Would you buy this Hearthstone Homestead?

[tkuhe]

Noob here. Been watching and finally posting.
Anything i should ask or tell from these pics regarding the condition of this stove. It is a 2001. Two cracks on the sides. Any thoughts?

 

[tkuhe]

couple more pics

 

[begreen]

If the price is good, I'd consider it. You might ask how long the cracks have been there.

 

[tkuhe]

Owner is looking for $1250 which seems a little steep to me but that is why I am asking. I'll ask about the cracks. According to the Hearthstone website they say that the cracks aren't really an issue. Is that true?

"Most cracks that occur in soapstone are merely surface cracks on a natural vein line. The stone is 1.25 inches (3.2 cm) thick, and seldom cracks all the way through. Even if the stone does crack completely, it is rarely anything more than a cosmetic issue. It probably will not affect the use, safety or performance of your stove."

 

[begreen]

Call your local Hearthstone dealer and ask what a new Homestead is selling for. You may be surprised. If the cracks are old and the rest of the stove is in good shape, it's a good deal. Gingerly check the ceramic board over the burn tubes. If that is shot, maybe ask for a small break on the price.

 

[tkuhe]

Thanks BeGreen. My local shop has them new at $2500. I guess that is what I am getting at. I assume these should last a long time, so a stove that has been used every winter since 2001 should be fine, correct? Other than the cracks, is there anything else that I could ask that would give me an idea of its condition? Again, I appreciate any and all advice.

 

[begreen]

Check the ceramic board over the burn tubes. It may need replacing by now. Gaskets probably need replacing too. The secondary burn tubes looks good in the picture, but inspect for warping. If the ceramic board is shot, maybe offer $1K?

 

[btj1031]

The seller cleaned it all up to sell it, huh? Nice looking stove. Half price seems reasonable. I'd try $1,000.

 

[lazeedan]

As long as the stove meets your needs it's probably an ok deal. The crack on the right looks a little wide. I'd offer them no more than a grand.

 

[paulie]

Offer him $1K, he'll take it.....the cracks aren't a big deal they are probably surface cracks, which are normal, or at least very common in soapstone. I have the exact same stove and it heats well. I would get new gaskets just because they are cheep and if those tubes are in good shape, and the board over them, it's a good deal.

 

[Buck1200]

3 years on my Heritage and no cracks, but my father's H1 (bought new in '81) has a few doozies, which I attribute mostly to his not using a proper break-in fire at the beginning of the season. They don't leak though- I've checked several times. No worries- adds character, and these stoves don't "wear out".

You'll likely want to change the door gasket as was stated above.

 

[tkuhe]

So he said the cracks have been there at least two years. Sound ok? The one in the 7th pic is pretty large. Will that continue to grow?

 

[badger1968]

$1,000 seems right. I have enjoyed mine so far.

You might mention to the guy you are buying the stove from that his front clearance is ridiculously too short. I guess he doesn't need to get homeowner's insurance, or . . . didn't feel any obligation to report he installed his stove without regard to the owner's manual?! ;-P

 

[Buck1200]

Why don't you have him burn a load of wood for you. Light a match, or an incense stick next to the crack and see if smoke get's sucked in (check all the gaskets while you're there, smoke-in-hand, as it were). If it does, I would call Hearthstone to see what they recommend for patching compound. Offer a little less money and spackle the crack when you get it. If it leaks right in front of you he's likely to accept less than the asking price. Some of the cracks I've seen on my father's stove are through the stone and some are not. No telling really if it will spread.

 

[Todd]

Tell the guy he overfired it. The cast iron airwash plate has warpage and the cracks are probably caused from overfire too. I don't think it's worth $1000, maybe $800. I sold mine a couple years ago for $800 and it was in much better shape.

 

[tkuhe]

$1,000 seems right. I have enjoyed mine so far.

You might mention to the guy you are buying the stove from that his front clearance is ridiculously too short. I guess he doesn't need to get homeowner's insurance, or . . . didn't feel any obligation to report he installed his stove without regard to the owner's manual?! ;-P

I'm not sure I see what you mean there about the clearance. From the pic I would say his hearth is raised between 2"-9" above the floor so according to the manual he could add a hearth extension that measures 16" from the glass. I bet he had it pushed in much farther than what the picture shows.

 

[tkuhe]

Tell the guy he overfired it. The cast iron airwash plate has warpage and the cracks are probably caused from overfire too. I don't think it's worth $1000, maybe $800. I sold mine a couple years ago for $800 and it was in much better shape.

Ugh... Well that's not exactly what I was hoping to hear. I appreciate your honesty though.

 

[Buck1200]

Good call... I missed that warped plate. Definitely overfired.

 

[tkuhe]

So what does an "overfired" stove mean? I assume it was burned too hot for too long.
Will I face other issues down the road? Can it be repaired?

 

[Buck1200]

The cast iron baffle can be replaced, but now you have to wonder what condition the cement joints are in which seal the stones to each other and to the cast iron frame. If they're cracked then the stove won't be airtight any longer. I'd let this one go.

EDIT- "overfired" means that he put some nice dry wood in and left the damper open for a couple hours resulting in core temperatures which were far higher than they should have been. Normal combustion in a secondary air type stove peaks around 1200F. Cast iron can take something like (I know I'll be corrected for this) 1600-1800F before it begins to suffer.

 

[tkuhe]

You guys are awesome! Thank you very much for the help. This is exactly the kind of feedback I was hoping to get. I am going to let this one pass and continue my search. Thanks again.