Wood stove Fireplace insert - The Hull Truth

LI Sound Grunt · 11-16-2009, 04:05 PM

I am going to add a fireplace insert wood stove as part of my family room remodel

I see 2 brands for sale locally - Hampton and Vermont Castings - I have a very colorful enamel one in another room and just want a flat cast black face on this room - any suggestions. ? - Thanks!

Am I going to have to add an insert if my flue is more that 81 sq. in? ( I was supposed to for my stand alone "Lopi" in the front room and didn't but it seems to burn ok except on the very lowest air settings...)

What about catalytic/non catalytic - any thoughts there? Should I care. I dont care about efficiency much as I have a pretty much free unlimited wood supply.

joeyd · 11-16-2009, 04:16 PM

Go to hearth.com, it is the THT of wood stoves. The bulletin board and search will answer ALL your questions.

PF-88 · 11-16-2009, 04:32 PM

From what I have read about wood stoves, catalists are on the way out due to the fact that they burn out in time and require maintance and replacment. More wood stoves seem to be coming throught with a preforated s/s plate above the fire box to burn the combustion gases now. Saw a video of one with these little blue flames of the gases burning above the s/s plate.

ladyjane · 11-16-2009, 05:42 PM

ckeck out the jotel they make the best insert hands down I know I live in Vermont!!

mulberryg · 11-16-2009, 06:59 PM

not sure if they still make them. but we used to sell a Dare IV insert made by harrington mgf in albany ga. very durable and efficent. plate steel , not cast with double squirrel cage fans.

chrisrack · 11-16-2009, 07:27 PM

I reserached this quite a bit when building our house 3 years ago. Jotel and Quadrafire were the 2 leaders at the time in terms of product advancement and clean burning stoves (clean is nice not necessarily b/c of the "environment" but because of soot). I went with Quadrafire and couldn't be happier. We heat a 3400 sqft home with wood alone all winter long. Burn about 6 cords/year.

Mist-Rest · 11-16-2009, 07:35 PM

Jotel is a very good stove.
I have friends in Northern Maine who bought a Vermont Castings that you can view the fire but still maintain the airtightness. It has a cat converter, black, a little brass trim but not goddy, and cost 2000 in 2002 dollars. It will heat the majority of a 2000 sq ft house in a much colder climate than yours.

I'm not sure anyone builds a stove today that meets EPA clean air standards without using a cat.

chrisrack · 11-16-2009, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mist-Rest

Jotel is a very good stove.
I have friends in Northern Maine who bought a Vermont Castings that you can view the fire but still maintain the airtightness. It has a cat converter, black, a little brass trim but not goddy, and cost 2000 in 2002 dollars. It will heat the majority of a 2000 sq ft house in a much colder climate than yours.

I'm not sure anyone builds a stove today that meets EPA clean air standards without using a cat.

Quadrafire doesn't use a catalytic converter and is EPA compliant. And mine also has a clear glass front to allow you to see the fire. I think mine is the 5100 series and cost about $3400 with the chimney. The insert models were less $$.

LI Sound Grunt · 11-17-2009, 04:46 AM

Thanks for all the info Yea I frgot about Jotel. I have heard good things about them too (just sounded kinda French ...

)

Yea I was wondering about Cats.. wiith the kinda particulates you get...and the temps - hard to believe you can keep a surface that hot and clean in normal use...

I did see some Vermont casting inserts without the cats...

Mist-Rest · 11-17-2009, 06:00 AM

Then I'll stand corrected. I'd buy a non cat stove before anything else.