Hello folks, I have been enjoying the banter on here for a while in the background. I decided I should introduce my self before posting in anybody's threads. I have been around burning wood all my life. Folks had a wood, oil and coal furnace growing up along with a stove in the living area (didn't get used much, it would peel the paint off the walls way to big). At this point I have started a family of my own. Have had a few stoves in the quest for the ONE. Currently I am burning a Warner steel plate stove (fisher copy I believe). It's in the basement, not the most ideal setup but it works for now. Some day I'd like to upgrade to a more efficient stove in the living area. Thinking about a Woodstock as I live in the great state of New Hampshire. I'm a bit worried about learning to run an EPA stove I have no experience with that. This is getting a bit long winded, I know you folks like pics so I'll look through what I have and update soon...
Hey Warner, welcome aboard. If you're thinking of a Woodstock, take a drive over and check 'em out. I hear they're very nice folks.
Welcome. I don't know a whole lot about the Woodstock stoves, but when you refer to "EPA" stoves, I'm sure you realize that there are cat and non-cat models. I have no experience with the cat models, But I think you'll find that a non cat is simply a much more efficenct and controllable version of the old smokers. Atleast that's my experience. Enjoy yourself here, I know I am!
Welcome to the madness. I have been using the small Vermont Castings Dutchwest stove, with catalytic combuster. The stove is in our 18x25 living room, at one end of the 1750sq ft house. It works just fine, taking 16" splits. You can run it with/without activating the cat. I mention that 9nly because you can use it and get used to it before closing the cat damper and activating it. Get on the 3 Yr plan and enjoy the BTU's Sent from my SM-T280 using Tapatalk
Welcome to the forum Warner It is good you've been around wood burning for a while as that makes it a bit easier for you. And starting a family sounds great! Congratulations. Upgrading to a newer stove can give you many good benefits and one of the best is that you will use much less wood and get a lot more heat from the wood you burn. In addition, the new stoves are actually easier to run that the old ones. You mention the Woodstock line and that is good. Also being within your state, that could mean a nice trip for you to visit the factory. That would be nice as you can go right into the shop and watch some stoves being built. You can also expect to be treated very nicely at the factory by everyone. You will not be under pressure either as high pressure sales is not needed at Woodstock. But the sales people are very knowledgeable and helpful. Our experience might be of some interest to you. We have over the years owned several stoves and finally about 10 years ago gave in and bought the Woodstock Soapstone stove that we really wanted. Yes, an epa stove that is a lot different than what we had experienced. So how was the learning curve? What curve? Learning how to run the stove took us probably a day or two at best. It is very simple to operate. (I know some have painted a picture of cat stoves being difficult to run but they are totally wrong!) They are so simple, in fact, that a child can easily learn to run the stove in very short order. What we received when we installed our Fireview is that immediately we found that we burned at least 50% less wood than previously and in addition to that, we now always can be warm in our home. Previously we were almost always cold during the winter months but now we keep our home at 80 degrees or more all winter long. Another benefit is that we always had trouble getting heat to the farthest rooms but no longer have that problem even without fans blowing the heat which also means we cut off that draft from fans blowing. Of course you know that the fuel you burn is the biggest key to how well a stove will operate. Of course we highly recommend the 3 year plan but for some good reading, look at this: Primer on Woodburning by Backwoods Savage Good luck and please feel free to ask questions and also share your wisdom.
Welcome to the family, Warner! Glad you posted up, I'm sure you've already seen what a great group of guys and gals we have here, it appears you've already acquired the addiction, we'll do our best to be "enablers" so long as you return the favor!
Welcome to the club, Warner! Glad you found us and finally posted! Jump in anywhere, FHC is the friendliest place you will find, you're gonna like it here. Banter?!? What banter? Oh, you must be talking about Eric VW
Welcome aboard! If youre signing up now after seeing what were all about it must mean you like it here. Nice to meet you!
The Woodstock would certainly be a great choice. Their customer service is outstanding. There really is nothing to it. No different than learning the quirks of any other stove. As mentioned above the term EPA can be a tube stove/secondary air stove, a catalytic stove or a hybrid. Hybrids have both secondary air and a cat. I started with the Woodstock Fireview. Ran it three years then switched to the Ideal Steel Hybrid. The Fireview was a great stove and easy to run. We used 3-4.5 cords with the Fireview which I felt was very good. This year we used less than three cords with the IS and we got more heat, way longer burn cycles, very few "cold starts" and used less wood. The IS is less expensive than a Fireview also. You will hear about the Three Year Plan here often. You probably already know that dry wood is the key to getting the most heat out of your stove. If your considering a cat stove, "seasoned" wood is important. The three year plan will insure that your firewood is always seasoned. Of coarse there are other benefits as well.
Thanks for the warm welcome. I signed on to another wood burning forum and found most of the members didn't care to associate with someone that runs a smoke dragon. I am well aware that dry wood burns best. We just moved to the house last summer and it's been an all out effort to get the wood together for the three year plan. I split a grapple with my bud for this years that should be good enough for the beast in the basement. This is in preparation for last winter. My wood hauler for around the yard. Oh and kid #1,#2 is on the way. I'm trying to find a pic of my pile in progress
