Stove recomendations

[basswidow]

I live in Northern NJ in a newer home that is about 3500 SF - not including the unfinished basement. We put down a deposit on a CB E-Classic, but were denied permits by our local township which is seeking to ban all OWB's. We live on 4 acres and the e-classic would have worked fine. Last year - we went over $ 5000 in propane. My monthly propane budge is $ 530. I need to heat with wood somehow.

We are now looking at inside wood stoves. We are looking to replace the flue in our existing zero clearance fireplace with a Class A chimney with a wall thimble. I am thinking of installing a 6 inch chimney - but wonder if I should go up to an eight? Since we are interested more in HEAT, we are hoping to go with a large woodstove.

So I am looking for recommendations about chimney size and recomended stoves. A contractor has my wife interested in the KOZY Heat Z42 - which is a zero clearance fireplace/woodstove. I am not convinced it will put out enough heat for us to go with out running the propane heaters. She likes that it's attractive and it will not be taking up space in the living room. It will look exactly like the heatalator that we have now. Which will eventually be a bonus for re-sale. We will probably need to move in 2-3 years for work.

My wife also - likes attractive stoves - Like a Jotul CB 600 in ivory or similar.

I am leaning toward a beast like a Quadrafire Steptop 5700 or Lopi Liberty. I really am not concerned so much with appearance - as I am heat. Nothing would make me happier then to get through this heating season on ONLY wood. Is there an attractive wood stove - that is also super high heat output?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[yukiginger]

Yes, I would go with a large stove. In addition to the two you mentioned I would look at the Hearthstone Mansfield and the Pacific Energy Alderlea as other good examples. There are more. Most stoves today have 6" flues as I understand it and this will dictate your chimney. Don't put the cart before the horse on this one - definitely nail down the stove before the chimney. You may have to rebuild your hearth, etc., to accomodate a stove.

At least your 4 acres can be used to process and store a good amount of firewood!

MarkG

 

[crazy_dan]

Englander 30
and the harder to get in your area PE summit.
and the T-6 from PE it is a cast iron summit.
all have 3+ cu. ft. fire boxes and both PE's are rated at 3,000 sq. ft. heating capacity the englander 2,200 sq ft
link to summit (broken link removed to http://www.pacificenergy.net/product_summit.php)
link to englander 30 http://www.englanderstoves.com/30-nc.html for the englander
link to the PE t-6 (broken link removed to http://www.pacificenergy.net/product_alderleaT6.php)

The Englander is used by many on here and they rave about it's heating capabilities.
The Summit heats my really old 1,500 sq ft farm house with little to no insulation, and does it very easily.

 

[webbie]

Be sure to stop in the boiler room and consider inside central heating - for a house of that size it might be the best thing - expensive, though!

In terms of woodstoves, some of the HearthStone units are big, big, big.....you are going to want something from 3.5 cubic feet firebox UP.

It may turn out to have a 6" flue - I think most or all of the Hearthstones do.

 

[basswidow]

Thanks - I'll look into those.

So - I should get the stove - before the chimney? I was hoping to get both going at the same time. The stoves are hard to find and there appears to be a month or more lag time. I was hoping to get the chimney installed and the stone work complete.

I have one dealer telling me I need a class A chimney and another saying I can use an insulated SS liner in my exiting chimney - which would be less work and expense. With the liner, harth pad and stove - I could be in business pronto.

 

[begreen]

I agree with Craig. The first thing I thought of was a gasifier boiler inside.

For attractive, the Jotul F600 is a nice stove and simple to operate. Show her a Quadrafire Isle Royale and the Pacific Energy Alderlea T6 while you are looking. All of these stoves use 6" pipe. But given that it will cost about $4500-5000 for a big stove + installation, I'd strongly consider going for the full indoor boiler route.

 

[fossil]

The piping size needs (ideally, and IAW manufacturer's recommendations) to match the appliance flue collar size...so if you go out & buy a bunch of 8" components and then decide on a stove with a 6" collar, you're gonna adapt a system together that's less than optimally assembled for the best performance. In my limited experience, I'm seeing nothing but 6" flue collars on the vast majority of modern stoves. Pick the appliance first, then go for the required appurtenances to match. Rick