Which woodstove?

[Star1pup]

We bought a home that has had the lower level woodstove/foreplace replaced with LP. The way the cost of fuel is going up, I think burning wood would offset any insurance increase. We have an endless source of firewood.

Been trying to research woodstoves and found a local company that sells a Brunco stove. Anyone know anything about these or have another to recommend?

[hardrock]

Hey Star1pup,

One thing to remember is, conventional fireplaces and most woodstoves aren't very efficient.
Most low to mid level model woodstoves run high stack temps, and that means most of your available heat is going up the pipe.
May not mean much if you have an endless supply of firewood, but the more you use, the more you have to cut, split, haul, stack, etc.
Inefficient woodstoves eat ALOT of wood. ALOT of wood means ALOT of labor.
Best bet is to get the most efficient unit your budget will allow.
To be totally honest, the old school way of thinking isn't always the best when it comes to woodstoves.
Look for stovemakers that understand and apply
"wood gasification" technologies in their product line.

JMHO, but Masonry stoves are probably the best long term, most efficient, quality wood heaters there are.
Pricey, but they seem to be the best thing going, and have been for centuries...
Next up are hydronic boilers that use the efficient wood gasification technology. capturing the heat energy you create burning wood gases in a coolant loop with an exchanger, or radiant slab is a pretty good deal, and goes alot further.

Pretty much anything less is just a woodstove.
I don't know how Ohio is about emissions, but when considering any outside hydronic wood fired boiler, get one that is certified EPA compliant. Otherwise they may make you remove it in the not too distant future.

If your house already has an existing fireplace in good shape, but just converted or closed off, I'd almost consider
a Masonry stove type conversion if you budget will allow.
I've heard/read of fireplace conversions that worked out fairly well.

Aside from all that, the only mainstream run of the mill woodstove I've had any experience with is a model called
a Fire Chief brand.
they are relatively cheap, have a thermostatic controlled dampner, a heavy fire box, refractory brick lined, and use an average amount of wood depending on how well your home is insulated.
They make a half-hearted attempt at wood gassification with a "secondary chamber" design.
You need a basment to use one, as it is considered an "add-on" to your regular forced air furnace.
(Not really a good choice if your furnace is in the main floor.)
They use the existing ductwork already in place with your regular furnace.
A buddy had one he used for about 3 winters in an old drafty farmhouse, and he didn't complain too much......

http://www.victoriansales.com/firechiefhome.html

[Star1pup]

The way this place is laid out I don't have a lot of choice. The wood stove that was replaced is now in my workshop. Can't find a name on it, but it uses a thermostat of sorts and works very well. It also has a blower. It was just pulled out and a gas grate type of stove replaced it with the flue into the chimney. It's LP and expensive to operate at today's prices.

We had a Better than Ben's fireplace insert in our other home and, while not perfect, it saved a lot on fuel oil. I guess something like that is what I'm looking for. It won't be the main source of heat, but will help. I don't want to even think about what fuel oil will cost this Ohio winter.

[JAK]

Installation can have a big impact on total efficiency. You need a reasonably efficient but tough wood stove, with high combustion temperature that uses just the right amount of air, but to get the most out of it helps to get a good run from the flue before it hits the ceiling and has to be insulated. Then there are practical considerations like how much fuel you can burn each day, and how many times you have to move the wood. A small well insulated house is a very good start. The way you load it and how it fits into your lifestyle can make all the difference also. Drafty old farmhouses aren't so bad if you can close off most of the rooms in winter, and don't mind keeping the bedrooms and working rooms cold, and have the wood stove in a place where you want to spend most of your time or go to warm yourself up.

[homesteadingnky]

soapstone :)

[JAK]

Something I would take into consideration is what you are going to use for a flue. Is it going into a masonry chimney on an outside wall, a masonry chimney on an inside wall, or are you running a modern metal flue all the way up. Also, how long of a run inside before it connects to an insulated metal flue or outside masonry chimney. How you are able to install it may determine what type of woodstove is most appropriate. Also, how you are able to operate it, and what sort of wood you are using. It's the total efficiency that matters at the end of the day. How much of the heat from the fuel ends up heating your living space. If you are connecting to an inside masonry chimney, or are able to have a long non-insulated run before hitting the ceiling and switching to an insulated chimney, then you can get away with a simpler wood stove, and often get better overall efficiency than some more complicated designs that try and extract all the heat before the flue gases even hit the flue.

[dvcrsn]

The Jotul's have a good rep if you can't go with a kachlofen (tile stove

[JBinKC]

Brunco stoves are Amish made and not EPA certified. *Meaning they will likely smoke much more and use 50% more wood.

I agree you should get something that is EPA certified which is equipped with a technology to burn the smoke and transfer it to higher efficiencies. If money is an issue buy used or an Englander brand.

[Hankster]

The "Napoleon" line from Canada work real well. Lots of heat, and "gasify" the excess gases before they hit the flue pipe. I cleaned my flue once last winter, and it really didn't NEED it!!