Wood burner advice

[semperfi211]

Me and the wife are thinking about getting a wood burner to help offset heating costs and add a little nostalgia to our 1870 farm house. My first step was calling our homeowners insurance company to make sure they would allow it and that it wouldn't raise my rates. They allow it as long as it is pro installed and the stove is UL approved and everything is inspected by building or fire department. That is fine with me. This is one thing I will not take shortcuts on and risk burning my house down.
Our house is 1700 sq feet, half if it is two story but we don't really use the second story and somewhat close it off in the winter so we could subtract about three hundred square feet as far as living area.
Just browsing around on the net I like those hearthstones although they are a little pricey and I was looking at the timberwolf 2200 I like that price as long as the quality is there. I think we are going to want the optional blower on whatever we get.
Monday we are going to go looking around. We are going to start at Leo's in Cedar Lake then go to a stove dealer in Saint John then Schererville.
This is not to totally replace our propane gas furnace but to help reduce our costs and i am also wanting a alternate heat source for an emergency situation. With that said after the wood stove and installation I know my next purchase will be a good chainsaw and log splitter because buying the wood would kind of defeat my cost saving idea.
This is a totall new thing for us so I asking for some advice from anyone that would like to give us some. Thanks

 

[atvdave]

Heres a great place to ask questions, and get started... Powered By ExpressionEngine | Hearth.com

We installed a woodburner a few years back and love it. My wife will never let me go back to gas or Electric heat ever again.

 

[Dirtebiker]

We burned wood before our major remodel. Then installed a vent free gas log set, then got a second set. The best of both worlds. With two log sets, one in front room, one in back of house near stairs, our furnaces rarely come on. They are 99.9 efficient and very safe. No splitting or buying wood, we have an open flame to look at, and no concerns of chimney fires, no ash to clean, no smoke in the house. We love them!

 

[edporch]

Me and the wife are thinking about getting a wood burner to help offset heating costs and add a little nostalgia to our 1870 farm house. My first step was calling our homeowners insurance company to make sure they would allow it and that it wouldn't raise my rates. They allow it as long as it is pro installed and the stove is UL approved and everything is inspected by building or fire department. That is fine with me. This is one thing I will not take shortcuts on and risk burning my house down.
Our house is 1700 sq feet, half if it is two story but we don't really use the second story and somewhat close it off in the winter so we could subtract about three hundred square feet as far as living area.
Just browsing around on the net I like those hearthstones although they are a little pricey and I was looking at the timberwolf 2200 I like that price as long as the quality is there. I think we are going to want the optional blower on whatever we get.
Monday we are going to go looking around. We are going to start at Leo's in Cedar Lake then go to a stove dealer in Saint John then Schererville.
This is not to totally replace our propane gas furnace but to help reduce our costs and i am also wanting a alternate heat source for an emergency situation. With that said after the wood stove and installation I know my next purchase will be a good chainsaw and log splitter because buying the wood would kind of defeat my cost saving idea.
This is a totall new thing for us so I asking for some advice from anyone that would like to give us some. Thanks

Make sure whatever brand and model you buy has a long enough track record that when you need parts in some future year, there's a good chance you can still get them.

 

[kwatters]

Make sure whatever brand and model you buy has a long enough track record that when you need parts in some future year, there's a good chance you can still get them.

 

[Boiled Owl]

I'm into my third week of splitting wood that I logged the last two seasons . I should have three years supply. And I dont have a burner! I'm going to buy an outside boiled run floor heat in the house and an air exchanger in the shop. We used to heat at the farm with an airtight stove 30 yrs ago. I do not want to drag wood into my house anymore

 

[Sgt7330]

I went through this 2 yrs ago, tossing buying around an outdoor burner. I made my decision and had a fireplace wood burning insert installed. My house had a standard brick and mortar fireplace, you could feel cold air coming in around it in the winter when you werent burning a fire.
My decision was based on cost and, at that time, the Obama energy tax incentive that gave me 30% back. I choose a Hampton cast iron insert with two speed blower. It is made by Regency. 2 yrs later Im very happy with it. It cut down the propane use by 70%.
You might do some research online, I think the site is www.hearth.com. They have owner feedback and ratings on the brands out there. IMHO, the Regency line is very nice.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I installed a Zero-clearance EPA high efficiency fireplace 2 1/2 years ago. Best choice I ever made. It has already paid itself off, and from here on out it will cost savings. Not to mention the small increase in home value by having a comfy fireplace in the great room. I checked with my insurance agent, and as long as the install was done to code and standards it wouldn't change my coverage or rates at all. I did all the work myself except moving the fireplace from the truck onto the hearth I had built. I took pictures of all the places where clearance to combustibles was required so there will never be any doubt if there was enough clearance.

 

[gunluvr]

I am in the heating business and in my own home I would put a wood fired boiler outdoors.

 

[UltraRick]

I bought a LOPI wood stove (google them). Very efficient and with the glass door you can watch the flames. They are not cheap but if I would not buy another brand. I also had a vermont Castings gas log stove. The fake logs and flames are pretty good looking but just not the same.

 

[kwatters]

I bought a LOPI wood stove (google them). Very efficient and with the glass door you can watch the flames. They are not cheap but if I would not buy another brand. I also had a vermont Castings gas log stove. The fake logs and flames are pretty good looking but just not the same.

I thought about a Lopi, ended up with a Buck Catalytic. Been good to me for 13 years now.

 

[tmkr]

You might want to check out Quadra-fire stoves.Ours is cast iron with a brown porcelain finish,2 large glass doors,top load.The best thing about them is they have an air manifold at the top of the firebox that ignites unburned smoke,so it is very efficent,no catalytic converter to wear out.
Although it is a lot of work,I still split wood with a maul and we burn 24/7 form first chill to last chill.Plus it is a good stress reliever.