Replace Oil Stove with Quada-Fire Yosemite?

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JulesinAK

Member
Nov 9, 2013
34
SE Alaska
We have an older monitor oil stove on the main floor of our home that we are looking to replace. The sf is about 900 on the second level. We have vaulted ceilings and the space is fairly open. We will be leaving another oil fed monitor on the lower level. We also have electric throughout the house. We only have one store that supplies stoves and they carry Quadra-Fire and Hearthstone. We looked today and the soapstone look really doesn't do much for us.
The Yosemite appeals more to us and has the size footprint we are looking for. The current slab for the monitor is 45" W X 37" deep. The stove would be set against a brick chimney that runs through the center of the house. The information sheet for the Yosemite shows minimum distance of the floor protection as 36 -3/4 from the back. Am I reading this correctly that we are ok with the 37" that we currently have?
It appears from other comments that this stove would be adequate for our needs. We have a dining table that sits about 4ft from the front of the monitor. I don't think we could go with any higher output stove or it maybe too much.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jules
 
The Yosemite is a pretty small stove with just a 1.5 cu ft firebox. You will be hard pressed to get any meaningful heat out of that stove beyond 5 to 6 hours. Thus, you will probably be freezing in the morning unless someone gets up at night and feeds it. Would it be an option to move the oil monitor from downstairs to replace the old one upstairs and then install a woodstove at the lower level? With that the woodstove could do most of the heating (if the warm air can travel upstairs) and you could go for a larger model that allows overnight burns. You will also love the fact that you don't have to carry the wood upstairs all the time. Do you have access to seasoned wood with a moisture content of less than 20%?

If you are not so convinced of the options available from that dealer you can also order quite a few models over the internet and have it installed by a certified chimney sweep. We can help you with the selection if you tell us more about your preferences.

In any case, please make sure the chimney gets a liner installed for the stove (probably 6 inch for most models) and does not share the flue with another appliance like the other oil monitor.
 
Wow. What a great response. You have given me quite a bit to think about. The monitor upstairs is a very unusual install. They are usually direct vent and the prior owner installed it in the middle of the house, venting up and existing chimney. The fuel lines for the heater run from the outside under the floor and to the monitor. We had someone come out to fix our lifter pump and were told the install may not meet code. He went so far as to say if anything happens to the stove they will not install a new one in the same place. The prior owner definitely had the monitor venting and the old wood stove stack running up the same chimney. We had the old wood stove removed from downstairs because it smoked so bad. We would really like to have a new wood stove upstairs because we use that space the most. I understand what you are saying about it not being able to heat all night. I was thinking maybe we could have our electric heat on a lower setting for night time. We are up at 5am and leaving by 630 so probably wouldn't want to build a fire before we leave in the mornings.
We live in a unique area so ordering a stove over the internet would be a bit more expensive. I would have to have it shipped to a barge company and then sent up.
I guess my biggest desire is to minimize the footprint on the floor depth wise due to the dining table. The dealer told us if the chimney is just a masonry/brick chimney, the stove could actually be pushed right up against it if the other clearances allowed it. Not sure what others think about this?? We do have an overhead ceiling fan that can change directions to either pull up or push down the air. I was thinking that could help move the heat around?
I really like the Isle Royale stove but that one requires a minimum of 39 1/4" depth.

Jules
 
I also just saw online that Hearthstone carries more than just the soapstone stoves. Looking at the Shelburne and it appears to be a smaller depth stove with more btu output than the Yosemite. This looks like a really nice stove and I bet my dealer could order one in.
 
1.5 cf is a bit marginal, but a lot depends on the insulation of the house and the winter climate. If the house is well insulated and the marine climate there is not too severe, then that stove may work. Seems to me that the local stove shop should be able to give you good advice since they live there too.

OTOH and if I read your situation right, most stoves (not all) only require ember protection for the floor, so it could be very easy and cheap to extend floor protection if you want a larger stove.

Oh, and welcome to the forum, Jules.
 
Thanks Sprinter. We are going to have someone from the stove shop come out and look at our situation. You are right; they live here too and should be able to recommend correct size. I really like the look of the Shelburne but the R value requirement for the hearth is now scaring me away. I don't think I want to get into a worrying about the weight situation on a second level. I think we are going to be looking at ember protection only.
Jules
 
I don't think I want to get into a worrying about the weight situation on a second level.
Yeah, that could be an important factor! A properly sized stove on the lower level has a good shot at doing the whole house pretty nicely.
 
If you want to stick with a stove on the upper level see if you can find a BlazeKing dealer nearby or ask your stoveshop if they can order one for you. The Chinook 20 or Sirocco 20 are smaller stoves with catalytic combustion that allow longer burn times and more even heat output: http://www.blazeking.com/EN/wood-stoves.html I am pretty sure you will be much more happy with one of those compared with the Yosemite. I think their hearth requirement is ember protection only.
 
I also just saw online that Hearthstone carries more than just the soapstone stoves. Looking at the Shelburne and it appears to be a smaller depth stove with more btu output than the Yosemite. This looks like a really nice stove and I bet my dealer could order one in.
I wouldn't worry about fitting the current hearth size, nor the weight. Usually the hearth can be extended to fit the new stove. The weight will be distributed over several sq. ft. You should aim at getting a stove that accomplishes the desired goals. Write them down. These can be items like I want:
  • an overnight or all-day burner
  • good looks
  • easy to operate
  • flexibility and good heat during a power outage
  • close clearances
  • N/S loading etc.
  • heats xxxx sq ft
  • ember only hearth, etc.
Come back with your list and we can be of better assistance. I suspect that you are going to want at least a 2cu ft. stove, but need more info.
 
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Ok. Reading most of the night and I have narrowed it down! Thanks for the info on the Blaze King. I don't think catalytic is what we want but I am very impressed with the low emissions. We have also decided that to get the best stove for us, we may have to find one in Seattle and put on a barge up here.
  • We don't really need an all night burner and do not want to leave a stove going when we are gone all day at work. We will set electric to keep temp about 60 when gone. Will also run the oil heater downstairs and leave door open to stairwell.
  • Looks are important and I am really drawn to the T4 and the Castine F400. Size is important also and think the T5 is just too deep.
  • Ease of operation is good also. We have two young teen boys and want them involved with more than just moving the wood pile!
  • Heat during a power outage is a big benefit as well.
  • Close clearance - yes! We want to back this up as close as possible to a masonry free-standing chimney.
  • Loading is not a huge factor but if it has a side door it must be a right side door.
  • The square footage is about 800-900 sq ft of open space. We don't usually heat the bedrooms and keep the doors closed to prevent our 2 year old "puppy" from going in and stealing everything that isn't bolted down. We run electric in there as necessary.
  • We plan on having a stone of some sort under the stove that will be flush with wood floor throughout the rest of the space.
  • I am not sure of the insulation situation. The space is very open with ceilings rising to about 15 ft. Ceiling fan that can change direction to air flow.
Whew! Sorry for the long post and I really appreciate the insight.
Jules
 
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Sounds like the Castine or T4 would do the job, but personally I recommend you reconsider the T5. I think you might come to very much appreciate it's extra depth. When we went from the Castine to the T6 it took us weeks to get used to the larger size. But looking back it was a great decision and now the stove looks pretty normal to us. The larger firebox gives us heating reserves for when it is really cold or when there is a power outage. It not only has more capacity, the bigger belly allows us to load N/S or E/W which gives us much more control over how the stove burns.
 
Ok. Reconsidering other possibilities. We also don't know how important it is to have a local dealer/service. I am not even sure if we have a certified chimney sweep here. If it is important, them I should still consider the Quadra-Fire options of the Cumberland Gap or Isle Royale.
If we get a larger stove than we really need, are we going to run into problems with not burning it hot enough and soot or creosote buildup?
 
So it sounds like it's going upstairs. From what you said about the monitor installation up there, it's probably a good idea to replace it anyway. And floor loading is a non-issue as others said. It's about the same as having three or four people standing around.

Do you know how many BTU/hr the monitor puts out and has it been adequate? That may help deciding on stove size.
 
Great question. The monitor puts out 40,000 and has been adequate. We don't keep it really hot and have no problem wearing a sweater or long sleeve over shirt. The monitor cycles on and off as it reaches temperature.
We really do want the stove upstairs so we can enjoy it where we are at most of the time.
Thanks,
Jules
 
Ok. Reconsidering other possibilities. We also don't know how important it is to have a local dealer/service. I am not even sure if we have a certified chimney sweep here. If it is important, them I should still consider the Quadra-Fire options of the Cumberland Gap or Isle Royale.
If we get a larger stove than we really need, are we going to run into problems with not burning it hot enough and soot or creosote buildup?

The Isle Royale is a different design stove and would be very serious overkill. I thought of the Cumberland Gap, but that is a larger stove than the T5. The BlazeKing Sirocco 20 would be a better fit as would a Hearthstone Shelburne or Woodstock Fireview.

With a slightly larger stove you don't try for 24/7 burning in milder weather. You build a smaller 3-4 split fire, let it get hot, then burn out and don't refeed the fire. In other words, you control how the stove is run and change burning routine depending on how cold it is outside. I said earlier that if you go with the Castine or T4 either will get the job done. If you choose either you won't be making a bad decision. Same goes for the Yosemite. My suggestion was that you consider the advantages of a slightly larger stove. Note that I am not talking a doubling of stove capacity, (from 1.5 to 3 cu ft) but an increase from 1.5 to about 2.0 cu ft for the greater convenience and flexibility in operation and having more reserve for very cold weather and power outages. Does that make sense?
 
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My suggestion was that you consider the advantages of a slightly larger stove. Note that I am not talking a doubling of stove capacity, (from 1.5 to 3 cu ft) but an increase from 1.5 to about 2.0 cu ft for the greater convenience and flexibility in operation and having more reserve for very cold weather and power outages. Does that make sense?
Begreen actually gave me the same advice early last year. I could have gotten away with a smaller stove, but my 2 cf Super27 has worked out well. In warmer weather I do make small but hot fires and the house keeps the heat. I also was concerned about the footprint size, but a few inches really didn't matter. In any case, it sounds like any of those options will work adequately. Do keep in mind that the BTU claims in the ads are usually maximum figures and you won't be typically burning at those rates, so you should probably look at stoves that put out at least 60,000 max rates roughly.
 
Begreen, thank you very much for your posts. What you are saying makes sense. I really appreciate you taking the time to post. I will hopefully be finding out more in the next few days about install codes, etc. for my location. That may make some changes for me based on what we find out.
Sprinter, thanks for the advice as well. I will be giving the T5 a very hard look as well.
I am hoping that what I learn from the installer coming out to our home will help me narrow down the choices.
I am so thankful for this forum!!
Jules
 
Ok. Reconsidering other possibilities. We also don't know how important it is to have a local dealer/service. I am not even sure if we have a certified chimney sweep here. If it is important, them I should still consider the Quadra-Fire options of the Cumberland Gap or Isle Royale.
If we get a larger stove than we really need, are we going to run into problems with not burning it hot enough and soot or creosote buildup?

For a certified sweep try this here: http://www.csia.org/search

Local installer is more important then stove shop IMHO. Parts can be ordered online. You just want to have someone local that you can call with problems.

When you have a larger stove you run smaller and less frequent fires to reduce the possibility of creosote. Dry wood also helps a lot! (How is your wood supply btw.?) I did mention a catalytic stove because you are trying to heat a not so large space and you will sit actually very close to the stove as I understand. A cat-stove can be more easily regulated for a low heat output that will not roast you when you are sitting just a few feet away. It is also not really more difficult to operate than a non-cat stove. Thus, I would definitively consider one in your situation. Besides BlazeKing, Buck would be another brand to look at (or Woodstock but you don't seem to like soapstone stoves). For a non-cat stove, the PE Super or T5 get some of the longest burn times for a medium size stove. I have the PE Super insert and like it a lot. Since you want a stove with tight clearances I remember an user here who recently installed a Lopi Endeavor for the same reasons. Maybe another stove you want to check out.
 
Thanks your Grisu for explaining further the potential cat benefits. I will need to check into that. I tried putting my zip in the csia site and it says none found:confused:. I am going to check with the local dealer and see if they know of someone.
Jules
 
I currently have the Yosemite in my 600 sq/ft A-Frame cabin and I used to have the Cumberland Gap in my 2000 sq/ft house. I like Quadrafires and they burn well. I can only get a 5-6 hour burn in my Yosemite and I don't like the small firebox. It does do a good job heating the small cabin. The Cumberland Gap firebox is tapered in the back and makes it difficult to load front to back. It will easily burn overnight if packed right and doesn't have any trouble heating all 2,000 sq/ft. I now own a PE T6 and I would buy another over the Quafrafire. It's a great stove with an even heat and a big square box. For a non-cat, PE does an exceptional job with there secondary burn assembly. The T5 would make a great stove for you. When you talk about an easy stove to operate, the PE stoves are going to be easier than the Quads. Hope this helps. Can't wait to hear what you buy.
 
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Well, I struck out on all 3 search engines. I have to say that the more I read about the Alderlea the more I am drawn to it. I am just not sure we can intall it ourselves and need to find out if we have anyone certified.
Mfetcho - Thank you for the info on the Quadra-fires. The real world experiences really help.
I am hoping the technician from the local store can come out this week.

Side note - I also want to say a big thank you to any veterans who are reading this this morning!!

Jules
 
I have to say that the more I read about the Alderlea the more I am drawn to it.
Well, if you do decide to go to that size stove, the T5 would be my first choice especially if you like the style.

Side note - I also want to say a big thank you to any veterans who are reading this this morning!!
Very nice touch.
 
Well, I struck out on all 3 search engines. I have to say that the more I read about the Alderlea the more I am drawn to it. I am just not sure we can intall it ourselves and need to find out if we have anyone certified.
I am hoping the technician from the local store can come out this week.

Side note - I also want to say a big thank you to any veterans who are reading this this morning!!

Jules

If I cannot convince you of a cat stove the T5 would be my next best suggestion. ;) Maybe ask the stove shop if they can order and install it for you. They will still make a profit and you will have peace of mind. Or open a new thread here with your specific location and ask other members if they know anyone in that area how can help. For specific questions regarding the stove you already found the best place to ask.
 
Odd, I just upgraded to Windows 8.1 and now I cannot post from that computer on the forum?
Anyway, thanks Grisu for the post. I don't think I can rule anything out yet. While I think a non-cat stove sounds like it would be more to our liking, our local shop does carry Blaze King.
Jules
 
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