Wood stove recommendations

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MEngineer24

Burning Hunk
Dec 6, 2020
201
WV
I'm in the market for a free standing wood stove. I'm looking to heat part of my ranch style home (1800sq ft of it). I have an existing masonry chimney with a large fireplace opening. My desire is to sit the flue portion of the wood stove back into the firebox and have the front legs remain on the hearth. I will be relining the chimney with an insulated SS liner. I have looked at the Englander 30nc and the pleasant hearth 1800 sq ft model. I'm looking to stay under $1200 for the stove. Suggestions?
 
The 30NC is no longer sold. The 32NC has replaced it. If the stove fits that would be a good bet. Home Depot sells it for just over $1000. It will want at least a 15ft insulated liner.
 
The 30NC is no longer sold. The 32NC has replaced it. If the stove fits that would be a good bet. Home Depot sells it for just over $1000. It will want at least a 15ft insulated liner.
Thanks for the correction. I was just looking at it on their website. One question for you, is it possible to get legs for it rather than the pedestal?
 
It used to come with both, but I have only seen the 32-NC with the pedestal.
 
Apparently the only difference between the
30 and the 32 is that the 32 doesn't come with legs.
Too bad, because they make the stove look sooo much better.
 
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Apparently the only difference between the
30 and the 32 is that the 32 doesn't come with legs.
Too bad, because they make the stove look sooo much better.
Not the same stove. Looks like they added a 5th burn tube for example.
 
This has come up another time this fall. Has anyone contacted customer service to see if the 30 leg kit will fit the 32. Wouldn't be surprised. Hard to say what they would tell you. Guessing it may not have been tested with legs. May as well ask.

(broken link removed to https://heatredefined.com/collections/30-nc/products/ca-s14)

Technical Questions/Customer Service: (800-245-6489) (Fax: 434-929-4810) Parts orders only: (800-516-3636) Email: [email protected]
 
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That may change the hearth requirements which has gone from R=1.5 for the 30NC to R=1.0 for the 32NC
 
The 30NC is no longer sold. The 32NC has replaced it. If the stove fits that would be a good bet. Home Depot sells it for just over $1000. It will want at least a 15ft insulated liner.
No blower for this model any more, not a good idea to stick a fully radiant stove into a masonry hole, the op will not like the performance
Look into either the larger version of summers heat (still englander brand, sold in lowes home improvement stores) that has a blower, or drolet if the measurements allow it.
Theres also face book market place and craigslist, just be mindful to look up the stoves manual ahead of time and look at the flue requirements to make sure you get the right liner (insulated to)
 
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Maybe a Drolet or Century, both made by SBI. I put a Century FW3000 halfway into a large existing fireplace and the fan makes all the difference. With learning that first hand, I probably would have been just as happy with an insert because it really does need the fan to perform well and heat up the open floor plan.
 
Drolet HT3000. Giant heat with a blower. Quality and performance that's priced right. Do some research on Drolet. Good idea @kennyp2339
The Drolet HT3000 at 35 1/8" is much taller than the 30" 32-NC. The Drolet Baltic II comes in at 32 3/8".
 
Apparently the only difference between the
30 and the 32 is that the 32 doesn't come with legs.
Too bad, because they make the stove look sooo much better.
I agree. I'm not a huge pedestal fan but can put that aside for a quality stove with a proven track record. Just stinks though.
 
Maybe a Drolet or Century, both made by SBI. I put a Century FW3000 halfway into a large existing fireplace and the fan makes all the difference. With learning that first hand, I probably would have been just as happy with an insert because it really does need the fan to perform well and heat up the open floor plan.
I get your point. I have plans of adding an insulated block off plate where the fireplace damper used to be and adding insulation to the old firebox covered by painted Durock. At least that's my thoughts for now. I'm thinking it will reduce heat loss into the surrounding masonry and with having majority of the stove on the existing hearth should help. Thoughts?
 
Very, very little heat comes off the back because the stoves fire box rear is insulated with brick. And, their is the extra layer of metal covering on the stove back that traps air which is forced up by the fan. The sides of the stove are also insulated by firebricks. The sides do get hot though and I redirect that heat into the room with a piece of sheet metal on each side of the stove. Probably not mush gained with that to be honest. My stove is about 1/3 inside the fire box, 2/3 on the hearth, and the fireplace opening is 4 ft wide. Most of the heat is from the top, front window and with blower on.

Block off plate is must do.

Your idea of lining the inside the the fireplace is good mostly if the fireplace has walls that are exterior. Meaning, the fireplace walls are not in the middle of the house or surrounded by rooms.

Research inserts if you have not. When you mention insulating and durock the inside of the fireplace, makes me think insert. Again, if your fireplace wall(s) are exterior, it may be worth doing no matter what type of stove you install.

My fireplace walls are interior and I dont see a reason to insulate. In fact, the block off plate where the liner goes through it, then up into the chimney, gets hot. And the fireplace firebox is a little warm. So, maybe some of that heat goes back into the house or heats up the masonry a little and slowly retains and radiates heat into the house.

Every house is different. This is what works in my house with my stove install.
 
Very, very little heat comes off the back because the stoves fire box rear is insulated with brick. And, their is the extra layer of metal covering on the stove back that traps air which is forced up by the fan. The sides of the stove are also insulated by firebricks. The sides do get hot though and I redirect that heat into the room with a piece of sheet metal on each side of the stove. Probably not mush gained with that to be honest. My stove is about 1/3 inside the fire box, 2/3 on the hearth, and the fireplace opening is 4 ft wide. Most of the heat is from the top, front window and with blower on.

Block off plate is must do.

Your idea of lining the inside the the fireplace is good mostly if the fireplace has walls that are exterior. Meaning, the fireplace walls are not in the middle of the house or surrounded by rooms.

Research inserts if you have not. When you mention insulating and durock the inside of the fireplace, makes me think insert. Again, if your fireplace wall(s) are exterior, it may be worth doing no matter what type of stove you install.

My fireplace walls are interior and I dont see a reason to insulate. In fact, the block off plate where the liner goes through it, then up into the chimney, gets hot. And the fireplace firebox is a little warm. So, maybe some of that heat goes back into the house or heats up the masonry a little and slowly retains and radiates heat into the house.

Every house is different. This is what works in my house with my stove install.
I appreciate you sharing your experience. Yes I do have an exterior chimney and it is a big one for that matter. Huge thermal mass and the firebox is an old superior heatform. My thoughts is insulation will be a must either route I go (insert or freestanding). Have you ever considered constructing a block off plate directly behind the stove (ie. Wall behind stove) completely blocking off the old firebox? This has crossed my mind and I believe I could make it work with my future setup. My thoughts are that it would allow all the heat to stay in the living area and not be trapped in the firebox. It would have to accommodate the liner passing through it too. Thoughts?
 
Yes, thought about it but my stove is not that far inside the fireplace. And for reasons mentioned earlier probably not much to be gained. I also like the look of seeing the fireplace large opening around and behind the stove. I just measured and the stove sits inside the fireplace only 5 inches.

Another thing to consider, if you get an nc30 or a stove design like mine or the Pleasent Hearth...., the air exhaust from the blower fan may shoot up and into the top of the fireplace box and not into the room It depends on how far your stove is in the fireplace and the amount of head room, space above the stove, and the direction the fan blows. An insert blows forward so its a non issue. Some have made a top to redirect the fan air flow forward, not up, so the blower air clears the top of the fireplace box and goes into the room. I have a small piece of sheet metal that slightly redirects the air flow more forward to clear the fireplace top. But my stove is not very far into the firebox.

Here is one example but he made it for a different reason.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/your-nc30-needs-a-convection-deck.139491/




[Hearth.com] Wood stove recommendations
 

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