Wood Stove

[4sarge]

Not really a survival issue but one for being prepared. I've decided to go with a wood stove and like the features of the Blaze King Ultra 1107. Problem is that this stove isn't readily available in SW Indiana and I need to compare price points, dealers and availability. Any one that can recommend a certified installer or dealer that will work with the customer. Also have looked at the Lopi Liberty and the X Large Jotul

Thanks

 

[tyler34]

the fireplace center in bloomington is a blaze king dealer

812-336-2053

 

[4sarge]

the fireplace center in bloomington is a blaze king dealer

812-336-2053

Thanks, I've been talking with them but they are $$'s I was trying to find an alternate source for sales and installation - read cheaper They are nice but it's like buying at Pop's or Don's Guns - Full Retail +

 

[Warwagon]

We have a Lopi Endeavor. It has a cook top surface and is a great stove. I don't have any experience with any other stoves, but I can tell you the Lopi product has done very well at heating our home for the past 3 years.

That's the best thing I did when I built this place. We have yet to turn our furnace on once this year.

 

[4sarge]

We have a Lopi Endeavor. It has a cook top surface and is a great stove. I don't have any experience with any other stoves, but I can tell you the Lopi product has done very well at heating our home for the past 3 years.

That's the best thing I did when I built this place. We have yet to turn our furnace on once this year.

Thanks, I too was impressed with the Lopi and it is still in consideration if I can't acquire the Blaze King for a decent price. The BK Ultra has a larger firebox 4.3 cu ft and they claim 40 hr max burn time. Divide that by 2 for 20 hrs and I'm still a very happy camper

 

[Ashkelon]

Check out the Hearthstone soapstone stoves. More money but they retain and put out heat much longer than cast stoves. I have owned both types and am sold on soapstone. Once the fire dies the stone keeps radiating heat. Plus the tops are great for making chili's and soups By the end of the winter you will be happy your stove retains heat longer which mean less humping to the woodpile.

 

[Pamcake]

I was wondering if you had considered a Masonry Stove (Russian Fireplace)? We had one built in our basement to replace a Vermont Castings "Encore" wood stove. Does anyone here have experience with the Russian fireplace?

 

[4sarge]

I was wondering if you had considered a Masonry Stove (Russian Fireplace)? We had one built in our basement to replace a Vermont Castings "Encore" wood stove. Does anyone here have experience with the Russian fireplace?

Those are cool but this would be on a 1st floor but over a full basement. Believe it or not the wife didn't want the soapstone - women. But the BK Ultra is a Behemoth

 

[Pamcake]

Behemoths are a good thing! I hope you can get your supplier worked out soon.

 

[Warwagon]

Whatever you decide to get, spend the few extra bucks and invest in the outside air kit. That's one part of the purchase you truly won't regret.



Pamcake - when building this place, we looked at a russian and swedish design. I couldn't get the cost under control. Instead we did a floor to ceiling limestone backing. Similar concept as it's usually warm for awhile after the stove has gone out.

 

[Dr Falken]

We just had the guy from the Fireplace Store out o give an estimate, should be hearing back soon. We are going with the Lopi 1250, our house is 900 sq ft., and bermed, I think that stove will fit the bill...perhaps they are pricey, but our insurance guy has dealt with them and they meet all the standards that our insurance company wants, so we'll do it...I'm thinking with installation and what not we'll be around $1200, but then it's done.

Is the outside air vent important? Our stove will be installed on the outside wall, so it would be easy to retrofit. Can you crack a window or something also?

 

[4sarge]

We just had the guy from the Fireplace Store out o give an estimate, should be hearing back soon. We are going with the Lopi 1250, our house is 900 sq ft., and bermed, I think that stove will fit the bill...perhaps they are pricey, but our insurance guy has dealt with them and they meet all the standards that our insurance company wants, so we'll do it...I'm thinking with installation and what not we'll be around $1200, but then it's done.

Is the outside air vent important? Our stove will be installed on the outside wall, so it would be easy to retrofit. Can you crack a window or something also?

I'm at 5300+ from their quote. Who was your salesperson? They are asking more than MSRP for the stove and 500 over what I found in another state. I do want a professional safe install but would like to purchase the stove for a reasonable price

As far as outside air goes, I probably do not need it. If your house is new construction or extremely air tight then it may be a valid concern. I currently have a bio fuel stove and the outside air wasn't needed or used.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

The one nice plus for a outside air intake is that the stoves not using your nice all ready heated air. That and if its using interior air for the burn it can suck it in from adjacent rooms and make them colder.

 

[jeremy]

If you don't mind going the furnace route. I have a Yukon-Eagle Husky Furnace. It is the cats meow. It is a gas/oil furnace with a firebox on the side. After this heating season is over I will clean out the ash pit and the fire box and restock the firebox. This fall when the temps drop enough to fire the furnace the flame will blow directly into the firebox and ignite the coal/wood that I placed in the spring.

 

[norsk]

Hi, new member and first post on this site (who would have though it would be in this thread??!!). Anyway, it may be too late but I would strongly suggest either a Jotul or Vermont Castings. I am from northern Minnesota, heat with wood only at our cabin, and know many who heat with only in their actual homes. Almost without exception every single person I know up there has either a Jotul or VC. The dealers don't even carry anything else. We have a medium-sized Jotul in our large, lofted cabin. At -40 degrees (yep, that's -40) it will keep even the far back room at 75 degrees on one birch log for hours. And another thing: don't get anything that has any sort of electric fan/blower. A wood stove only relies on electricity if it is not good enough to heat a space without a blower. Plus, what happens when the piower goes out and you are relying on your crappy stove to heat your house in the dead of winter?
These are just my thoughts based on my experience. Good luck!

 

[4sarge]

Hi, new member and first post on this site (who would have though it would be in this thread??!!). Anyway, it may be too late but I would strongly suggest either a Jotul or Vermont Castings. I am from northern Minnesota, heat with wood only at our cabin, and know many who heat with only in their actual homes. Almost without exception every single person I know up there has either a Jotul or VC. The dealers don't even carry anything else. We have a medium-sized Jotul in our large, lofted cabin. At -40 degrees (yep, that's -40) it will keep even the far back room at 75 degrees on one birch log for hours. And another thing: don't get anything that has any sort of electric fan/blower. A wood stove only relies on electricity if it is not good enough to heat a space without a blower. Plus, what happens when the piower goes out and you are relying on your crappy stove to heat your house in the dead of winter?
These are just my thoughts based on my experience. Good luck!

Thanks for your input and your very first post. I'm clear on the electricity issue because I currently have a bio-fuel stove that is very efficient and cheap to operate but heavily dependent upon electricity and computer controlled circuits

 

[hornadylnl]

I run a corn burner as well. Saves a bunch of money but will only run for about 30 seconds once the power goes out. The stove was actually pretty cheap but parts are astronomical. The stove paid for itself the first winter when corn was only $1.80 a bushel. At today's price, it would take much longer to pay for itself.

 

[4sarge]

I run a corn burner as well. Saves a bunch of money but will only run for about 30 seconds once the power goes out. The stove was actually pretty cheap but parts are astronomical. The stove paid for itself the first winter when corn was only $1.80 a bushel. At today's price, it would take much longer to pay for itself.

When I started burning corn it was 95 cents a bushel, pre ethanol. It rose last year to almost 8 dollars a bushel so I switched to wood pellets. This year corn was back to 3.00+ a bushel and I was back to a corn wood pellet mix. Just paid to replace the agitator motor and waiting for a new control panel board. I'm definitely switching to wood for my primary, may move this to the barn or sell it outright

 

[hornadylnl]

Is it a US Stove Company American Harvest stove? I just ripped them a new one over the last few months. I've been through several agitators. I've replace the agitator motor under warranty and had to replace the auger motor at a cost of $150. My glass was so clouded that I could no longer see through it. They wanted around $80 for a piece of glass. I've replaced the brick piece twice. Once under warranty and once at a cost of about $80. The auger tube is short enough that the corn would fall in behind the burn pot and burn the brick piece up. I bought a little 110 welder and welded on an extension to get it to drop over the pot.

I then started to have problems with the auger run time being erratic and causing the pot to run out of corn and then go out. I sent several emails back and forth between two different people. They finally sent me a new agitator, brick piece, control board, and the glass free of charge. I told them that the stove was a good price and it was great when it was working correctly but I wasn't about to sink another $400 + in parts into a $1500 stove. I told him that I'd throw it on the junk heap and buy a different brand before I spent that much money in parts.

The problem that I've found with the new control board is that it doesn't put off near as much heat as the old board did. They must have all the internal settings toned down.

 

[4sarge]

Is it a US Stove Company American Harvest stove? I just ripped them a new one over the last few months. I've been through several agitators. I've replace the agitator motor under warranty and had to replace the auger motor at a cost of $150. My glass was so clouded that I could no longer see through it. They wanted around $80 for a piece of glass. I've replaced the brick piece twice. Once under warranty and once at a cost of about $80. The auger tube is short enough that the corn would fall in behind the burn pot and burn the brick piece up. I bought a little 110 welder and welded on an extension to get it to drop over the pot.

I then started to have problems with the auger run time being erratic and causing the pot to run out of corn and then go out. I sent several emails back and forth between two different people. They finally sent me a new agitator, brick piece, control board, and the glass free of charge. I told them that the stove was a good price and it was great when it was working correctly but I wasn't about to sink another $400 + in parts into a $1500 stove. I told him that I'd throw it on the junk heap and buy a different brand before I spent that much money in parts.

The problem that I've found with the new control board is that it doesn't put off near as much heat as the old board did. They must have all the internal settings toned down.

No, I have a County Flame Harvester with an initial investment of almost 4 grand. AES bought out Country Flame about 6 months ago and tech support is lacking until they get up to speed. I was heating my house for 1 dollar a day until the corn ethanol boom.