Hello. I'm a former wood burner/poster here, but sold my house and stove many years ago. My newest house is a 2 story colonial that is 1550 sq ft(750 downstairs/800 up). 2x4 walls with 1970's insulation. I'm located about an hour north of Pittsburgh, so we see some nasty weather occasionally. The attic has been completely air sealed using spray foam and caulking, then insulated to R50+. The basement rim joist has also been sprayed with closed cell foam and supply side ductwork has been sealed. This made a pretty decent dent in fuel oil consumption from mid January on, but prices continue to sky rocket. Last year it cost me $1250 to fill my tank at the end of the season and this year it was $2000. It was definitely colder this year though. Unfortunately, it now seems like price increases are only going to continue, so I'm looking to install a free standing wood stove. As of now, this stove will only be run during the day cause we have kids who sleep with their doors closed. This will probably change as they get older.
The stove will be centrally located in the living room on the first floor. I should have no problem getting heat into the kitchen with a small fan on the floor. Heat should also flow easily up the stairs to the bedrooms(4 of them). The chimney will go out through the wall and up the side of the house. My intent as of now is to have it professionally installed.
Previously, I had an Enviro 1700 insert in the basement of my ranch house and it was great. That house also had a spray foamed attic, so it was incredibly tight. If Enviro still manufactured wood stoves, I'd probably go with the 1700 step top. Now I'm considering the Lopi Endeavor, PE Super or Summit, and the BK Princess. The thing that concerns me with the Princess is the low stack temps with an exterior chimney creating more creosote build up. I like the features of the Lopi(bypass and ash pan), the baffle design on the PE(although I'm not sure which size to go with), and the burn times and "Ronco, set it and forget it" nature of the Blaze King. This stove with also be operated by my wife and I feel like the easiest option for her is the Blaze King. As far as the PE's go, I'm wondering if the 2.0 firebox has enough power or should I go with the Summit. I could pull 12 hour burns out of the Enviro, which made life very easy.
Also, I have a few cords of 2 year old wood split stacked and covered already . I have many more bucked and getting ready to split in May after the garden goes in.
So, given my situation and brands I'm leaning towards, which stove do the more experienced burners here think would best suit my needs? I'll admit, I've always had a soft spot for the Super, but I'm weary about whether it will get the job done when the temps really drop.
The stove will be centrally located in the living room on the first floor. I should have no problem getting heat into the kitchen with a small fan on the floor. Heat should also flow easily up the stairs to the bedrooms(4 of them). The chimney will go out through the wall and up the side of the house. My intent as of now is to have it professionally installed.
Previously, I had an Enviro 1700 insert in the basement of my ranch house and it was great. That house also had a spray foamed attic, so it was incredibly tight. If Enviro still manufactured wood stoves, I'd probably go with the 1700 step top. Now I'm considering the Lopi Endeavor, PE Super or Summit, and the BK Princess. The thing that concerns me with the Princess is the low stack temps with an exterior chimney creating more creosote build up. I like the features of the Lopi(bypass and ash pan), the baffle design on the PE(although I'm not sure which size to go with), and the burn times and "Ronco, set it and forget it" nature of the Blaze King. This stove with also be operated by my wife and I feel like the easiest option for her is the Blaze King. As far as the PE's go, I'm wondering if the 2.0 firebox has enough power or should I go with the Summit. I could pull 12 hour burns out of the Enviro, which made life very easy.
Also, I have a few cords of 2 year old wood split stacked and covered already . I have many more bucked and getting ready to split in May after the garden goes in.
So, given my situation and brands I'm leaning towards, which stove do the more experienced burners here think would best suit my needs? I'll admit, I've always had a soft spot for the Super, but I'm weary about whether it will get the job done when the temps really drop.
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