I just cleaned out the Surdiac Gotha 513D. Disconnected the pipes leading to the chimney and cleaned them. Looked up the flue and it's as clean as a whistle. Opened the two heat exchanger clean outs and vac'd inside and out. There was a lot of ash build up inside near the air intake and heat exchanger. After replacing the cleanout gaskets ( 3ft at $.49 ea.) and front door gasket (5ft. at $.79 ft) it works like a champ. This little stove puts out 30- 44,000BTU's/hr and can heat up to 13,200 cu.ft. I found it on craigslist for $80 last year. The best $80 I've ever spent. It has heated my house all winter. Thanks to a lot of work and free wood. I heated the house (1760 sq. ft.) from 66f to 76f in a matter of two hours. It still needs glass for the fireview door and a new thermostat. I wish it was more designed for wood than coal. The longest I can go between re-loads is 4-5 hours. Top loading door and front loading door are really small. Has anyone tried to replace the little pieces of glass with one piece? I heard plate glass companies sometimes supply fireproof glass. Is this true? I need a piece 17 3/4" by 7 1/8". Any ideas?
At any rate, if more stoves were built with this kind of excellence in design and quality craftsmanship a lot of us would be happier. I was once told that Surdiacs were not very good stoves. This one was built December of 1980 in Belgium. I think a lot of stoves built long after that have failed to please their owners. So, in my eyes this one is a marvel of heating technology. Especially since I paid a measly $80 for it. Thank you Surdiac. Too bad your not in business anymore.
At any rate, if more stoves were built with this kind of excellence in design and quality craftsmanship a lot of us would be happier. I was once told that Surdiacs were not very good stoves. This one was built December of 1980 in Belgium. I think a lot of stoves built long after that have failed to please their owners. So, in my eyes this one is a marvel of heating technology. Especially since I paid a measly $80 for it. Thank you Surdiac. Too bad your not in business anymore.