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[Opienva]

I'm having a hard time picking a OWB. Care to help with the decision? I have a 2000 sq ft home with a crawl space and single story and will be heating DHW also. I have a down draft heat pump already installed in the house. I have decided on one of two different stoves. The Hardy H 2 and a Heatmaster 3000 or E model. I need a 12 ft from ground chimney height and It will be located 70' from the house. I live in south West ish Va. I have a Hardy dealer 10 min. from me and a Heatmaster dealer 45 min. from me. Thanks in advance for the help.

[AirForcePOL]

If it's between those two models go with the heatmaster.  I had a H2 for three years.  It worked fine but the heatmaster stoves have many more features and are built a lot better than the hardy's.  This will be my first year with a heatmaster but from the way everyone talks, I won't be disappointed one bit. 

[Opienva]

What are the extra features?

[dana k]

I was in the same senario as you. Made up my mind in aug.  Read everything i could online about wood boilers the more i read the more confused i became. Finally got to actually looking at stoves and talking to people that have them..  I looked at hardy,earth,central boiler,heatmor,acme and heat master.  Each stove had its pluses to me and its negatives.

In the end i went with a heat master 5000.  I determined i wanted 409 stainless over mild steel, shaker grates if i wanted to try coal, ash pan, and a rear mounted blower.

The hardest thing for me was the outlay of cash and wanting to make sure i tried to make the best decision i could so in a few years would not be trying to fix issues or have to look into a new boiler again.

The other selling point to me was the dealer that sold the units. He seemed knowledgable, answered my hundreds of questions and said if i had had any issues get ahold of him and he would talk me thru them or make a trip out and get any problems resolved.  Dealer like that means alot.

In the end pick the one that appeals to you.

[victor6deep]

Ridgewood.

[CountryBoyJohn]

I spoke with a Hardy dealer last weekend.  These are his words, not mine, so take it easy on me.  "Hardy's are not known for their efficiency."  Hardy's are one of the least efficient stoves on the market.  I know numerous people around me that have Hardy and LOVE them.  However, they all admit, that they eat a TON of wood!  I have a Heatmaster and love it.  I've been on this forum for 2 years and have only read 1 person who didn't like their Heatmaster.  There are other good brands out there, but I think many are better than Hardy. 

Happy hunting!! 

[victor6deep]

I'd go heat master before a hardy any day.

[fsuftball]

Ridgewood simple easy. Built to last.

[AirForcePOL]

Country boy, I forgot that part.  I went through a bunch of wood with my hardy.  A bunch!

[fryedaddy]

IN reading all the issues with Hardy, I'd go with Heatmaster any day.

From what I remember Hardy's use so much water it's pathetic. They may be
stainless but if you're pumping alot of water into an OWB it's not good.

Adding alot of water also increases the amount of wood used.

The last stove ran for 20+yrs between me and my father-in-law. I was leaking in the end so I was adding water daily.
Ran through alot of wood that winter!!