Hello. I was wondering if anyone can help me out with the quality of this stove model. They sell this one at Lowe's for 1099.00 and I was wondering if anyone has one that is happy with it. I just want to make sure I don't buy a poor quality stove just because the price is cheaper. I have a house that is only 1,000 square feet. Thanks for your help.
Summer's Heat 1500 sq Foot Pellet Stove
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Many, many people on this forum have that stove and are very happy with it. It's a good size for your sq. footage.
One idea to save $$ might to be to buy the same unit refurbished from the factory. Still has factory warranty, and it gets shipped to a local loading dock for free.....AND save yourself $300 to use toward exhaust system.
Many people on the forum have bought stoves from this company.....they are great to work with.
(broken link removed to http://www.amfmenergy.com/55trp10--epa-certified-pellet-stove--1555101501.html)
One idea to save $$ might to be to buy the same unit refurbished from the factory. Still has factory warranty, and it gets shipped to a local loading dock for free.....AND save yourself $300 to use toward exhaust system.
Many people on the forum have bought stoves from this company.....they are great to work with.
(broken link removed to http://www.amfmenergy.com/55trp10--epa-certified-pellet-stove--1555101501.html)
If you do buy it from Lowe's stop by the post office and get a 10% movers coupons. You can also order it online and get another ~5% off using a cashback site. Brings the price down $150.
The Other One
Member
The concern I have when looking at it is that there is no ash drawer. Seem like a mess, but if you don't mind cleaning out a wood stove, its not much different. Also there seem to be complaints on the Lowes web site about the auger jamming when fines get into it. You would have to be careful about letting the dust in the bag not enter the hopper.
I've had this stove for 3 winters. No problems with it.
The floor it is on is 1200 sq ft and the upstairs is another 600 and it heats both fine down to about 0-10 degrees. I have a cape and the heat flows well. YMMV.
I have never sifted fines and never had a jam. When it was new pellets would hang on the sides of the hopper but some sanding and aging has fixed that.
I got it off season clearance at Lowes for $600 and it is a steal at that price.
I shut down once every day to scoop the ash from the burn plate to the sides and clean under the burn plate - 5 min tops. Once every week I scoop the ash from the sides and vacuum it out-15 min tops.
Every ton I clean out the exhaust. Once per session I pull the two blowers and clean them.
In three years I have replaced the exhaust blowers gasket, door gaskets and burn pot gasket.
The floor it is on is 1200 sq ft and the upstairs is another 600 and it heats both fine down to about 0-10 degrees. I have a cape and the heat flows well. YMMV.
I have never sifted fines and never had a jam. When it was new pellets would hang on the sides of the hopper but some sanding and aging has fixed that.
I got it off season clearance at Lowes for $600 and it is a steal at that price.
I shut down once every day to scoop the ash from the burn plate to the sides and clean under the burn plate - 5 min tops. Once every week I scoop the ash from the sides and vacuum it out-15 min tops.
Every ton I clean out the exhaust. Once per session I pull the two blowers and clean them.
In three years I have replaced the exhaust blowers gasket, door gaskets and burn pot gasket.
i actually build that stove, feel free to PM me if you like or simply ask questions on your thread and i will answer them
Thaddius Wenderoth
Feeling the Heat
- Jan 21, 2013
- 249
I bought one this year (In my signature listed as 25-PDVC as it is the same stove). I love this thing. And as you can see Mike is here in the trenches supporting his product. My home is 1600sf and as you can see from my avatar (screen shot from my internet thermostat) It keeps my house plenty toasty! And to address your quality concern, the price is not in anyway indicative to the quality of this stove. In my (albeit short) experience with this stove it has been rock solid. I may be biased but I strongly recommend this stove. If you have any questions feel free to ask!
jimmieguns
Member
I 2nd THAT- great unit- I love it- Mike is here.. Customer service always there(reg biz hours) and VERY VERY helpful and like your FRIEND ! go for it- don't worry
btw got a GREAT DEAL on mine call AM/FM Energy--andy Mays in Virginia--free shipping i think
jimmieguns
Member
jimmieguns
Member
Great info- thank you- can you give me an email to ask you a few maintainence questions? thanks
8 yrs. with mine, only major problem was the control board went out, other than that it's been rock solid and heats my 1275 sq. foot house with ease,can't beat englanders cust. support either.
!I appreciate your help. I was wondering if you could help me out with ideas for a hearth pad. I'm thinking of building my own since I don't feel like spending 500 bucks. I was reading the manual and I only see a size recommendation for a hearth pad but no other specs like for R value or K value. How would you recommend making a hearth pad as far as materials to use that works with the specs for this stove? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
the stove in question does not have an "R" requirement for the floor protection, its essentially "ember protection" so a ceramic tile covering or similar would suffice for the floor protector provided it meets the clearances from the sides front and rear of the unit
Excellent. Thanks for getting back to me. So it doesn't matter if I use 2x4 as a sub structure and cover it with tile then? Some of these other guys building hearth pads are using all of these elaborate materials with steel frames and micore materials.
I was thinking of doing it simple with 2x4, then ply wood, cement board, and tile. You think that will be enough as long as the size is right?
right, in the cases where the "elaborate" materials are being used, its due to the model stove they intend to install and the requirement of that particular model of stove. for instqance the 13 series woodstove has an "R" requirement of 2, which would require these materials to fabricate with a reasonable amount of layering, your stove does not require the "R" factor so you simply need to use a material which can handle the weight as well as be of a non flammable substance.
Hi Mike, I received my pellet stove and built my hearth pad. I'm looking forward to installing it. I have another question I was wondering if you could help me out with. I noticed it mentions in the manual that the vent should be 4 feet away from any window. I have a small house and I don't think I have any spot on a wall anywhere where I would be a full 4 feet away. Where I want to install it I would be about 3 and a half feet away from my front window. Is this a serous restriction or does it not matter that much? Please let me know your thoughts.
if the vent cannot terminate more than 4 ft from the window simply stack the vent up higher to get the vent termination a foot above the top of the window
Hey Mike, one more question about the stove pipe installation. In the manual it says to screw the vent pipe adapter to the exhaust blower in the back. The vent kit directions don't say anything about that. Also, the blower exhaust pipe is pretty thick iron. Am I supposed to put screws through that exhaust pipe? Can you help me with this one?
the coupler on the stove is actually not iron its a "pot metal" of some sort, what you would want to do is predrill holes through the adapter section of vent pipe and the coupler with the pipe adapter mounted. drill through em both together, then run tech screws through the predrilled holes
And obviously, don't forget to silicone that appliance adapter to the stove exhaust very well.
nice catch imac, yes you want to seal it as well, glad you guys got my back when i get complacent
Mike, you 'da man....it's not often that many of us feel the need to add to any of your posts.nice catch imac, yes you want to seal it as well, glad you guys got my back when i get complacent
thanks man, honest truth though is you guys usually have things under control by the time i arrive on the thread, its actually comforting to see. kinda like having a whole "cyber staff" watching my back. i truly appreciate it
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