Swapping out pellet stove for wood stove

So we’re likely to be making an offer on a house that has a pellet stove installed.
It’s a nice one but I got way too much split wood invested to throw it away. Is it viable to replace with woodstove insert? Problem is I might need to install some kind of spark protection in front. All I know from looking at the house yesterday is the chimney is chase enclosed so I’m not sure of anything at this point. Id likely have to wait to see about an installation crew and their opinions about it. Just let me know what you guys think. Thanks

 

Did you take any pictures? You could luck out if it already has a 6” flue liner, but if it has the minimum for the pellet stove, the swap out is going to be expensive. Might have to sell all of your firewood to pay for it..

 

Agree with above... All depends on chimney.. If you get the house we are here to help ya.. A secondary stove not a bad thing..

 

I can understand the blood,sweat and tears you have invested in your wood FatBoy85 . But I have been toying with the idea of putting a pellet stove down in the basement. 1300 square feet of man cave. At times I could use a break from my better half and daughters. I think joining the club of burning wood and pellets in the same house would be very enjoying.

 

You’re in luck I might be able to get pictures today as we’re going back to the house for open house. Here’s another irony, might have to sell my firewood to get pellets...dang.

 

The good thing is there is a firepit outside so that definitely not going throw out the baby with the bathwater but likely a downsizing of supply in the winter.

 

This house is closer to 1700 Square feet, you guys know that I burned last year and I find it hard to come back from that but pellets are just a different avenue for me but still worth a look. Hold fast for pictures later.

 

So we got back from the house after we had a vicious chat session as if we were right at home, dunno what that means but the lady in charge loves it, I’m down with it so we made the offer. Now for your salivation purposes ....the stove and chimney. Looks ok from here. The stack itself is wide so I’m on a hunch thinking that chase could be hiding some 6 inch pipe. Definitely no stone in there. House was built in ‘78 but likely remodeled somewhat for additions.
The stove is a Whitfield, I’m not familiar at all so maybe someone on here has one? Looks relatively new...maybe within 5 years? upon closer inspection I also noticed the side panel door had a screw out and it moved a little bit. What I could see without going further was likely the working mechanism for the stove, perhaps for servicing? Just had to tinker a little bit to see some stuff but nothing serious. Inside looked pretty good too but I don’t know how I feel about the gasket until I know more about the installation from the sellers.

 

Only would add if wife is Happy.. And you can deal with it.. Its a win.. House is a house til you make it a home.

 

Yeah. Moving on from this after a long day of counter offers and ours was dropped. Another day another dollar, will be leaving the door open on this, lots of homes around here have chosen pellet stoves for their ease of use, less carrying of wood. Me: I don’t give much crap about it except when slivers stick and hide to carpet and find your toe at 3 in the morning. Thanks for the advice.

 

Pellet stove, set it and forget it, no mess a cup of ash a week. I would never even consider firewood,

 

Each has the points. for me with no reasonable way to run a flue up the inside of house - pellet for basement ,which also eliminates the flue reversal problem in shoulder seasons that basement wood stove/furnaces are prone too, due to the forced exhaust of pellet stoves and I do not need a 30 ft insulated class A flue up the out side of home. Outside units new installation are banned in my area( which looks to be a jump on the bandwagon type of ordinance this is farm country)

 

I ask this with zero knowledge of pellets, but don't they cost money to burn?

 

Yes, here a ton is about $250 and says on package equivalent to a 100 gallon of heating oil..

As I have oil hot water back up.. It is not cost effective for me, to put in a secondary heater to purchase clean maintain. Set oil thermostats to 45 and load the stove..

 

I had thought about a pellet stove for my parents in their fireplace and wondered if that would be good. Efficiency goes way up from there but I can’t help but think how I like to actually load wood in a fire place and wood stove. There’s just certain kind of warmth that gives you comfort knowing you did the work and now it’ll work to warm you. Pellets: shake and bake.

 

If anything I took pellets for a way that its just easier for folks to do if they got too many of their irons in the fire and need a switch on. If only you could make your own pellets out of cordwood but gather that has some expensive equipment to use.