Recommendations?

[Kwolt]

I know how you guys like making recommendations and there’s no better place to get them so here goes.
We’ve been heating with an old VC Resolute for almost 40 years. It is perfect for our house but my wife has gotten fed up with the puffing. For those of you who are not familiar with this phenomenon it occurs when burning in the horizontal mode and unburned gasses suddenly ignite resulting in a small “explosion” which forces smoke into the room. Although I can minimize this occurrence it can still happen and I guess I don’t blame her.
As I said, the Resolute is perfect for our house. The owners manual says it can put out 40,000 btu/hr and heat 7000 cu ft. Our house is 1152 sq ft, 8000 cu ft. We live in southern Maine and only on the very coldest days do we push the stove to its maximum heat output and it does just fine.
We’re looking to replace it. Soapstone would be nice but not necessary. We cook on our stove so we need a top surface area at least 10” wide, I would prefer metal but as long as we could cook on soapstone I would be okay with that. It should load from the front or top. I really want to stay as close as possible to the Resolute’s specs regarding heat output and heating area. I don’t want to have to open windows to be comfortable.
Pacific Energy is not an option.
What say you?

 

[EatenByLimestone]

8” flue?

 

[Kwolt]

6”

 

[Todd]

Jotul F445 or F500

 

[begreen]

Tell us more about the flue setup. How is the stove vented? In some cases, puffback can be more of a draft issue than the stove.

For recommendation, I suggest the Alderlea T5. The swing away trivet top is great for cooking and it's not draft fussy.

 

[stoveliker]

What is the reason for PE not being an option?

 

[Kwolt]

Tell us more about the flue setup. How is the stove vented? In some cases, puffback can be more of a draft issue than the stove.

For recommendation, I suggest the Alderlea T5. The swing away trivet top is great for cooking and it's not draft fussy.

15’ Supaflue chimney that will suck a burning piece of newspaper right up the chimney. Draft isn’t a problem. The only time draft is weak is if it’s like 60 degrees out and we’re just trying to take the chill off. Otherwise it’s like a jet engine.

 

[Kwolt]

What is the reason for PE not being an option?

For the purpose of this thread let’s just say bad experience and leave it at that.

 

[Kwolt]

Jotul F445 or F500

I looked at the F445 and it seems like it might be more stove than we’re looking for. The F35, however, seems to be more comparable to the Resolute. It takes 16” logs as opposed to 20” logs in the F445 and is rated for 1200 sq ft as opposed to 1600 for the F445. I think you got us pointed in the right direction anyway, thanks for the feedback.

 

[Kwolt]

Tell us more about the flue setup. How is the stove vented? In some cases, puffback can be more of a draft issue than the stove.

For recommendation, I suggest the Alderlea T5. The swing away trivet top is great for cooking and it's not draft fussy.

The Alderlea T5 looks like a great suggestion. I just can’t bring myself to do business with Pacific Energy again.

 

[Todd]

I looked at the F445 and it seems like it might be more stove than we’re looking for. The F35, however, seems to be more comparable to the Resolute. It takes 16” logs as opposed to 20” logs in the F445 and is rated for 1200 sq ft as opposed to 1600 for the F445. I think you got us pointed in the right direction anyway, thanks for the feedback.

I forgot about the F35. I had the F45 a couple years ago and it was a fine stove. Non cat easy breather and easy to operate. Maybe tour the Jotul factory there in Maine?

 

[EbS-P]

I’d only look at Pacific Energy or Woodstock. PE T5 would be about right. If you want cheaper I am Happy with my Drolet. Don’t go smaller than 2.0 cu. Ft. Otherwise you will be reloading in thr middle of the night.

 

[Bigd187213]

I looked at the F445 and it seems like it might be more stove than we’re looking for. The F35, however, seems to be more comparable to the Resolute. It takes 16” logs as opposed to 20” logs in the F445 and is rated for 1200 sq ft as opposed to 1600 for the F445. I think you got us pointed in the right direction anyway, thanks for the feedback.

I agree with the Jotul F445. I have sold quite a few of these at our store, and the customers love them in their home.

 

[Bigd187213]

I forgot about the F35. I had the F45 a couple years ago and it was a fine stove. Non cat easy breather and easy to operate. Maybe tour the Jotul factory there in Maine?

F45 is a great little stove. We just sold the last 2 that we could get our hands on here in Michigan.

 

[Kwolt]

I forgot about the F35. I had the F45 a couple years ago and it was a fine stove. Non cat easy breather and easy to operate. Maybe tour the Jotul factory there in Maine?

I forgot about the F35. I had the F45 a couple years ago and it was a fine stove. Non cat easy breather and easy to operate. Maybe tour the Jotul factory there in Maine?

Funny you should say that. When I was dealing with PE the president of Jotul got wind of the situation and called me to find out what was going on. We had a great conversation and I was impressed with the corporate culture at Jotul which is why I would lean hard in that direction. There is also a Jotul dealer nearby that we’ve dealt with before so Jotul is a front runner right now.

 

[Kwolt]

I forgot about the F35. I had the F45 a couple years ago and it was a fine stove. Non cat easy breather and easy to operate. Maybe tour the Jotul factory there in Maine?

I just took a closer look at the F35 and it has a burn time of less than 7 hours so that’s not going to last the night.

 

[EbS-P]

Funny you should say that. When I was dealing with PE the president of Jotul got wind of the situation and called me to find out what was going on. We had a great conversation and I was impressed with the corporate culture at Jotul which is why I would lean hard in that direction. There is also a Jotul dealer nearby that we’ve dealt with before so Jotul is a front runner right now.

I’m not impressed with the new Jotul designs. I’m not impressed by my F400 burn time. See where this is going….. don’t get me wrong I love my Jotul. The T5 is a better stove for the 2+ cu ft range than Jotuls offerings.

Edit
No tax credit = no reason for the F445 or F500.

 

[Kwolt]

I agree with the Jotul F445. I have sold quite a few of these at our store, and the customers love them in their home.

You don’t think that would be too much stove for a 1200 sq ft house?

 

[stoveliker]

I do know that a burning piece of newspaper being sucked up is not really an indication of good draft. It merely shows there is no big obstruction.

I can do the newspaper trick with a 4 ft pipe which won't at all be enough draft for a modern stove

 

[EbS-P]

You don’t think that would be too much stove for a 1200 sq ft house?

Not if it’s in a more open area. But a lot depends on your insulation. Ideally you have a small mini split that you run down say 25 or 30 degrees. Then it would work pretty well as long at its not over drafting.

 

[Kwolt]

Not if it’s in a more open area. But a lot depends on your insulation. Ideally you have a small mini split that you run down say 25 or 30 degrees. Then it would work pretty well as long at its not over drafting.

The wood stove is our sole heat source. We have electric baseboard heat but we don’t use it.

 

[EbS-P]

The wood stove is our sole heat source. We have electric baseboard heat but we don’t use it.

I really love the heat pump wood stove combo. The AC is a bonus. Don’t count it out yet. Truthfully I’d go for a Drolet and put the difference towards a mini split.

I kinda depends where you are in the state and if you are buying firewood. My wife grew up near Sanford. We both went to UMaine Orono. We go back every summer. Her parents don’t have AC and every summer we say we’re not coming back until they do. The summers are getting hotter just in the 16 years we’ve been away.

 

[Todd]

If this is going to be your main source of heat definitely go bigger than the F35. There may still be some F45’s around if you look. I know there’s one in a stove shop near me in Hayward Wi. I was heating less than 1000 sq ft log cabin with mine. It burned just fine in mild weather with half loads. I almost jumped on the F445 because I wanted a more radiant stove with my open floor plan and high ceilings but I found a cheap Woodstock Fireview to rebuild and went that way. I’d recommend a Woodstock but I think they are going out of business.

 

[Kwolt]

I really love the heat pump wood stove combo. The AC is a bonus. Don’t count it out yet. Truthfully I’d go for a Drolet and put the difference towards a mini split.

I kinda depends where you are in the state and if you are buying firewood. My wife grew up near Sanford. We both went to UMaine Orono. We go back every summer. Her parents don’t have AC and every summer we say we’re not coming back until they do. The summers are getting hotter just in the 16 years we’ve been away.

Sorry but you’re getting way off the simplicity and economy of heating with wood.

 

[EbS-P]

simplicity

Then don’t buy anything with a catalytic combustor. Rules out the F445 and F500.