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Post by danf on Sept 20, 2006 19:46:24 GMT -5
Lit the first fire tonight in ours.  It was a bit chilly this morning, and it's supposed to get as cold tonight. We've got an old Earthstove, and it needs to be replaced. It is our primary source of heat, supplemented only by electric baseboard in one bedroom and bathroom. Anyone have any reccomendations? I'd love to have an outdoor woodburner, but those are $$$$ and we'd need a new furnace to go along with it. Our furnace is 50+ years old and isn't worth fixing. Our house is somewhere in the neighborhood of 2000 square feet, with ~400-500 feet of that being an upstairs finished attic. I estimate that we burn (on average) between 22-28 ricks per year. |
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Post by hornharvester on Sept 20, 2006 20:33:23 GMT -5
Ive got one i burn only when it gets real cold. bought it at TSC several years ago. the rage now is a corn stove. they cost between 1400 - 4000 dollars and burn 50 lb or so a day. if you have access to cheap corn they are great.
multi-fuel pellet stoves are another choice.
TSC and Rural King have a pretty good selection of stoves. Another option would be to re-brick you Earth Stove. h.h.
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Post by danf on Sept 21, 2006 5:43:04 GMT -5
The firebrick is needing replaced, but more concerning to me is the cracks that have developed in the stove itself.
I have no access to cheap corn; firewood costs only the gas to get there and to cut and split it.
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Sept 21, 2006 5:57:41 GMT -5
Lit the first fire tonight in ours. It was a bit chilly this morning, and it's supposed to get as cold tonight. We've got an old Earthstove, and it needs to be replaced. It is our primary source of heat, supplemented only by electric baseboard in one bedroom and bathroom. Anyone have any reccomendations? I'd love to have an outdoor woodburner, but those are $$$$ and we'd need a new furnace to go along with it. Our furnace is 50+ years old and isn't worth fixing. Our house is somewhere in the neighborhood of 2000 square feet, with ~400-500 feet of that being an upstairs finished attic. I estimate that we burn (on average) between 22-28 ricks per year. Check out Economy Fireplace in Ellettesville on thier website. Experienced family owned operation with something to fit every budget & need. Ask for Tony Cramer (owner). We are total electric, so we use our insert everyday throughout the wood burng season. |
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Post by chicobrownbear on Sept 21, 2006 11:49:18 GMT -5
I'm pretty impressed with the pellet stoves. Soon to be father in law has one and burns pellets, but could go to corn pretty easily. We read up on the corn, and I think you have to change the settings a bit for that, and it burns about 1000 btu's less than the pellets. You can also burn cherry pits in them I think.
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Post by steiny on Sept 21, 2006 16:50:16 GMT -5
To heck with those pellets and corn. Hard to beat burning good old fashioned wood. Plus cutting and splitting wood gives a guy something to do outdoors in the dead of winter, after all the hunting is over.
Lots of good wood stoves out there, and you'll pay a fat price for a good new one. Some of the better ones are Jotul and Vermont Castings. A couple tips I'd give are:
a. Go with something simple. Forget all that catalytic stuff, smoke baffles, etc. That stuff just builds up creasote. Get something with a straight shot, direct vent out the flue.
b. Make sure it's a good air tight unit with a simple venting system. Then you can shut it down tight and smolder a fire all night until morning and you'll have coals.
c. Don't go by the BTU's and size the manufacturer says. Their BTU output and square footage they will heat is based on optimum wood burning at optimum temperature, etc. This will rarely be the case. Get an over sized stove with a good size fire box. You can always build a small fire in it.
I've got an old Johnson wood furnace on the back porch of the house which does a dandy job, my only complaint is the fan is a bit noisy.
Also have an old restored, antique, stand up parlor stove in my "man room" in the barn that does a dandy job. It is strictly radiant.
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Post by indianahick on Sept 21, 2006 22:43:42 GMT -5
We have a free standing Blaze Queen radiant heat wood stove. Had it for about 30 years and it is still in great condition. Have replaced the insilated pipes a couple of times. Keeps the front room shorts weather and the bed rooms warm too. Except when the temp drop down to 10 or below and there is a strong wind. Then we suppliment it with the heat pump. Had baseboard but it was to expensive to use.
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It was a bit chilly this morning, and it's supposed to get as cold tonight.
