Woodstock IS delivery and install

I'd like to buy a Woodstock Ideal Steel stove but am having trouble with the logistics of getting it delivered into my house and installed. Woodstock's website discourages residential delivery altogether and suggests at best that the stove could be dropped at the driveway. The first local chimney sweep that I found willing to do the install (after $300 for a site inspection, plus several hundred more $ for the install, plus any improvements to the chimney or hearth that they find necessary) says the stove would need to be in the house and ready for them. I don't know where I'd find someone to handle the last mile (or 30 feet + a couple stairs) to get a 700 lb stove from the freight terminal or even my driveway into my house.

Have other Woodstock owners had success finding independent chimney sweeps or stove shops to handle the site inspection, delivery, and install tasks that local resellers of other stove brands would typically include in the sale? Any in southern Maine that you'd recommend?

Thanks!

 

Can't help with that, but welcome aboard FeelTheBurn .
There are a bunch of folks here that have a WS stove, so they'll be along in a while to offer up some sort of advice. Our resident WS aficionado Backwoods Savage (AKA, Dennis) is always willing to help if he can.

 

I had my local general contractor guy do it for me. He picked it up from the terminal and installed it and the chimney and did a great job for a fair price.

Another idea is to talk with your local woodstove stores and get the names of their installers and ask them, skipping the stores markup.

 

Welcome to the club, FeelTheBurn !
I think you're gonna like it here!
Lots of great people here and all are ready to help.

I've moved a three heavy things into my house using the Roll and Kari piano dollies.
(two wood stoves, and a 900# safe) with ease. I rent them for $35/day at a local rentals store.
Roll and Kari piano carts - Google Search

 

I was leaning toward a chimney or stove professional just to make sure it's done right and safely. However, the chimney sweep we use regularly offered to stop by when they're in the area and "check my work" if I hook it up myself, so maybe I'll give it a try if I can get it delivered and into the house. Worst case, I could punt until my chimney cleaning next spring, and they said they'd hook it up for free when they're here for that.

 

Haha, that's the plan!

 

Welcome FeelTheBurn .. Couple of questions to give good advice.. Do you have a chimney now?
Where is it going in your house stairs doorways Etc?
What other obstacles are there to deal with to get it to your house?

I have an IS put it in living room with help of 1 friend.. Like most things in life the devil is in the details..
Welcome to the FHC!

 

I already have a chimney, flue, hearth, and stove. This is replacing the 30 year old VC Resolute Acclaim in the main room coming into our house on the first floor.

To get the stove where it's going, it'll have to go up a couple stairs from the walkway or garage into the mudroom, and through another doorway into the room with the hearth and chimney (hearth is right next to the doorway).

I appreciate all the suggestions so far for various carts, straps, etc, but ultimately I need to hire somebody to do the heavy lifting at least. I screwed up my back recently trying to save a few bucks by moving a heavy desk myself, and I'm not going to make the same mistake (or convince someone else to do so as a favor to me) with a much heavier stove. If I can hire a local mover to take delivery and bring the stove into the house and onto the hearth pad at a reasonable price, I might be up for attempting the connection myself, with support from Woodstock and an inspection by the chimney sweep once it's done to make sure I'm not going to burn my house down.

 

Got any pics of the above?
When you say flue, is it lined? With what?
How are the clearances with the new stove?

 

I'm pretty sure the flue is lined. There are two separate flues that share the chimney, one for the oil boiler and one for the wood stove. When the chimney was last cleaned, the sweep mentioned that the liner on the oil boiler was starting to wear out, but that the other flue looked fine.

Clearances look good. I think there's just enough room to place an Ideal Steel on the brick hearth just in front of the cavity where the current stove sits, or extending at most an inch or two into it. That way there wouldn't be anything combustible on either side or directly above the stove. I'm worried that if I position the stove more than a few inches into that cavity (like where the existing stove is), it would sit partly below the combustible drywall that's visible above the mantel and technically be considered an alcove install, which the Woodstock documentation prohibits.

Hopefully this picture will clarify what I'm talking about (not sure why it's sideways ):

 

Make sure you have proper clearance for the loading door.

Welcome to FHC. These fine folks will help with any questions.

 

Yep, I expect I'll need to put a hearth extension pad in front of the brick and move the carpet and gate a couple feet farther back. Probably ought to do it even if I don't replace the stove right away.

 

I agree, you will have to move the IS out quite a distance.

 

That brick hearth extends 23" in front of the brick faces on the sides of the cavity. Those brick faces are about 3" in front of the drywall surrounding them. So I've got 26" of depth from the front edge of the existing brick hearth to the drywall.

The body of the Ideal Steel is 23.5" deep, and it looks like the ash lip adds another 4" in front. So I'm thinking I can put the rear edge of the stove 1" in front of where the drywall begins (2" inside the brick archway). That would put the front edge of the stove 1.5" behind the front edge of the brick hearth. With an 18" wide hearth extension pad in front of the brick, I'd have ember protection extending 19.5" in front of the body of the stove, well beyond the ash lip and a couple inches beyond the reach of the open door.

Does that make sense from a clearance perspective? And is there any reason I'd need to access the back of the stove after it's installed, for maintenance or anything? That would be awkward to get to in that position.

 

None that I know of.

The only thing I have done to mine is install a warranty bimetallic air control for the secondary air. Had to remove the cover on the right rear side to get to it. Yours should be fine though as they changed the design and sent out new pieces to those that had the original design.

 

Welcome aboard FeelTheBurn

An IS is gonna look great in that room.


I did my own install with the aid of a friend, but if your back is tore up and installers don't gouge ya bad, I can understand letting them do the grunt work.


The IS is a great stove, I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.

 

Welcome FeelTheBurn! You're gonna like it here