What’s best stove around 1500$ or less

[Nickkendall]

I am looking to add a wood stove in my attached garage it fairly large and has tall ceilings with an upstairs but I can shut off the upstairs
I have radiant heat and an electric boiler but it is a little undersized when it’s cold and I want to be able to use the stove to help when I’m gonna working in it or when it’s cold My I’m hoping to be around 1500$ I have heard the englander might be a good choice what are some of your suggestions?

 

[bholler]

I am looking to add a wood stove in my attached garage it fairly large and has tall ceilings with an upstairs but I can shut off the upstairs
I have radiant heat and an electric boiler but it is a little undersized when it’s cold and I want to be able to use the stove to help when I’m gonna working in it or when it’s cold My I’m hoping to be around 1500$ I have heard the englander might be a good choice what are some of your suggestions?

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Englander and drolet make good budget stoves. But be aware it is absolutely against code to install a solid fuel burner in a garage. Doing so could risk an insurance claim involving that stove to be denied. With a detached garage that risk may be worth it but I don't see how that risk makes sense with an attached garage.

 

[Nickkendall]

Englander and drolet make good budget stoves. But be aware it is absolutely against code to install a solid fuel burner in a garage. Doing so could risk an insurance claim involving that stove to be denied. With a detached garage that risk may be worth it but I don't see how that risk makes sense with an attached garage.

I ask my insurance agent and said new stove in my garage is no problem. My last insurance agent had one is his attached garage How is that any different then in a house?

 

[Nickkendall]

I ask my insurance agent and said new stove in my garage is no problem. My last insurance agent had one is his attached garage How is that any different then in a house?

What do you suggest for attached garage? Had living quarters upstairs also

 

[bholler]

I ask my insurance agent and said new stove in my garage is no problem. My last insurance agent had one is his attached garage How is that any different then in a house?

It is different because code clearly says solid fuel burners shall not be installed in any garage. If your insurance agent makes sure your policy has a waiver for that code violation you are safe. If they just tell you it will be fine that means absolutely nothing when adjusters and inspectors get involved after a claim. All that matters then is what your policy says.

 

[bholler]

What do you suggest for attached garage? Had living quarters upstairs also

A direct vent propane or natural gas heater.

 

[bholler]

I ask my insurance agent and said new stove in my garage is no problem. My last insurance agent had one is his attached garage How is that any different then in a house?

To be clear I do not agree with the code at all. But it is the code and we have to deal with that. I have a woodstove in one of my detached garages. But I won't put one in the woodshop or buisness shop because it isn't worth the risk to me. And absolutely won't put one in my garage right next to the house

 

[Nickkendall]

To be clear I do not agree with the code at all. But it is the code and we have to deal with that. I have a woodstove in one of my detached garages. But I won't put one in the woodshop or buisness shop because it isn't worth the risk to me. And absolutely won't put one in my garage right next to the house

well that puts me back where I started I don’t have access to natural gas and was trying to stay away from propane because it’s price could rise up like our fuel is

 

[bholler]

well that puts me back where I started I don’t have access to natural gas and was trying to stay away from propane because it’s price could rise up like our fuel is

Yeah I know I don't have access to ng either. So I am stuck with propane

 

[john26]

What do you suggest for attached garage? Had living quarters upstairs also

Outside ducted wood furnace might pick up a used one in that price range

 

[Nickkendall]

Yeah I know I don't have access to ng either. So I am stuck with propane

Talk to my agent again this morning and he assured me that I am allowed to have a wood stove in my garage as along as it’s professionally installed
I showed him this pic and he assured me I could do it

 

[qwee]

Maybe consider a mini split - they are getting cheaper and more efficient each year.

 

[bholler]

Talk to my agent again this morning and he assured me that I am allowed to have a wood stove in my garage as along as it’s professionally installed
I showed him this pic and he assured me I could do it

Make sure that is in writing. Because it is without question against code. Your agent is simply a salesman.

 

[Nickkendall]

maybe I will wait and see what propane does this summer I prefer propane but not if the price goes up which gas hear is going up 10 cents a week

 

[bholler]

maybe I will wait and see what propane does this summer I prefer propane but not if the price goes up which gas hear is going up 10 cents a week

There is allot of baseless paranoia when it comes to fuel costs. A wait and see approach is best.

 

[Nickkendall]

There is allot of baseless paranoia when it comes to fuel costs. A wait and see approach is best.

Where and what’s propane cost in your area I can get a tank for 100$ a year rental and 1.49 a gallon over 200 gallons in North Dakota
I looked at high efficiency condensing boiler and they start at 2000$ Which is as less then I would have in a wood stove and chimney

 

[Nickkendall]

Where and what’s propane cost in your area I can get a tank for 100$ a year rental and 1.49 a gallon over 200 gallons in North Dakota
I looked at high efficiency condensing boiler and they start at 2000$ Which is as less then I would have in a wood stove and chimney

With no work and no insurance issues to worry about no cutting splitting wood even though I don’t mind it

 

[bholler]

Where and what’s propane cost in your area I can get a tank for 100$ a year rental and 1.49 a gallon over 200 gallons in North Dakota
I looked at high efficiency condensing boiler and they start at 2000$ Which is as less then I would have in a wood stove and chimney

Pretty sure I paid just over $2 but no rental

 

[Nickkendall]

Pretty sure I paid just over $2 but no rental

Do you have a boiler or a suggestion in a kind? I have done some research and they all seem to act up and hit or miss reviews with the high efficiency ones. I have radiant floor heat with a 15 kw boiler currently but need bigger

 

[bholler]

Do you have a boiler or a suggestion in a kind? I have done some research and they all seem to act up and hit or miss reviews with the high efficiency ones. I have radiant floor heat with a 15 kw boiler currently but need bigger

I don't have a boiler no. And I am not a boiler guy.

 

[MR. GLO]

I ask my insurance agent and said new stove in my garage is no problem. My last insurance agent had one is his attached garage How is that any different then in a house?

If you pull a permit, professional install, and it passes inspection and you notify your agent on the questionnaire and by email and they renew your policy. I would be satisfied. I doubt your policy mentions anything about how a wood stove is to be installed in the home. But I can understand others concern. But talking with and agent is never enough. Proper notification to your agent and permits is key.

 

[ABMax24]

Do you have a boiler or a suggestion in a kind? I have done some research and they all seem to act up and hit or miss reviews with the high efficiency ones. I have radiant floor heat with a 15 kw boiler currently but need bigger

Navien makes decent boilers. I have one for hot water, 4 years with it and not a hiccup. They also make combi boilers for hotwater and heating purposes.

That being said for a garage I wouldn't be heating with radiant heat from a boiler at all. Way too slow response time, unless you are using it just to keep it from freezing.

I would recommend one of these, I have a 50,000 BTU unit and it heats my 18'x21' garage with 11' ceilings very quickly. When it's -40 outside my attached garage is up to room temp in 1.5hrs. I just leave the heater off except when I'm working in it, saves lots of energy that way. They also make 80,000btu and 125,000btu units for larger spaces.

(broken link removed to https://www.mrheater.com/50-000-btu-big-maxx-natural-gas-unit-heater-1336.html)

 

[bholler]

If you pull a permit, professional install, and it passes inspection and you notify your agent on the questionnaire and by email and they renew your policy. I would be satisfied. I doubt your policy mentions anything about how a wood stove is to be installed in the home. But I can understand others concern. But talking with and agent is never enough. Proper notification to your agent and permits is key.

Permits mean nothing read the fine print they assume no liability whatsoever for missed code violations or safety concerns. I have served as an expert in enough insurance claims to know what I am talking about here. Yes some companies will just pay others will not. It is all in the fine print of the policy. Making sure the policy specifically says the wood stove installed in the garage is covered is the only way to be sure you are covered.

 

[Nickkendall]

Navien makes decent boilers. I have one for hot water, 4 years with it and not a hiccup. They also make combi boilers for hotwater and heating purposes.

That being said for a garage I wouldn't be heating with radiant heat from a boiler at all. Way too slow response time, unless you are using it just to keep it from freezing.

I would recommend one of these, I have a 50,000 BTU unit and it heats my 18'x21' garage with 11' ceilings very quickly. When it's -40 outside my attached garage is up to room temp in 1.5hrs. I just leave the heater off except when I'm working in it, saves lots of energy that way. They also make 80,000btu and 125,000btu units for larger spaces.

(broken link removed to https://www.mrheater.com/50-000-btu-big-maxx-natural-gas-unit-heater-1336.html)

What navien do you have ? I have read decent reviews about them online I love my radiant floor heat in garage it’s so nice and warm work in. I just need to figure out how heat it going forward upgrade to propane boiler or keep electric and add wood stove
have no permits no inspection nothing where I’m located Leaning more and more propane every day Just gotta c what price of it does

 

[ABMax24]

What navien do you have ? I have read decent reviews about them online I love my radiant floor heat in garage it’s so nice and warm work in. I just need to figure out how heat it going forward upgrade to propane boiler or keep electric and add wood stove
have no permits no inspection nothing where I’m located Leaning more and more propane every day Just gotta c what price of it does

Mines the NPE-240A, it's a water heater only, but the NHB series of boilers are very similar to the internals of mine. You could also look at the combi series and use it for hot-water heating as well, assuming you're not already running an exchanger for hot water off your existing heating loop.

Whatever you do get a condensing boiler, that way you're keeping all the energy you pay for, in the middle of summer my Naviens exhaust is cooler than the outside air temp. The 55k BTU model would be equivalent to your 15kw boiler, but I see no reason to not go for a big one, they have a 15:1 turndown ratio, meaning even the NFB-H 200k BTU unit turns down as low as 30k BTU. But it really depends on much output you want and local pricing, the NHB series might still be the best bet.

If you're worried about propane cost is it an option to keep the electric boiler and add a propane along side? That way you have the option of selecting electric or propane based on current energy costs.