I have been reading these forums for about a year, when my wife and I started looking at inserts. A lot of information, but I have been searching for the last couple days (instead of working) and did not see anything that will help me with my delimma...
I live in a fairly new house (built 2002) 2300 sq ft, with an open floor plan. My living room has an open fire place and the unfinished basement has a brick mantel / platform for a stove. One of the things that I loved about this house when looking, was the wood fireplace. Of course I burned as much wood as I could over the last winter, only to realize that I am wasting money on heating. So last winter my wife and I started shopping for an insert for the living room.
After looking at many dealers and on line, we fell in love with the Quad 4100i. But the cost of the stove and the cost of a SS liner was going to be about 4 grand (we estimate). So last winter, we suffered with an occasional fire in the fireplace, and I found that I could not enjoy a fire that much, knowing it was costing me money.
But last weekend, a neighbor down the street (who has a outside wood furnance) and I were at a party, having cold beers and talking about his wood furnance. I mentioned that I really wanted an insert. To which he said...I have one in my garage, you can have it for free. We walked (stumbled more like it) over to his place and I took a look at it. Of course I said I will take it and he dropped it off at my house yesterday.
Now I am at the point of do I fix up this older stove and put it in, or go with with the one that my wife and I prefer, the quad 4100i? Maybe you guys can help with trying to decide...
Here are the details that I know about the stove sitting next to my garage right now...
It is a Avalon 1196. Which I confirmed by calling the dealer, is the older Olympic stove.
A new glass is needed for the door (broken) cost around $100
The brass trim on the door is not in the best condition. Not sure if I can buff it out or replace. Replace is $200
New bricks...38 of them at $3 each.
New surround...Old one is not in the best condition...$150
New Blower...neighbor told me that I should get a new one....$250
Gasket for door...?
Overall, without a new door, I am looking at $500. With a new door...$700.
I talked to the dealer and he said to check the baffles to see how they are. But since the stove is older (about 10 years) he mentioned that they are probably welded in. If I could, I would look at replacing the baffles. If I cannot not, I am not sure what condition they are in. I will checking them this weekend.
If I go with fixing the old insert or buyin new, I still need the SS liner put in. I would do it myself, but my chimney is about 30 feet high and I do not have a ladder that big. So do I spend the money to fix the Avalon or suck it up and buy the quad?
A couple things to remember when replying...
Looks wise, both the wife and I love the looks of the quad. Hands down.
The stove is about 10 years old. Has much changed in stoves in the last 10 years?
I will be finishing up the basement in the next couple years and putting a stove down there for heat. I was planning on a free standing stove, but thought about putting the Avalon down there as well. But I think it would not look right having a insert sitting on an open platform.
So...do I drop just under a grand fixing up this old stove, or around 2 grand for the quad?
One other thing...my house is new and fairly tight. The Avalon does not have outside air, the quad does. I have read pages of debate on the outside air, and I am pretty sure that I want it. My current fireplace already has the outside air installed. And with the open fireplace, I saw a huge difference in using the outside air.
What to do?
I live in a fairly new house (built 2002) 2300 sq ft, with an open floor plan. My living room has an open fire place and the unfinished basement has a brick mantel / platform for a stove. One of the things that I loved about this house when looking, was the wood fireplace. Of course I burned as much wood as I could over the last winter, only to realize that I am wasting money on heating. So last winter my wife and I started shopping for an insert for the living room.
After looking at many dealers and on line, we fell in love with the Quad 4100i. But the cost of the stove and the cost of a SS liner was going to be about 4 grand (we estimate). So last winter, we suffered with an occasional fire in the fireplace, and I found that I could not enjoy a fire that much, knowing it was costing me money.
But last weekend, a neighbor down the street (who has a outside wood furnance) and I were at a party, having cold beers and talking about his wood furnance. I mentioned that I really wanted an insert. To which he said...I have one in my garage, you can have it for free. We walked (stumbled more like it) over to his place and I took a look at it. Of course I said I will take it and he dropped it off at my house yesterday.
Now I am at the point of do I fix up this older stove and put it in, or go with with the one that my wife and I prefer, the quad 4100i? Maybe you guys can help with trying to decide...
Here are the details that I know about the stove sitting next to my garage right now...
It is a Avalon 1196. Which I confirmed by calling the dealer, is the older Olympic stove.
A new glass is needed for the door (broken) cost around $100
The brass trim on the door is not in the best condition. Not sure if I can buff it out or replace. Replace is $200
New bricks...38 of them at $3 each.
New surround...Old one is not in the best condition...$150
New Blower...neighbor told me that I should get a new one....$250
Gasket for door...?
Overall, without a new door, I am looking at $500. With a new door...$700.
I talked to the dealer and he said to check the baffles to see how they are. But since the stove is older (about 10 years) he mentioned that they are probably welded in. If I could, I would look at replacing the baffles. If I cannot not, I am not sure what condition they are in. I will checking them this weekend.
If I go with fixing the old insert or buyin new, I still need the SS liner put in. I would do it myself, but my chimney is about 30 feet high and I do not have a ladder that big. So do I spend the money to fix the Avalon or suck it up and buy the quad?
A couple things to remember when replying...
Looks wise, both the wife and I love the looks of the quad. Hands down.
The stove is about 10 years old. Has much changed in stoves in the last 10 years?
I will be finishing up the basement in the next couple years and putting a stove down there for heat. I was planning on a free standing stove, but thought about putting the Avalon down there as well. But I think it would not look right having a insert sitting on an open platform.
So...do I drop just under a grand fixing up this old stove, or around 2 grand for the quad?
One other thing...my house is new and fairly tight. The Avalon does not have outside air, the quad does. I have read pages of debate on the outside air, and I am pretty sure that I want it. My current fireplace already has the outside air installed. And with the open fireplace, I saw a huge difference in using the outside air.
What to do?
