Installing a Wood Stove

I'm interested in keeping my oil bill down (as I'm sure most with oil heat are) by installing a wood stove.

I have a contractor friend who has agreed (to the relief of my wife) to put the hole in my living room wall and help with the chimney install.

My question is: does anyone know about good stoves? It doesn't have to be fancy - a 1000 sq. ft. stove should do fine. It seems they run about 500, 600, 700 up into the thousands of dollars. Of course I'd like to get a bargain but not garbage. Any names or features come to mind that I should be on the lookout for?

Also - the steel double insulated chimney is of great importance - same question... names/features I should go with?

Vermont Castings Defiant... Blow you out of the house.

One thing I know for sure is to make sure your double wall insulated pipe is rated "High Temp"...for wood and coal…

The double wall pipe used for furnaces and boilers etc. is not rated for wood or coal.... Canada has a high standard for insulated pipe, you can also save $$ if the pipe outside jacket comes in galvanized which is ok for inside protected from the weather….You will need stainless steel jacket for pipe exposed to the outside..

I burn lots of wood in Alaska. The next time I build I am going back to the clay flue….good luck

We use our wood stove almost exclusively. Spend as much money on a quality stove as you can. The heaiver the stove the more iron meaning it will last longer. Avoid the cheapos at Low*s and harbor freight, they are not built to last.

Also look at the EPA info for the stove, the more efficient you can afford the less wood you will need and less chimney cleaning.

If you are in a big city look on craigslist, sometimes you can find a good quality EPA certified stove cheap. You will also find a lot of 1980s junk that makes more smoke than heat.

As far as the chimney I like simpson duravent. Though any UL listed class A chimney is ok.

stove

Some wood stoves need triple wall pipe, not just double wall.

All wood stoves need triple wall (class A) when they go through the wall support box or ceiling thimble. You then need to run class A to the top.

Single wall or double wall black pipe can only be used from the stove to the thimble/support box.

I agree don't skimp on the stove. I had a Vermont Castings with the top loading feature and the catalytic converter on the back that I used for 7 years, and I got a good resale when I sold it before I moved. It would burn all night on low because you could fill it up to the top, and it fed itself by gravity.

The biggest problem with wood is getting fuel to feed it. In spite of using many different sources advertising "seasoned" wood it never was. You have to buy it in the early spring, stack it covered with open sides, to use the next fall and winter. Tarps don't work well in humid climates like we have here in the east.

The second problem is keeping the chimney and house clean. The catalytic converter greatly reduced creosote but it's still an annual event. If you have a vent that goes horizontal out the wall to a tee then straight up you have a huge advantage because you can take the bottom cap off and clean out the ash from there. The wood generates a lot of dust and crud just by moving it through the house.

I built a cabin three years ago and opted for a VC stove, direct vent using propane. Much easier, much, much cleaner, and now my wife is so spolied she won't let me crank up the VC stove burning wood at home.

I would shy away from vermont castings. From my understanding they used to be a great company with a very good product. They have been bough and sold numerous times in the last few years and quality has fallen shaprly.

For info on woodstoves check out hearth.com.

The last VC I bought 3 years ago was comparable to the first one I bought 18 or 19 years ago. It was also $300 less than the comparable Jotul. Shop and compare.

I'm considering the Englander 13 NC and the Vogelzang TR 001. Any thoughts?

Thanks

I'd go with a Jotul, had several, great stoves. I heat with wood, oil backup.

Pellet stoves are also an option. Hopper fed, some with self-ignition and thermostatically controlled feed. Cleaner to cart the fuel - less chance of bugs, too. Can be dusty, but don't have to worry about drying it (but must be KEPT dry).

Thanks for the suggestions.

Sove Prices

While shopping for a wood stove I've found that the prices seem to fall into 2 groups. Some are priced around $600 to $800 while others of the same size are well over $1,000. Anyone have an idea as to why?

I bought a soapstone wood stove years ago
Best stove I have had, it came with me to the new house
It's almost a piece of art
I built a brick passive heating wall that also helped
The hats were removed for heating season

http://www.woodstove.com/pages/wood_stove_fireview.html

Currently on sale (ends in a few days March 31st) & a 30% tax credit

Thanks for the reply Dave

I just got an estimate for installing a Vogelzang TR001 in my one floor home with an attic. Cost including the stove, hearth pad for under stove, pipe, and tax is $3003. Does this sound reasonable?

I want to build a wall protector shield around my wood burning stove. I’m considering using metal back splash. The material I’m considering is called Fascade 18 In. x 24 In. Traditional 4 Cross Hatch Silver Panel Backsplash. It’s available from Home Depot. I tried to insert a link but was not able. This back splash metal will be mounted on tile backer board. It seems to me that this would make a good heat shield to place around the stove. But I have one question. Since metal is a good conductor of heat is that a problem?