the first floor to the basement? I know hot air will not move down to the basement even if we leave the door to the basement open, maybe install a bent hole on the floor and have a fan blowing to the basement, or the other way? The basement don't have heating but the temp doesn't go below 63F.

* this won't be our main heat source, my house have an Energy Kinetics gas boiler and Fujitsu mini-split (heat and cool), as long as it can make half the house warm and I can find a way to route the warm air to the basement, we'll be happy. And I just want to burn wood Been saving firewood for the last 3 yrs now and just burning them in my chimenea especially when it's snowing and cold outside.

thanks in advance,

--
bigiron

 

[Rearscreen]

I've owned about 10 stoves over my life, various types and different places including 2 hearthstones. Was forced into the Progress as it was the only stove that would fit in in this particular hearth. Previous stove in the previous house was the Hearthstone Mansfield that I had for 8 years and no problems whatsoever. So, the Progress went in to the new (to me) hearth replacing the F500. At the end of the season, the Progress burned half the wood that the F500, and the house was never as warm. This was an old leaky house, I did add an outside air intake to the install. When I bought a house in VT I dragged the stove with me again adding an outside air intake. I like the cooking feature. At 700 lbs the sheer mass keeps it warm overnight. Never do I have to relight in the morning, stir the coals throw in some sticks. One problem I've always had with stoves is the inevitable black soot that would collect on the glass even with air wash. After a few months with the Progress I couldn't figure out why the glass wasn't getting black. They use 2 panes insuring the inner piece gets super heated. A perfect stove? Nope. Best stove I have ever owned? Yup.

 

[chipsoflyin]

PH is probably too much stove for LA. Look at the BK Ashford for its ability to run low and slow.

 

[PSPS]

I'm also interested on the PH and planning to get a wood stove (our first) installed in the fall of this year. I have some questions below which might also be useful to the OP.

- with the 700+ lbs of weight, any special floor structure consideration needed if installing on a first floor with a basement underneath? We have 8x2 wood floor joists.

- what's the ideal rear clearance (w/ rear heat shield installed) so I'll have enough space to work on the stove in case of maintenance or parts replacement? I saw a thread in FHC where the air control have to be replaced because of a new design upgrade

- should I get the ash pan? I don't think I'll mind cleaning the ash through the firebox but this will be my first stove. Are there any cons on having the ash pan with respect to sealing, gasket maintenance, additional parts to break, etc.?

- our house is a ranch with 1200sqft first floor and 1000sqft semi-finished basement. House is drafty due to an old patio sliding door and some old windows. Stove will be installed in the living room and kitchen area which is around 600sqft, there's a hall way that goes to the bedrooms. Is the PH going to be too big for this house? I'm hoping it's not.

- how can I move hot air from the first floor to the basement? I know hot air will not move down to the basement even if we leave the door to the basement open, maybe install a bent hole on the floor and have a fan blowing to the basement, or the other way? The basement don't have heating but the temp doesn't go below 63F.

* this won't be our main heat source, my house have an Energy Kinetics gas boiler and Fujitsu mini-split (heat and cool), as long as it can make half the house warm and I can find a way to route the warm air to the basement, we'll be happy. And I just want to burn wood Been saving firewood for the last 3 yrs now and just burning them in my chimenea especially when it's snowing and cold outside.

thanks in advance,

--
bigiron

In response to some of your questions, from my POV:

-weight, might be a problem for you, but could you add additional support under the joists where the stove will be located? We do not have a basement, but house is on blocks. When we installed our Defiant, we put additional support under the joists where the stove is located. May add an additional 4x4 under them for an even heavier stove.

-according to their specs on web site, PH back clearance with no heat shield is 36". Heat shield reduces this to 7". We will get the heat shield, as we aren't quite out to the 36". Between those specs, where you need it for space behind it.

-can't answer any of the use questions on the ash pan, but I do plan to get it. Had one on Defiant, and greatly helps, IMO.

- moving air - we have a vent installed in ceiling near stove with a duct line and strong blower to another room. If PH provides a lot more heat, may put another in to bedroom. You might be able to do something similar for your basement. With the Mansfield, we keep a spare bedroom door closed off, as well as a kitchen door to rest of house. Hopefully with PH, we'll be able to open doors and move more air into other areas with fans and vents.

Hope this gives you some additional thoughts, and maybe we'll get more input from PH users.

 

[toddnic]

The Progress Hybrid is an awesome stove! We've used it since 2013 and heat our 2,400 sq. ft. ranch-style house with it. I typically have to reload it two times per day, morning and evening, if I am burning hardwood. If I am burning pine, poplar, or hemlock, I will only get around 7 hour burn times. It takes a little longer to warm up when the stove is cold due to the soapstone; however, it stays warm longer than a cast iron or steel stove. I burn approximately three cords of wood each year to heat our home which is much less than the old "smoke dragon." What other questions do you have?

 

[Chediski]

We just installed a 2020 Progress Hybrid with the new air intake. So far so good with the stove. The new air intake provides a nice range of adjustment. It is a heavy stove so plan accordingly for unloading and moving it into your home. We rolled the pallet on 1 inch pvc to get it into position then put four people lifting to get it on the hearth. It is a beautiful stove and as others have said, it may take a bit longer to get to temperature due to the soap stone mass, but once there it provides a nice long burn and extended warmth.

 

[PSPS]

Thank you to the PH owners that have given their info. It seems you're pleased with them. Is there any problem having smaller fires, when not as cold? We actually have fires going from around October until March, depending on when colder weather starts and ends. Pretty much use the wood stove for heat in large part of the house, so do keep it going most of the time once weather colder. Early and late in season, may just burn evening through morning.
Thanks-

 

[Rearscreen]

Smaller fires and don't engage the cat as it would be below temp to do that. The draw won't be as good so opening door may spill some smoke if not careful.

 

[rwh63]

how about a 17 year old vc defiant!

 

[toddnic]

Thank you to the PH owners that have given their info. It seems you're pleased with them. Is there any problem having smaller fires, when not as cold? We actually have fires going from around October until March, depending on when colder weather starts and ends. Pretty much use the wood stove for heat in large part of the house, so do keep it going most of the time once weather colder. Early and late in season, may just burn evening through morning.
Thanks-

PSPS, you can have a smaller fire in the PH without any issue. For instance, this morning it is 37 F with a forecasted high of 61 F. I started a fire using poplar (4 or 5 splits) which provides a hot fire but does not last long. It gets the PH up to temperature (around 350) and then burns out. The PH will stay warm for the morning until the outside temperature and sun keep the house warm. Very easy, doesn't use a lot of wood, and it doesn't overheat the house.

 

[PSPS]

PSPS, you can have a smaller fire in the PH without any issue. For instance, this morning it is 37 F with a forecasted high of 61 F. I started a fire using poplar (4 or 5 splits) which provides a hot fire but does not last long. It gets the PH up to temperature (around 350) and then burns out. The PH will stay warm for the morning until the outside temperature and sun keep the house warm. Very easy, doesn't use a lot of wood, and it doesn't overheat the house.

Thank you for that info. That's what we kind of thought, but did want to be sure since some have indicated it might not be possible.

 

[bigiron]

PSPS, you can have a smaller fire in the PH without any issue. For instance, this morning it is 37 F with a forecasted high of 61 F. I started a fire using poplar (4 or 5 splits) which provides a hot fire but does not last long. It gets the PH up to temperature (around 350) and then burns out. The PH will stay warm for the morning until the outside temperature and sun keep the house warm. Very easy, doesn't use a lot of wood, and it doesn't overheat the house.

Thanks for that info too. It makes a lot of sense but it's good to confirm from current owners.

 

[John Kuhn]

I'm new posting here, though I've been reading for a while. Lots of good information.
First some background, we had a VC Defiant for about 17 years. It was green enamel, and eventually enamel had lots of chips, etc. and I wanted to replace it - for looks only really, since it still worked well. We looked a several stoves, and wound up with a Hearthstone Heritage (2020 Truhybrid). Got that installed, and using this winter. It's too small to heat up the area, not to mention the house! Have found the Hearthstone specs posted for it, and the real specs are pretty different. We do have an old, drafty house with 9' ceilings. LOTS of windows in area where stove is (same place the Defiant was). With the record cold we've had this past week in La, it's not doing a lot of good - helps -but not really heats. Today's supposed to be the last day of this extreme cold, but it's still only 33 as I'm typing this midday. For reference, it wasn't doing what we wanted during our more normal winter weather.
As a result, we're looking into replacing that stove. I've looked at several, and lots of EPA specs now. Had come down to the PH or PE T6. However, since the new tax credit won't cover the T6, guess we're pretty much down to PH at this point since the tax credit would definitely help on cost.
Have read quite a bit on them, but would like some info, pro or con, from any users - especially if in similar type housing situations. Thanks for any input as it will all help.

We're in Wisconsin, but your experience has a lot of similarities to mine. We also used a VC Defiant for almost 20 years, and saw the enamel deteriorate over time. In a month or so, our Progress Hybrid will be three years old, and we're very happy with it. I think it's a beautiful stove, we use less wood now, often enjoy the fire show with the secondary burn, ash drawer is huge and convenient. The heat output is great, and lasts a long time even after the fire is out.
Our stove is probably oversized for our house as well, but the nice thing for us is that it's also able to (barely) keep up when it's -20F outside and cloudy. So in easier conditions like now, you can't burn 24/7. I just make a fire in the morning, get the house into the lower 70s, and let it burn out. Sometimes there are enough coals to restart the next morning, but often not when it didn't burn very long. You can prolong the burn time with slower output by putting in less wood at a time.
There are a few things I would like different on the stove, but nothing that would have affected my choice.
The catalyst with the small openings gets clogged with fly ash, noticeable when it doesn't seem to burn as aggressively. I can clean it in literally a couple of minutes with no tools because the catalyst is so easily accessible, but you have to be aware of it to do it.
I sometimes experience back puffing if the air control is set too low. Solution is to increase airflow, then it's fine.
It's hard to get a repeatable location for the airflow control because there are no markings or detents. I understand WS has an update for this, which I'll investigate when this year's burn season is done.
In continuous burn conditions, it builds up more coals than the old VC. Solution is to keep the coals moved to the front, and increase the airflow.
The small side door opening, and the fixed andirons make it hard to clean the glass, but fortunately the glass is self cleaning to a large extent.
I miss the warming shelves we had on the old stove, wish they would offer a kit for that.
Like I said, we love our stove, and in spite of the above nitpicks, would buy another, given the choice.

 

[PSPS]

We're in Wisconsin, but your experience has a lot of similarities to mine. We also used a VC Defiant for almost 20 years, and saw the enamel deteriorate over time. In a month or so, our Progress Hybrid will be three years old, and we're very happy with it. I think it's a beautiful stove, we use less wood now, often enjoy the fire show with the secondary burn, ash drawer is huge and convenient. The heat output is great, and lasts a long time even after the fire is out.
Our stove is probably oversized for our house as well, but the nice thing for us is that it's also able to (barely) keep up when it's -20F outside and cloudy. So in easier conditions like now, you can't burn 24/7. I just make a fire in the morning, get the house into the lower 70s, and let it burn out. Sometimes there are enough coals to restart the next morning, but often not when it didn't burn very long. You can prolong the burn time with slower output by putting in less wood at a time.
There are a few things I would like different on the stove, but nothing that would have affected my choice.
The catalyst with the small openings gets clogged with fly ash, noticeable when it doesn't seem to burn as aggressively. I can clean it in literally a couple of minutes with no tools because the catalyst is so easily accessible, but you have to be aware of it to do it.
I sometimes experience back puffing if the air control is set too low. Solution is to increase airflow, then it's fine.
It's hard to get a repeatable location for the airflow control because there are no markings or detents. I understand WS has an update for this, which I'll investigate when this year's burn season is done.
In continuous burn conditions, it builds up more coals than the old VC. Solution is to keep the coals moved to the front, and increase the airflow.
The small side door opening, and the fixed andirons make it hard to clean the glass, but fortunately the glass is self cleaning to a large extent.
I miss the warming shelves we had on the old stove, wish they would offer a kit for that.
Like I said, we love our stove, and in spite of the above nitpicks, would buy another, given the choice.

Thank you for that review - it really helps. Agree with you on the Defiant warming shelves - really miss them using this Heritage. I'm hoping having the cooktop on the PH will help for some of the things I miss.
The catalyst being in an easy to clean location is a real plus in our consideration of the PH. We've about decided that's the way to go, and especially after your additional user review.

 

[bigiron]

@PSPS
In case you haven't seen this thread, there are some nice installation pics of the Progress Hybrid. The good quality pics will make you want to order the stove NOW.

Progress Hybrid Install and Experience

Hello Everyone, I wanted to check in here now so I don't seem like a flake when I really need help in the coming months... My wife and I just bought an awesome house built somewhere between 1909 and 1920. It then went through several renovations up through the 40's including being raised and...

www.hearth.com

 

[WarmerWithWood]

I've owned about 10 stoves over my life, various types and different places including 2 hearthstones. Was forced into the Progress as it was the only stove that would fit in in this particular hearth. Previous stove in the previous house was the Hearthstone Mansfield that I had for 8 years and no problems whatsoever. So, the Progress went in to the new (to me) hearth replacing the F500. At the end of the season, the Progress burned half the wood that the F500, and the house was never as warm. This was an old leaky house, I did add an outside air intake to the install. When I bought a house in VT I dragged the stove with me again adding an outside air intake. I like the cooking feature. At 700 lbs the sheer mass keeps it warm overnight. Never do I have to relight in the morning, stir the coals throw in some sticks. One problem I've always had with stoves is the inevitable black soot that would collect on the glass even with air wash. After a few months with the Progress I couldn't figure out why the glass wasn't getting black. They use 2 panes insuring the inner piece gets super heated. A perfect stove? Nope. Best stove I have ever owned? Yup.

So great to read as my PH is in production now! After several stoves myself, I am so curious to try the newer woodburning technology versus - our old rip n'roar technique!