Woodstoves - Page 2

skywalker · 02-10-2002, 02:30 PM

OK! Here we go:

This past Fall we had the chimney cleaned as usual, but we had a new sweep do it as our regular guy stopped doing it. The new guy took off the top of the stove (the other sweep never did this) and found that the catalytic combuster was caked with ashes...not good. This had cause a part in there to warp out of shape. We bought a new combuster (about $80) and he insulated around the warped part to make the combuster air tight (a necessity). Well last Sunday night when my wife closed the damper in the stove....something broke. That Monday, after work, I took the top off the stove and found that the bolt that holds down the collar, that holds down the axle, that controls the damper (that lay in the house that Jack built!

) broke. When I tried to unbolt a holddown for the damper, that bolt broke too!. I called my neighbor who has a tap and die set and we went to work drilling out the bolts and tapping the holes.

Next I removed the combuster to look at it and after only a few months of use, it degraded considerably (they're supposed to last for years). The warped piece was even worse now and a part in there called the Air Distributor was so fragile I could probably crush it with one hand. The baffle under that was rusted badly, too. Looks like I was getting rain down the stainless steel flue pipe (we recently got a new cap, but the damage was already done, I guess).

There are at least 10 parts totalling 310 dollars that I estimate would need replacing, there may be more parts that are bad. There is also a good chance more bolts will break trying to remove these parts.
The labor would be to high to be worth it - time for a new stove, without a catalytic combuster. Time for a GOOD stove that will heat all night and all day, when we are at work, so it isn't less than 60 degrees in the house when we get home.

Well there's the story. Hope I didn't bore you all too much!

Mark

Cerek the Barbaric · 02-11-2002, 05:37 AM

Skywalker,

My parents switched to wood heat back in 1976. We bought a Fisher stove (the Papa Bear design) and my mom and dad used it for over 20 years in 3 different houses. The first house we had it in was a 2-story model with 4 bedrooms and 2 baths. After spending 1 winter paying the outrageous electric bill for the furnace, we switched to the stove and never turned the furnace on again.

Sounds like you've gotten a lot of good advice already, but I just wanted to put in a plug for the Fisher model.

Garnet is right about the "dryness" of the heat (it used to kill my sinuses), but we learned to just keep a full pot of water on the stove and they helped tremendously.

Good luck and stay warm.

skywalker · 02-11-2002, 06:11 AM

Cerek!

My wife's parents have had a Fisher Grandpa Woodstove for about 30 years. He agrees that it is the most reliable stove he's seen. He used to own a General Store many years ago and had sold almost 60 of them with no advertising except word of mouth. Sadly, the stoves are not made anymore or I'd hve bought one of those.

Mark

[ 02-11-2002: Message edited by: skywalker ]

Epona · 02-11-2002, 07:26 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Lavindathar:
You use a wooden stove to heat your home?

Dude, you serious? What is wrong with good ol' central heating?

I know what you're saying mate! Central Heating is so common in England that it's hard to imagine any other form of heating.

I have gas central heating which keeps my home toasty warm and delivers hot water on demand - it costs less than £200 a year in fuel and maintenance charges. Electric heating would be way more expensive. And because I live in London I don't think I could use a wood-burning stove if I wanted to.

Hey, when I was a kid I lived in a house without any heating at all other than a parafin heater (old Victorian farm labourer's cottage). Now THAT was fun, nothing like having ice form on the inside of your windows....

Skywalker, I hope you get it sorted out OK.

[ 02-11-2002: Message edited by: Epona ]

Lavindathar · 02-11-2002, 06:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Epona:

I know what you're saying mate! Central Heating is so common in England that it's hard to imagine any other form of heating.

Glad someone does, when I first posted, I thought everone would think I was just being cheeky!!! At least they were kind enough to not post about it..hehehe!!

Sazerac · 02-11-2002, 06:30 PM

Brrrr! Mark, sorry to hear about that. I know less than nothing about stoves, myself...and after reading your thread, I'm beginning to remember why I like Texas.

Remind me of that, though, in about 5 months.

-Saz

skywalker · 02-13-2002, 05:10 AM

The woodstove is supposed to be installed tomorrow morning. Brrr it is supposed to be below 0 degrees fahrenheit tonight. The stove is not coming fast enough!

Mark

[ 02-13-2002: Message edited by: skywalker ]

02-11-2002, 05:37 AM	#12
Cerek the Barbaric Ma'at - Goddess of Truth & Justice Join Date: October 29, 2001 Location: North Carolina Age: 62 Posts: 3,257	Skywalker, My parents switched to wood heat back in 1976. We bought a Fisher stove (the Papa Bear design) and my mom and dad used it for over 20 years in 3 different houses. The first house we had it in was a 2-story model with 4 bedrooms and 2 baths. After spending 1 winter paying the outrageous electric bill for the furnace, we switched to the stove and never turned the furnace on again. Sounds like you've gotten a lot of good advice already, but I just wanted to put in a plug for the Fisher model. Garnet is right about the "dryness" of the heat (it used to kill my sinuses), but we learned to just keep a full pot of water on the stove and they helped tremendously. Good luck and stay warm. __________________ [img]\"http://img.ranchoweb.com/images/cerek/cerektsrsig.jpg\" alt=\" - \" /><br />Cerek the Calmth

02-11-2002, 07:26 AM	#14
Epona Zartan Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: London, England Age: 54 Posts: 5,164	quote: Originally posted by Lavindathar: You use a wooden stove to heat your home? Dude, you serious? What is wrong with good ol' central heating? I know what you're saying mate! Central Heating is so common in England that it's hard to imagine any other form of heating. I have gas central heating which keeps my home toasty warm and delivers hot water on demand - it costs less than £200 a year in fuel and maintenance charges. Electric heating would be way more expensive. And because I live in London I don't think I could use a wood-burning stove if I wanted to. Hey, when I was a kid I lived in a house without any heating at all other than a parafin heater (old Victorian farm labourer's cottage). Now THAT was fun, nothing like having ice form on the inside of your windows.... Skywalker, I hope you get it sorted out OK. [ 02-11-2002: Message edited by: Epona ] __________________ [img]\"http://www.wizardrealm.com/images/epona.gif\" alt=\" - \" />

02-11-2002, 06:25 PM	#15
Lavindathar Harper Join Date: March 21, 2001 Location: Lancs, England Age: 40 Posts: 4,729	quote: Originally posted by Epona: I know what you're saying mate! Central Heating is so common in England that it's hard to imagine any other form of heating. Glad someone does, when I first posted, I thought everone would think I was just being cheeky!!! At least they were kind enough to not post about it..hehehe!! __________________ =@

02-11-2002, 06:30 PM	#16
Sazerac Ironworks Moderator Join Date: January 7, 2001 Location: Monroe, LA Age: 61 Posts: 7,387	Brrrr! Mark, sorry to hear about that. I know less than nothing about stoves, myself...and after reading your thread, I'm beginning to remember why I like Texas. Remind me of that, though, in about 5 months. -Saz __________________ "And all my days are trances, and all my nightly dreams, Are where thy grey eye glances, and where thy footstep gleams, In what ethereal dances, by what eternal streams..."

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02-10-2002, 02:30 PM	#11
skywalker Banned User Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: VT, USA Age: 64 Posts: 3,097	OK! Here we go: This past Fall we had the chimney cleaned as usual, but we had a new sweep do it as our regular guy stopped doing it. The new guy took off the top of the stove (the other sweep never did this) and found that the catalytic combuster was caked with ashes...not good. This had cause a part in there to warp out of shape. We bought a new combuster (about $80) and he insulated around the warped part to make the combuster air tight (a necessity). Well last Sunday night when my wife closed the damper in the stove....something broke. That Monday, after work, I took the top off the stove and found that the bolt that holds down the collar, that holds down the axle, that controls the damper (that lay in the house that Jack built! ) broke. When I tried to unbolt a holddown for the damper, that bolt broke too!. I called my neighbor who has a tap and die set and we went to work drilling out the bolts and tapping the holes. Next I removed the combuster to look at it and after only a few months of use, it degraded considerably (they're supposed to last for years). The warped piece was even worse now and a part in there called the Air Distributor was so fragile I could probably crush it with one hand. The baffle under that was rusted badly, too. Looks like I was getting rain down the stainless steel flue pipe (we recently got a new cap, but the damage was already done, I guess). There are at least 10 parts totalling 310 dollars that I estimate would need replacing, there may be more parts that are bad. There is also a good chance more bolts will break trying to remove these parts. The labor would be to high to be worth it - time for a new stove, without a catalytic combuster. Time for a GOOD stove that will heat all night and all day, when we are at work, so it isn't less than 60 degrees in the house when we get home. Well there's the story. Hope I didn't bore you all too much! Mark

02-11-2002, 06:11 AM	#13
skywalker Banned User Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: VT, USA Age: 64 Posts: 3,097	Cerek! My wife's parents have had a Fisher Grandpa Woodstove for about 30 years. He agrees that it is the most reliable stove he's seen. He used to own a General Store many years ago and had sold almost 60 of them with no advertising except word of mouth. Sadly, the stoves are not made anymore or I'd hve bought one of those. Mark [ 02-11-2002: Message edited by: skywalker ]

02-13-2002, 05:10 AM	#17
skywalker Banned User Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: VT, USA Age: 64 Posts: 3,097	The woodstove is supposed to be installed tomorrow morning. Brrr it is supposed to be below 0 degrees fahrenheit tonight. The stove is not coming fast enough! Mark [ 02-13-2002: Message edited by: skywalker ]

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