Still Researching... but I am thinking of Woodstock Absolute Steel

[joshuaboston]

Hey Guys,

Thank you very much for your responses and time.

My wire and I have finally saved enough to get a stove. I have a fireplace that is not usable and my place is about 1600 square feet.

I thought I could install a wood stove (have about 25% sticking into the fire place and 75% sticking out of the fire place) in my fireplace.

After doing a lot of research (my number one priority is to have as low emissions as possible), I think I want the Absolute Steel from Woodstock.

I live in Ashland, MA.

OK... here are some of my questions.

I spoke to the people at woodstock and they told me to take pictures to see if it is possible to install a wood stove as I describe... so I my be jumping the gun with this post. I am going to assume it is possible.

MY WIFE... is very concerned about the install. Woodstock does not install and is not affiliated with any installers. My chimney will need to be pipped out completely (I don't even think there is a liner right now!). I figure the pipe will need to be about 25' high.

OK, can any one recommend a wood stove installer that can put in a proper piping/liner in my chimney?

And what do you guys think about my choice?

 

[begreen]

Search on your zipcode here for a certified sweep. Most will do the install including a proper insulated chimney liner.
www.csia.org

 

[weatherguy]

What's the size of your fireplace opening? That'll determine if you can put it in. I put a progress hybrid in my fireplace, opening is 29 x 40, it's about 25% inside and I get plenty of heat.

 

[joshuaboston]

What's the size of your fireplace opening? That'll determine if you can put it in. I put a progress hybrid in my fireplace, opening is 29 x 40, it's about 25% inside and I get plenty of heat.

I just did a quick measure... it is 29.5" in height...

It is pretty wide, did not measure but I am thinking about 40".

My height will be the factor limiting me to a stove.

I am looking for the most low emissions stove that can fit 29.5 in height.

I have about 1500 - 1800 square feet.

My first choice was woodstock, but I dont' think they will fit.

Andy suggestions?

 

[joshuaboston]

What's the size of your fireplace opening? That'll determine if you can put it in. I put a progress hybrid in my fireplace, opening is 29 x 40, it's about 25% inside and I get plenty of heat.

Your stove may work. But you have no ash pan... do you find this is an issue?

 

[yooper08]

It's simple enough to rake the coals, scoop out some ash into a bucket and call it good. That's how anyone with a fireplace insert has to do it since there is no room for an ash pan below.

According to their data, the height of an Absolute is 33.5", so it won't fit in your 29.5" opening. I think your only option if you want Woodstock is the Progress Hybrid w/o the ash pan.

 

[kennyp2339]

I don't recommend taking an expensive radiant stove and stuffing it into a fireplace, I get it works for some but a Woodstock doesn't have a blower to force the heat out, now if you can have the stove in front of the fireplace that's a different story, but if your planning on installing into a fireplace buy an insert.

 

[begreen]

A Jotul F55 with the short leg kit should also fit, but the Progress will burn cleaner. Measure twice. The Progress is listed at 28.5" with the short leg option. You might also consider a Blaze King Ashford or Sirocco 25 insert. They are very clean burning.

PS: how tall is the chimney?

 

[kellnoon]

We put an Ideal steel woodstock half in/half out of our fireplace - here's sideways pix It's been great for us and we have no problem heating our main and upstairs levels with this stove. We have a 35 foot chimney and my husband bought the liner and supplies to insulate it. Insulating the liner was easy, it was a lot harder to get 35 foot of pipe across our roof and down our chimney. We couldn't do it. I called around to a bunch of different chimney sweeps and couldn't find anyone that we could hire - either it was a bad time of year or because we wouldn't be buying the supplies from them it wasn't worth it for them. We looked into a man lift, but in the end we ended up getting a couple of friends that do roof work and had done their own liners to drop ours. One Sweep did call me back after we had finished the job, he would have dropped the liner, but I never got a quote. You can ask Woodstock about hiring someone to deliver your stove from the factory and show you how to work it in your home. We were able to do that and it was another piece of the puzzle that we didn't have to figure out - How to get the thing into our home!

 

[weatherguy]

Your stove may work. But you have no ash pan... do you find this is an issue?

I wish I had an ash pan but I do without.

 

[FeelTheBurn]

I've been trying to figure out if I could do something similar, replacing the existing VC Resolute in this picture with a BK or Woodstock Ideal Steel:



I'm not sure whether the recessed area where the VC currently sits is technically considered a fireplace, hearth, or alcove, or whether it's considered "combustible" (no idea what's behind the brick) from a clearance standpoint. It's about 12" deep x 33" wide, so an Ideal Steel would fit partly in there like the VC does (though more snugly and it would stick out farther). Woodstock says if it's an alcove, then it's a no go.

I think any of the BK 30 series would have to sit all the way in front of the recessed area, because their handle on the side wouldn't fit or at least be operable if stuffed back in there. That's one reason I'm leaning toward the Woodstock, though their absence of local dealers to do a pre-sales site inspection isn't helping.

 

[RadDad]

A Jotul F55 with the short leg kit should also fit, but the Progress will burn cleaner. Measure twice. The Progress is listed at 28.5" with the short leg option. You might also consider a Blaze King Ashford or Sirocco 25 insert. They are very clean burning.

PS: how tall is the chimney?

The F55 has a short leg kit? I am trying to upgrade to that stove in a masonry hearth but my opening is 301/4 and it recommends 301/2. This could be a game changer.

 

[begreen]

No short leg kit. I erred.
The Jøtul F 55 may be installed into a masonry fireplace with a minimum opening height of 30 1/2” (77.5 c m). NOTE: There is no short leg option. DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE THE LEGS.