BrotherBart said:
There goes my dream of duel 30's...
That would have been sweet having a 30 crammed in the fireplace in the kitchen.
woodstove inside fireplace?
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There goes my dream of duel 30's...
That would have been sweet having a 30 crammed in the fireplace in the kitchen.
BrowningBAR said:
Tried to get a shirt from VC?
Hell, I work here and Craig won't even give me a cap.
BrotherBart said:
I suppose I would have to buy a new VC product before I confront them about some free apparel.
BrowningBAR said:
you put 2 - 30's in I doubt that you'll need any shirts. Unless your trying to warm up a warehouse............LOL
jgilbert529 said:
This would be a viable option . . . then you wouldn't have to worry about power for an insert blower . . . and it would open up a lot of other stoves that might work for you . . . plus hearth pads can be built easily enough -- even for a total mechanical/construction idiot like me.
I would suggest taking a spin out at the nearest Home Depot, True Value Hardware, etc. and checking out the prices on The Englanders since price is an issue . . . there may be cheaper stoves out there, but if you're looking for bang for the buck and want superb customer service Englander gets high praise here by most users.
The other option is to look at used . . . but honestly, this is not a good time to look for used stoves in Maine -- most listings I've seen are either pretty high priced and/or junk that folks think are worth a lot more than they truly are worth.
As for wood . . . most folks here will tell you that having truly seasoned wood (i.e. cut, split and stacked for a year or so) is pretty important with EPA stoves . . . the trade off for the extra time required for seasoning the wood is more heat with less wood.
You also want to make sure that the chimney is good for a woodstove . . . having a sweep take a look at it would be an additional cost . . . but it beats losing a house to a fire.
(broken link removed to http://maine.craigslist.org/for/2588903257.html)
would somthing like this work? just buy a hearth pad to go under it?
we had someone inspect the chimney when we moved in two years ago and said it was fine for using the fireplace, looking up the liner it looks almost never used, but i would have someone take a look just to be sure.
my father in law has a 40+ acre wood lot in the bangor area that he said i could use, so now i just need a trailer, as my last one was stolen just a couple weeks ago.
would somthing like this work? just buy a hearth pad to go under it?
we had someone inspect the chimney when we moved in two years ago and said it was fine for using the fireplace, looking up the liner it looks almost never used, but i would have someone take a look just to be sure.
my father in law has a 40+ acre wood lot in the bangor area that he said i could use, so now i just need a trailer, as my last one was stolen just a couple weeks ago.
On the wood - when was it cut and stacked?
Pine seasons very fast. But it's a very wet wood freshly fallen, so unless it's had a few good solid months of seasoning I would question whether or not to use it this year.
Pine seasons very fast. But it's a very wet wood freshly fallen, so unless it's had a few good solid months of seasoning I would question whether or not to use it this year.
Also, are you handy at all with masonry?
I'm thinking 3 options:
1. If your budget is truly tight, tight, tight, then you want a STOVE and not an insert. They run cheaper normally and a stove will provide alot of heat without a blower. At the same time, it's vastly better if your stove is exposed. Could you potentially modify the fireplace area so that it's exposed? Brick and mortar are cheap, so I'm wondering if you are handy with masonry
....this would also allow you to go larger with the stove.
2. How long do you expect to live there and are you trying to vastly reduce overall heating costs or provide "zone heating" when you can crank down the furnace alot but heat a main living space substantially.
If you want zone heat and plan to live there for 5 years, I'd say get a harbor freight special (a cheap stove) and slap it in there. If you have a longer horizon than 5 years, spend a bit more. If you want a ton of heat, you can't modify the fireplace masonry, and you plan on living there a long time - find a way to expand your budget a bit - get a big stove in there (like the englander nc-30) - and run some good chimney pipe a swell
3. Wait until next year and build your budget up more while you let the wood season, if it's not yet seasoned.
I'm thinking 3 options:
1. If your budget is truly tight, tight, tight, then you want a STOVE and not an insert. They run cheaper normally and a stove will provide alot of heat without a blower. At the same time, it's vastly better if your stove is exposed. Could you potentially modify the fireplace area so that it's exposed? Brick and mortar are cheap, so I'm wondering if you are handy with masonry
....this would also allow you to go larger with the stove.2. How long do you expect to live there and are you trying to vastly reduce overall heating costs or provide "zone heating" when you can crank down the furnace alot but heat a main living space substantially.
If you want zone heat and plan to live there for 5 years, I'd say get a harbor freight special (a cheap stove) and slap it in there. If you have a longer horizon than 5 years, spend a bit more. If you want a ton of heat, you can't modify the fireplace masonry, and you plan on living there a long time - find a way to expand your budget a bit - get a big stove in there (like the englander nc-30) - and run some good chimney pipe a swell
3. Wait until next year and build your budget up more while you let the wood season, if it's not yet seasoned.
You should check into Northern Tool, they have some decent prices on a few inserts, especial if you have one close and don't have to pay shipping. I'm partial to the Century Heating insert and I think it will fit into your opening. To attach to the existing liner, you will have to use a 45 deg or some sort of extension. You might look at the specs and clearance requirements in the installation manual:
(broken link removed to http://www.century-heating.com/downloads.aspx?CategoId=7&Type=photo)
At Northern Tool for $749.99:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200442426_200442426
If you think it will work and have questions for me, I went through the installation of this insert last fall. Also, to clean you existing liner, you might look to save a few buck by using the "Soot Eater".
Good luck
(broken link removed to http://www.century-heating.com/downloads.aspx?CategoId=7&Type=photo)
At Northern Tool for $749.99:
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200442426_200442426
If you think it will work and have questions for me, I went through the installation of this insert last fall. Also, to clean you existing liner, you might look to save a few buck by using the "Soot Eater".
Good luck
i trees fell in early june if i remember correctly, i cut and split the wood and just finished about a month ago but the wood is stacked with oldest on one end and newest cut on the other. i have burned some in the fireplace to check it out and seems to burn ok with no water seeping out the ends. i cant say i have ever dealt with bricks so i dont think id trust myself changing the fireplace much, we hope to live here for atleast 5 years sense our youngest child just started kindergarden. i dont plan on heating the whole house with a woodstove but helping out the the redic oil price would be nice. i like the looks and price of that insert from northern tool, there is a store about 2 hours from my house so i may look into that.
Almost naything will burn in an open fireplace. It's got tons of air flow to it. When you get an EPA stove (as you'll be getting), it's gonna burn with a precision amount of air going to it and it's gonna burn hot. That means really dry. Sounds like you probably have 2-3 cords of good somewhat dry pine in there, which is probably the equivalent of 150 gallons of fuel oil for this winter.
Does the existing chimney have a LINER (a stainless steel round pipe) or just a tile/clay liner that is squarish/rectangleish inside the chimney?
How tall is the chimney? Is the chimney inside your house, or off the side of your house? Can you see the chimney from the outside of your house along the side of oyur house?
Does the existing chimney have a LINER (a stainless steel round pipe) or just a tile/clay liner that is squarish/rectangleish inside the chimney?
How tall is the chimney? Is the chimney inside your house, or off the side of your house? Can you see the chimney from the outside of your house along the side of oyur house?
it has a stainless steel 6" tube inside the brick chimney, i have been on the roof and it comes out the top, one for the fireplace and one for the furnace it seems. in the center of the house. its a pretty tall house, 10 ft ceilings, with 8 foot ceiling in the attic. so the liner must be 35? ft. the fireplace has glass doors with the adjustable holes at the bottom if that matters.
I learned the hard way last year how important it is for the wood to be dry enough. When I was getting started, I thought I had great wood that was plenty dry. I couldn't get my stove to heat up, couldn't maintain temperatures and nothing seemed to be working right. It was very frustrating, especially after investing a lot of money and effort installing my own insert and liner. And to make it worse, a friend was burning the exact same wood in his fireplace and said it was the best stuff he's had in a while. We cut & split it together.
But, after I got some good dry wood, everything was so much better. The house finally warmed up, fire burned longer, easier to maintain, etc... So I hope that pine you have has dried out enough to burn good!
But, after I got some good dry wood, everything was so much better. The house finally warmed up, fire burned longer, easier to maintain, etc... So I hope that pine you have has dried out enough to burn good!
jgilbert529 said:
WHERE?!? Sorry, you got me excited. But I don't see any stores close to here...
I am in almost the same situation. I am also looking for a stove to fit into a fireplace, which is around 28.5 inches high. The larger stoves I've found to fit are the Vermont Castings Defiant 2 in 1 (28.875 inches) and the Woodstock Progress (28.25 inches), but both are probably out of your price range. Maybe look for a used Defiant? I'm not sure of the dimensions on the older models though. Some stoves also offer a short leg kit, so something to keep an eye out for.
Sorry to say I wouldn't hold out a lot of hope for that pine . . . not if it was just split a month ago.
Pine split a month ago = not good enough.
Pine split in June/July and burned in october = passable if it was well stored in sun and wind/air movement
Pine split in June/July and burned in october = passable if it was well stored in sun and wind/air movement
This won't fit your budget, but you could do something like this guy did. And he did an excellent job!
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/62601/
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/62601/
i think the store was in westbrook, i just used google iv never been there.
most of the wood was split in late june and gets about 6 hours a day of sun, i cover it every time it rains. and yes i buy on road diesel, not by choice but because being a bartender i can afford $15 a day but not $300 at once for the minimum heating oil purchase. i hope to be doing better this winter and can afford to buy oil and burn some wood to help with the amount of oil i use. 100 gallons seems to last about 2 weeks in the cold months.
most of the wood was split in late june and gets about 6 hours a day of sun, i cover it every time it rains. and yes i buy on road diesel, not by choice but because being a bartender i can afford $15 a day but not $300 at once for the minimum heating oil purchase. i hope to be doing better this winter and can afford to buy oil and burn some wood to help with the amount of oil i use. 100 gallons seems to last about 2 weeks in the cold months.
off topic question, i cant seem to get my fireplace fire to burn without smoking inside the house. i took the glass door frame off and found insulation on both sides but not the top, i used tinfoil to try and seal the top but it seems to still smoke, it will burn with the vents open or closed but smokes either way, i cant see where the smoke is coming from, maybe there is a simple step i am forgetting.
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