wood-burning stove install question - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Hogweed · #31 12-14-2006, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raymr

Build a fire ring outside and you can still get your exercise and have lots of nice fires.

while i was caring for my dad in '03 i rented an 18th century carriage house and on the property there was a pond that formed in the quarry where they quarried the stone for the main house. i remember building these huge fires in the ring down at the water on really cold nights (that winter i think the high temp in Pa was under 30 for like 25 days in a row, and it was always like 10 at night). those were some awesome fires and most of the time it was just me and some chimay

#32 12-14-2006, 07:57 PM

If a wood stove is properly installed, vented and maintained there should be no odor, the same goes for danger.

A264172 · #33 12-14-2006, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MedMech

If a wood stove is properly installed, vented and maintained there should be no odor, the same goes for danger.

Here here.

Mankind managed to survive with wood and coal fires in the house up until about... what was it?.. 75 years ago.

soypwrd · #34 12-16-2006, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdanz

Advice
5. but most important wood stoves are DANGEROUS.

It's more the chimney and less the stove that is dangerous. Use the metalbestous insulated pipe and do it right, burn dry wood with small hot fires, and clean the chimney regularly and will be fine.

t walgamuth · #35 12-16-2006, 07:26 AM

in my old house (1866) we had four fireplaces with mantles mirrors etc. three of them were fitted with buckeye inserts designed for coal burning. we used one of them regularly for heat and fun. i had one flue fire, (that was exciting), and one wood splitting accident in which a piece of wood shot horizontally into my shin and in a few minutes had a huge lump that rivaled my kneecap for size. then i learned about health risks for asthmatic children and wood burning appliances.

so when we built our new home in 1991 it was without any wood burning appliances.

it does have excellent passive solar capabilities though, and in the middle of the winter the sun from the skylights above our stairwell will reach all the way over to the north wall inside the house. it is literally brighter in the winter than in the summer.

i dont miss the sawing chopping and splitting.

it was fun for a while though.

now we make fires outside when we camp out.

tom w

raymr · #36 12-16-2006, 10:46 AM

Its mainly a sport for young people. My dad had been chopping wood for years, and one day he chopped the top of his thumb off!

soypwrd · #37 12-16-2006, 12:09 PM

Whe the systems break down and the conventional means of heating your abode no longer work, I don't wanna see you girlymen knocking on my door looking to thaw yourselves.

But you'll be welcomed anyway.

Vonthaden · #38 12-16-2006, 02:48 PM

If I read correctly you have a oil burning furnace already?

How old is it? Are you gonna have to replace it soon. Why not go with a wood burning furnace? You can get a unit that is independant of the house and pumps the hot air into the house. Or a basement unit that radiates through the house.

I grew up in a early 1800's house, in upstate NY, that had a wood burner in the basement heated the whole house nicely.

But really look into radiant floor heating to balance the temperature in your house. There are systems now that can bet attached under existing floor and run off a standard water heater or a rooftop solar unit. Its nice even heat throughout the house and efficient. But can be a headache to install in existing houses.

I personally like the ventless gas units, but you are a victim to the fluctuation of gas prices. I would also look at getting the windows changed before you put a woodstove in. Its just money better spent replaceing the windows. And in reality right now electricity is cheaper then raw fuels, so at this time oil filled base board heaters are cheaper to run then gas (haven't done the math, and that is a quote from WV were coal is cheap hence electricity is cheap).

Be careful puching a hole through the roof, if the original design wasn't set up for it, it is easy to end up with ice jams and leaks, which will eat up any savings you might of had.

I have lived in the back of an uninsulated Dodge cargo van down
to 10 degrees, it is amazing what you can learn to be comfortable with. But the windows will improve resale/ equity more then a woodstove. So do the windows first and borrow against the improvement to do the chimney.

Hope that helps, sorry its so long; but its not a simple situation, as you are learning. You could always just run stovepipe out the window and up the side of the house, don't luagh! I've lived with less.

Vonthaden · #39 12-16-2006, 02:49 PM

Oh ya, what kind of insulation does your house have?

Hogweed · #40 12-16-2006, 03:07 PM

no furnace just elec baseboards. the house is a log built about 100 yrs old. we'll do the windows in the spring but i think we'll need more heat when/if it gets cold!

t walgamuth · #41 12-16-2006, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vonthaden

If I read correctly you have a oil burning furnace already?

How old is it? Are you gonna have to replace it soon. Why not go with a wood burning furnace? You can get a unit that is independant of the house and pumps the hot air into the house. Or a basement unit that radiates through the house.

I grew up in a early 1800's house, in upstate NY, that had a wood burner in the basement heated the whole house nicely.

But really look into radiant floor heating to balance the temperature in your house. There are systems now that can bet attached under existing floor and run off a standard water heater or a rooftop solar unit. Its nice even heat throughout the house and efficient. But can be a headache to install in existing houses.

I personally like the ventless gas units, but you are a victim to the fluctuation of gas prices. I would also look at getting the windows changed before you put a woodstove in. Its just money better spent replaceing the windows. And in reality right now electricity is cheaper then raw fuels, so at this time oil filled base board heaters are cheaper to run then gas (haven't done the math, and that is a quote from WV were coal is cheap hence electricity is cheap).

Be careful puching a hole through the roof, if the original design wasn't set up for it, it is easy to end up with ice jams and leaks, which will eat up any savings you might of had.

I have lived in the back of an uninsulated Dodge cargo van down
to 10 degrees, it is amazing what you can learn to be comfortable with. But the windows will improve resale/ equity more then a woodstove. So do the windows first and borrow against the improvement to do the chimney.

Hope that helps, sorry its so long; but its not a simple situation, as you are learning. You could always just run stovepipe out the window and up the side of the house, don't luagh! I've lived with less.

there are many good ideas in this post. i disagree about the retrofitting radiant heat. i dont think it would be very easy to do that effectively. and using electrical heat instead of burning something will take very cheap electricity to pan out. it wouldnt come close around here.

i agree about fixing the windows first if they are very leaky. but this is a tricky call on how to do it energy effeciently and cost effectively. if you pm me with some information i might be able to help you sort out the options.

good luck

tom w

AdMaven · #42 12-20-2006, 01:11 AM

For the past 14 years the only heat in my home has been a wood stove. Just had a new Country Striker S160 installed with new chimney and all new hearth (beautiful river rock) and the tab was about $6500. Most of that was for the rock walls and labor. Triple wall pipe up through the attic and everything new and safe. The old stove in the house was pre EPA.

I love burning wood for heat and when our power was knocked out Sunday night because a car hit a pole and we had no electricity from 6pm-3am, my house was warm. I can't say the same for the neighbors who don't have wood stoves.

You do have to know what you're doing so you don't overfire the stove or cause a chimney fire. Plenty of knowledge on hearth.com for anyone interested.

raymr · #43 12-20-2006, 08:52 AM

Just like with a fireplace, you have to be real careful when removing the ashes. One little glowing ember dumped in the wrong place can make for a big problem.

Hogweed · #44 01-08-2007, 04:28 PM

thanks to all the great ideas and suggestions. this board is really great and the people here make it even more so.
i sold the wood stove after i found out the cost to install etc. made $50 so no big deal. i was going to go natural gas but decided to go w/ a pellet stove instead. pellets are $225 a ton and from what i've heard i can probably use less than a ton to heat my house (normal winter-this year i might not need it at all!).
i just have to build the platform and lay some ceramic tile and it will be up and running next week!
happy new year everyone, and may the Joy of the Lord fill your heart this year!
gregg

A264172 · #45 01-08-2007, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hogweed

thanks to all the great ideas and suggestions. this board is really great and the people here make it even more so.
i sold the wood stove after i found out the cost to install etc. made $50 so no big deal. i was going to go natural gas but decided to go w/ a pellet stove instead. pellets are $225 a ton and from what i've heard i can probably use less than a ton to heat my house (normal winter-this year i might not need it at all!).
i just have to build the platform and lay some ceramic tile and it will be up and running next week!
happy new year everyone, and may the Joy of the Lord fill your heart this year!
gregg

You get a lot more controled heat for less tending but the price of pellets may be disapointing some years... If you have access to cheap corn where you are look into a stove that can burn corn as well as pellets if it is practicle. Either way your net 0 green house gases vs. NG or propane, and you get the bennies of a warm space heater and a fire to warm the soul.

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