replacing a 30 year old LOPI wood burning stove - but need some info first

[jp4120]

ok thanks for the tips.....i will give the painting/polishing a shot and let you know.

 

[begreen]

reconditioning isn't something i had considered, I would hate to just 'dump it' in a landfill so even if i got a new one i may keep it in the basement mancave for atmosphere.
Condition wise, Its got some light rusting on the 'roof', but the firebricks are all good, the door glass is not scratched but the brass around the door is tarnished so i would want a new door probably, and a new trim piece, also needs sanding and a paint job (I had painted the top about 10 years ago for similar rusting or paint bubbling reasons) i have attached a couple pics.

So far this is under $50 for paint, brass polish, and maybe a new door gasket if needed. Stove Brite Satin Black looks great on these old Lopis. Does it have burn tubes in it and if so, how do they look? Any sagging or cracking?

 

[jp4120]

no there are no burn tubes - just grey fire bricks- there is a small crack on one of the bricks on the bottom right but nothing loose so i will let that go......I guess i should contact lopi for an exact gasket fit or just buy generic and glue it on (i recall doing something like that 10 years back)

 

[begreen]

no there are no burn tubes - just grey fire bricks- there is a small crack on one of the bricks on the bottom right but nothing loose so i will let that go......I guess i should contact lopi for an exact gasket fit or just buy generic and glue it on (i recall doing something like that 10 years back)

Hmm, ok this sounds more like the predecessor to the Answer. I forget the model number It's not the most efficient stove. Fixed up it would still bring $3-400. I'd put that money toward a modern stove.

Moving this thread to the Classics.

 

[jp4120]

ok a bit of an update
we had our stove inspected and are hearing its not up to code - our liner doesn't go to the top of the chimney (it was installed 35 years ago) so it needs to be replaced before anyone will clean it (old school way of cleaning was to move the stove and now thats against code)
so....we are also probably guilty of deferring getting the chimney cleaned probably for4 to 5 years (not positive to be honest)

so estimates from a recommended local chimney repair company that also installs stoves is
- $2200 for new stainless steel liner, insulation , cleaning the terra cotta flu, installing a new regency i1500
-$3200 for the regency i1500 itself

to be safe we won't use the existing stove till liner is replaced because there is a possibility we deferred maintenance too long.

Any thoughts on the regency i1500 are welcome....its pricey but its peak burning season plus covid has jacked up prices a bit across the board. as you can see the regency has a faceplate that i guess eliminates the dirt/dust behind the stove.
( i have attached our current setup and the pic of the regency from the brochure.)

 

[avsmusic1]

Is the 1500 the only one that'll fit? Just the only one that particular company sells that'll fit?

I don't have my finger on the pulse of regency prices so please take this with a grain of salt, but that seems pricey for that stove (small and not particularly ornate)

 

[mellow]

At $3200 you might as well spend a bit extra and get a Blaze King insert.

Wood Inserts Archives - Blaze King

www.blazeking.com

Dealer in King of Prussia:

Wood Burning Fireplaces - Hearth Renovations - King of Prussia

Hearth Renovations sells wood burning fireplaces from our showroom; we also offer installation & repairs in Montgomery County, PA.

www.hearthrenovations.org

 

[bholler]

3200 is way high for a 1500

 

[jp4120]

now i am thinking probably better to get the liner replaced and get everything up to code - clean up the current Lopi and defer replacing it..the confusion over the cat converters and all the back and forth between manufacturers will take a while to sort out....this way i can use it soon and not worry about safety......maybe its better to just keep my old Lopi for now.

 

[mellow]

You can, but the price for woodstoves is not going to go down, rather they will continue to go up due to manufacturing costs. I would grab the tax credit while you can.

Not sure what confusion you are referencing?

 

[Treacherous]

I am still very pleased with the performance of my 10 year young Lopi Endeavor. I plan to use until it is no longer serviceable.

 

[jp4120]

any opinions on getting a wood stove with a catalytic converter or not?
I am thinking its a wearable part thats not worth it for a stove that gets used about 50 times a year but wanted an unbiased opinion.

also i had posted items about the regency 1500 for $3200 - i am going to wait and get another opinion - in mid feb i have an appt for an inspection with a chimney cleaning / stove install company handles multiple manufacturers not just Regency.

also any thoughts about just having an occasional fire until then? i don't want to be too risky but the last cleaning was probably 3 or 4 cords ago maybe 5 years.

 

[BKVP]

Remember the new Federal Tax credit can really help out on the new liner, stove etc.

 

[begreen]

I am still very pleased with the performance of my 10 year young Lopi Endeavor. I plan to use until it is no longer serviceable.

It's a great medium-sized workhorse.

 

[begreen]

also any thoughts about just having an occasional fire until then? i don't want to be too risky but the last cleaning was probably 3 or 4 cords ago maybe 5 years.

If the chimney has been inspected and cleaned and there is a block-off plate at the damper area, then yes it should be ok to burn a few fires.

 

[jp4120]

ok we are finally getting a 6 inch stainless liner installed tomorrow 23 feet up the chimney, new raincap, insulation wrap, insulation blanket to replace old damper insulation, clean the flu, remove and reattach the stove, $2400 even after negotiating a $179 cleaning at no charge...seems pricey but its a sellers market in this area - took 6 weeks to get this set up.
so for now we are keeping the old stove - and will clean it up a bit - will get some new stuff, Flitz and stove paint.
questions - what is recommended lube for a squeaky door - graphite or is there a better alternative, also the brass trim piece below the door is a bit loose to the touch in one spot but looks ok (see pic) should i do anything to reattach tighter or just leave it alone and clean it?

thanks in advance.

 

[BKVP]

ok we are finally getting a 6 inch stainless liner installed tomorrow 23 feet up the chimney, new raincap, insulation wrap, insulation blanket to replace old damper insulation, clean the flu, remove and reattach the stove, $2400 even after negotiating a $179 cleaning at no charge...seems pricey but its a sellers market in this area - took 6 weeks to get this set up.
so for now we are keeping the old stove - and will clean it up a bit - will get some new stuff, Flitz and stove paint.
questions - what is recommended lube for a squeaky door - graphite or is there a better alternative, also the brass trim piece below the door is a bit loose to the touch in one spot but looks ok (see pic) should i do anything to reattach tighter or just leave it alone and clean it?

thanks in advance.

Are they including a block off plate? It's a good idea to do this at the time of the liner install.

 

[bholler]

ok we are finally getting a 6 inch stainless liner installed tomorrow 23 feet up the chimney, new raincap, insulation wrap, insulation blanket to replace old damper insulation, clean the flu, remove and reattach the stove, $2400 even after negotiating a $179 cleaning at no charge...seems pricey but its a sellers market in this area - took 6 weeks to get this set up.
so for now we are keeping the old stove - and will clean it up a bit - will get some new stuff, Flitz and stove paint.
questions - what is recommended lube for a squeaky door - graphite or is there a better alternative, also the brass trim piece below the door is a bit loose to the touch in one spot but looks ok (see pic) should i do anything to reattach tighter or just leave it alone and clean it?

thanks in advance.

Doesn't sound expensive at all. It is actually on the cheap side.

I use anti seize on hinges and latches

 

[jp4120]

ok spent a little time (not much) on cleaning it up - sanded the top and sprayed top and front with black matte high heat rustoleum - chimney guys had some left over from the liner install, for the brass door, the new flitz polish i bought did virtually nothing, i searched on the internet and found a few tips so tried with success lemon juice and salt - applied with a plastic scrub sponge - spent around 20 minutes scrubbing it in.
Still needs a 2nd round plus i want to try something like vinegar and water for the brick stains but its not bad for less than an hour combined, here are a couple before/after pics

 

[jp4120]

ok spent a little time (not much) on cleaning it up - sanded the top and sprayed top and front with black matte high heat rustoleum - chimney guys had some left over from the liner install, for the brass door, the new flitz polish i bought did virtually nothing, i searched on the internet and found a few tips so tried with success lemon juice and salt - applied with a plastic scrub sponge - spent around 20 minutes scrubbing it in.
Still needs a 2nd round plus i want to try something like vinegar and water for the brick stains but its not bad for less than an hour combined, here are a couple before/after pics

 

[jp4120]

finished the rest of the brass cleaning with lemon/salt mixture - then after rinsing/drying used flitz which seemed to take off more discoloration. This is probably as good as its gonna get.....maybe i will do another coat of paint on top since there is some uneven dry marks on the right and some pitting and marks on the left from a cast iron pot we had used for keep the room more humid. (may brush on the next coat to see if it works better on the pitting) I also scrubbed the hearth bricks with a mix of baking soda and dishwashing liquid which did the job for the most part.

 

[Hoytman]

Time and money well spent.
Good on you for wanting to take your time researching newer inserts and not jumping too fast into a decision. You won’t regret the decision you made.

I don’t keep up with inserts like some of these other guys, but it might pay to see if there are any models available that will sit out further into your room, like half in and half out. That way you could get some radiant heat if the power goes out. Like I said, you will have to ask these guys about that as they may no linger be offered or recommended.

Certainly nothing wrong with a Regency, Blaze King, or another Lopi for that matter. These are all top of the line units.

Do yourself a favor, and me, and look up inside the firebox on that insert and double check there aren’t any secondary air tubes in the top of the fire box. Thanks.

 

[jp4120]

there are no air tubes that i can see - i assume they made this stove for a year or 2 without them in the mid 1980s - some pics from the top of the firebox attached.

 

[Hoytman]

Is your secondary hair coming from the air wash then?

 

[mellow]

Secondary? He has primary only on that insert.