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[Kathrynn]

We live in Northern BC Canada at an elevation of 2500'.  We have fairly long cold winters and would like to buy one asap.  I have been researching makes and models and everyone claims to be the best.  What is the best?  My home is 4500 sq ft but because of the high ceilings and cathedrals ceilings it more like 7100 on 3 floors.
It is log.  Please help.  We have an electric force air right now.  Any comments would be appreciated.

[Scott7m]

Based on my experience in the field I'd reccomend an Empyre Pro 400 for your application.

Feel free to give pro fab a call.  It will burn less than half the wood compared to a conventional stove, when heating that much space,  efficiency is very importsnt

[timbur]

I agree with Scott7m , the Pro 400 will work great for what you need to heat .

[MattyNH]

Well since your a member on this...You have all the links of the different brands on this...You got a big name Portage & Main which is made in Canada..Another big one is Central Boiler.. Check out Aqua-Therm. 6 years and happy with it...Either way all the brands have one purpose.. Everyone is gonna have their opinion..Just like buying a car..Do your homework..Do you know anyone that has a OWB? If so, thats the best hands info you can get than on this..

[MattyNH]

Based on my experience in the field I'd reccomend an Empyre Pro 400 for your application.

Feel free to give pro fab a call.  It will burn less than half the wood compared to a conventional stove, when heating that much space,  efficiency is very importsnt

Of course your gonna say that! Your a friggen dealer..

[Scott7m]

Based on my experience in the field I'd reccomend an Empyre Pro 400 for your application.

Feel free to give pro fab a call.  It will burn less than half the wood compared to a conventional stove, when heating that much space,  efficiency is very importsnt

Of course your gonna say that! Your a friggen dealer..

Lol u think I'm gonna drive up there an install him one? 

I can sell any brand I want, I sell what I beleive in, that doesn't change the validity of my opinion

I also love portage and main, but I can't get that much Money out of furnaces in my market

[MattyNH]

Based on my experience in the field I'd reccomend an Empyre Pro 400 for your application.

Feel free to give pro fab a call.  It will burn less than half the wood compared to a conventional stove, when heating that much space,  efficiency is very importsnt

Of course your gonna say that! Your a friggen dealer..

Lol u think I'm gonna drive up there an install him one? 

I can sell any brand I want, I sell what I beleive in, that doesn't change the validity of my opinion

I also love portage and main, but I can't get that much Money out of furnaces in my market

lol nope..hey more power to you..yup your got your opinion..Just dont push your product to make a buck thats all..look  i dont push my brand at all..Im wide open to all brands..Its like buying a car..the chevy burns more gas than the ford.. or vise  versa...or buy foreign..thats all..

[Scott7m]

I just offer my opinions.  I don't answer 10 pm's a day on here about how to install this n that to make money lol

99% of the folks I deal with on here are hundreds and hundreds of miles away

[Kathrynn]

Thanks for all your input.  After all my research I am down to the Empyre and the Portage and Maine.  All the others fell by the wayside for one reason or another.  Now my question is,  If I go to a gasifier I would definitely take the Empyre line but how is the maintenance on it.  I have talked to one guy running it in our town and he says he doesn't clean it much, but he is in a rental unit and I think he is heading for trouble.  I also don't like the way you have to split your wood to use it.  What have you found,
And if I decide to go to the standard ones which have you found to be better?  Empyre 450 or the portage & maine ML36?

[Scott7m]

Heating that much space, your not going to be happy with either of the conventional units.  At least I wouldn't be unless I has an endless supply of firewood that someone was cutting for me.

I've got a couple friends running pro 400, wood use is less than half of standard boilers, there also not real picky about wood like some gassers, there burnin the same wood they did before

So use of time?  Conventional, you take out ashes
Gasser, you clean tubes, both tasks take similar amounts of time and have to be done every couple weeks on tubes in a gasser, and once a week on conventional ash removal.  So the amount of time spent maintaining the furnace is about the same

But let's say a conventional takes 18 cord of wood to get through the winter and the gasser takes 8-9, how much time did you save by not having to cut, split, stack, cover and load 9 extra cord of wood?? 

To me it's a no brainer

[Troy73]

Good point Scott about using half the wood. Time is the only thing you can't buy !

[MattyNH]

Heating that much space, your not going to be happy with either of the conventional units.  At least I wouldn't be unless I has an endless supply of firewood that someone was cutting for me.

I've got a couple friends running pro 400, wood use is less than half of standard boilers, there also not real picky about wood like some gassers, there burnin the same wood they did before

So use of time?  Conventional, you take out ashes
Gasser, you clean tubes, both tasks take similar amounts of time and have to be done every couple weeks on tubes in a gasser, and once a week on conventional ash removal.  So the amount of time spent maintaining the furnace is about the same

But let's say a conventional takes 18 cord of wood to get through the winter and the gasser takes 8-9, how much time did you save by not having to cut, split, stack, cover and load 9 extra cord of wood?? 

To me it's a no brainer

Not sure how you can say that!!! Every situation is so different ( Climate, hook up, age of house, type of wood burning)..I think you example of conventional boilers is def far fetched burning wise...Only reason why gasser's are out is cause of the epa..Yeah they might smoke less. (as i said might lol..Only said that Ive seen the gassers puff away)..Doesn't mean they  will burn less wood..

[Scott7m]

Think what you want, not all gassers are the same. 

 Half the wood is what folks I'm involved with are seeing as results. 

Kathrynn called me and i put her in contact with the folks who use these units on a daily basis in a climate similar to hers. 

[martyinmi]

Matty,

   Scott and I do not agree on all things all the time, but on this one he is right 1000%!

I have owned two gassers so far. They WILL burn 40-50% less wood than the average wood boiler. That is fact. They are nearly smokeless when operated properly. Nearly 50% of the potential BTU's in wood are released into the atmosphere in the form of unburned smoke with a conventional OWB. That is also fact, not opinion. Google it.

The downdraft gasification process has been around for more than a hundred years. There are a few OWB manufacturers that have been marketing gasifying OWB's since before the EPA's involvement with the Phase 1 and Phase 2 processes. Google this too.

Incidentally, I hope that Scott is somehow compensated for expressing his perception of facts relating to the Pro-Fab (Empyre) boilers. He is always helpful, and in the event that he does make a mistake, he rectifies it.

There are four guys who frequent this site that I will always listen to: RSI, Yoder, Willie, and Scott. I've not seen them steer anyone wrong so far. Scott is right in this particular circumstance.

 

[MattyNH]

Matty,

   Scott and I do not agree on all things all the time, but on this one he is right 1000%!

I have owned two gassers so far. They WILL burn 40-50% less wood than the average wood boiler. That is fact. They are nearly smokeless when operated properly. Nearly 50% of the potential BTU's in wood are released into the atmosphere in the form of unburned smoke with a conventional OWB. That is also fact, not opinion. Google it.

The downdraft gasification process has been around for more than a hundred years. There are a few OWB manufacturers that have been marketing gasifying OWB's since before the EPA's involvement with the Phase 1 and Phase 2 processes. Google this too.

Incidentally, I hope that Scott is somehow compensated for expressing his perception of facts relating to the Pro-Fab (Empyre) boilers. He is always helpful, and in the event that he does make a mistake, he rectifies it.

There are four guys who frequent this site that I will always listen to: RSI, Yoder, Willie, and Scott. I've not seen them steer anyone wrong so far. Scott is right in this particular circumstance.

 

Hey I get all that..More efficiency on the burn.. You know what Im still sticking to my guns on the wood consumption. Every situation is so different...The guy with the 100+ old  farm house with virtually no insulation and live up in the north..Hes gonna burn wood..Look I know people that have the E-Classic..They dont burn that less more compared to me!! We are just forced to buy the gassers cause of the epa