Outdoor Wood Furnace Info
All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: Scott7m on January 24, 2009, 09:25:32 AM
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I'm looking for advice on which are the best? I have been doing my own research and like a lof of designs that I see.
Ones thats are available in my area include Hardy, Central Boiler, and Heatmor. I just can't figure out what I really want. Each time you talk to a salesman they get rude and start telling you how the competitors are all just a bunch of junk. Kinda makes me mad, because there probably isn't a great deal of difference. Whats your guys opinion on whats the bset one out there?!
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I'm looking for advice on which are the best? I have been doing my own research and like a lof of designs that I see.
Ones thats are available in my area include Hardy, Central Boiler, and Heatmor. I just can't figure out what I really want. Each time you talk to a salesman they get rude and start telling you how the competitors are all just a bunch of junk. Kinda makes me mad, because there probably isn't a great deal of difference. Whats your guys opinion on whats the bset one out there?!
Welcome to the forum
Can't tell you about any of them but this is the best place to find info
I have a woodmaster and it works great
Good Luck
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it's confusing to say the least...... you hear so many varied opinions.
now i'm reading about gasification boilers and stuff.. i donno....
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it's confusing to say the least...... you hear so many varied opinions.
now i'm reading about gasification boilers and stuff.. i donno....
Some say that is the way to go My buddy has a indoor gasification boiler and he said it sucks.
What do you plan on heating sq foot
Do you have land with wood or do you have to buy wood do you have a place to store wood.
Tell us about your setup maybe we can help you out.
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Scott-
I have a Hardy H5 that I like a lot. It's 3+years old and has been flawless. That said, it's the only type I have experience with and as you said, there can't be much difference in them. But just to add my 2 cents, I'm a completely satisfied owner.
For a first time buyer you need to keep in mind that these things do smoke a good bit, especially at the start of the burn cycle, and they are hungry. They eat A LOT of wood. If those two issues don't bother you, whichever brand you choose will do the job nicely.
Good luck!
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Hi Scott and welcome to the message board this is a great place to find info and ask questions, don't be afraid to ask questions, this is exactly the reason I started this message board was for people to get answers to their questions.
It is hard because everytime you turn around you like a different model, I just bought mine last spring and felt the same way, I eventually felt that the Woodmaster was the best option for me, and I love it, it has been flawless to this point. I know my brother (Hank on the message board) has a Hardy H-2 and he really likes it and it does what he wants it to do.
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well i currently live in a 2050 sq ft double wide.. i live in a really rural area, smoke not an issue. have access to plenty of wood as well.
i'm going to build a shed to put the wood in and the stove.
i went and looked at some guys using hardy's they were all pleased. when you guys say the eat "ALOT" of wood, what are we talking here?
last guys stove i looked at was a h2 hardy, he had burned less than 2 cords of wood from september 14th- a couple days ago, heating around 1600 sq ft.
i plan on building a house on the same property within 6-8 years, and will be using that to heat it as well.. probably around a 2500-2700 sq ft
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i will go out on a limb here scott and make a guesstimate on wood for your new 2000 square foot home..with the boilers we use now , 6 to 9 bush cord (4x4x8) i dont know about the newer 'gasification" models all the builders are coming out with but they say 1/4 to 1/3 less wood
6 to 9 bush cords will likely heat your hot water for domestic use and heat your home to a nice comfy 72 steady degrees and most likley your car garage at 50 degree average. you may do better but i am preparing your for what is normal in my part of the country (ontario canada)
others may say you can do much better...i am skeptical (i probably started a great debate..lol)
good luck on your pruchase..i agree with the ones whom say "there can't be that much difference in the stoves" I believe the greatest difference is in the install, not only of the stove and the pipes but you allready said one of my greatest beliefs...build a shed around it, and while your at it make it big enough to hold at least half a winters wood (all if you can)
the shed will not only protect your stove but if you have to add wood in a storm it is a nice place to load the stove from, out of the wind and the snow
I met an old timer at a farm show standing around the OWB booth and got talking to him when i was going to build mine and he told me he had had one for 5 years he used a lot of wood as he heated his shed, his house and his milk house and informed me that just by building an 8 foot high fence on the north and west side of his stove to keep himself out of the wind he noticed his wood consumption had gone down at least 1 cord of wood a year
again good luck and welcome to the forum
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how about the carbon steel vs. stainless steel debate?!
central boiler systems look nice, but i liked the idea of stainless........... decisions decisions
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I can tell you some things I like about my Central Boiler:
I actually like that it's carbon steel, studies show that it transfers heat better and resists cracking from the hot/cold cycles better than most stainless stoves. Central Boiler made a stainless stove but I believe they've got completely away from stainless. Also if you search the board you'll see that stainless isn't completely corrosion resistant.
I like not having an ash pan, I think it's easier to shovel my ashes out and be able to stir them to get maximum burn out of the wood.
I like the urethane insulation, Central Boilers diagrams for different applications, size of stove.
One thing I don't like is the way the smoke sometimes comes out the front door when loading. It happens because of the large baffle in the roof of the firebox that makes the air circulate to burn more efficiently.
I think you'll find many similarities in stoves but I do feel strongly about using carbon steel instead of stainless, and the urethane sprayed on insulation. I also like the way the Central Boiler looks.
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OK, I gotta jump back in on this one.
Here's a detailed list of the pros and cons of my Hardy. Again, I don't want to sound like a salesman, because I'm not one, but I'm proud of and happy with my OWB.
I like the fact that it's just a square stainless shell. If it was nice and sided it would outshine all the other buildings on the farm here. :) I like the grates. I shake them down every couple weeks and shovel the ashes out the bottom of the furnace into a pile I keep beside the furnace. In the summer they go to the garden. Hardy gives you a little homemade shovel for cleaning out the ash area. There isn't a pan or anything. I have a low water light on the side of the furnace facing the house so I know at a glance when to add more. That said, I barely ever have to add water. I get good burn times and it burns coal, too. It's simplly built-I don't have to rip off siding to get to the guts. There's a panel on the back that slides right out to get to the pump, aquastat, blower, etc.
It's not perfect, though. Here's some cons: There's a warning label that tells you to open the ash door first. If not it can have kind of a mini flashover effect that will take your eyebrows off. The ash drawer situation does kinda require you to hunker down on your knees to shovel it out. I don't have the light above the door for night loading that some of the others feature. I just have fiberglass sheet insulation. Maybe the spray stuff is better-I don't know.
Basically, a Hardy is a no frills furnace. Built for function, not form. If you're the kind of person with crank windows, a stick shift, and vinyl seats in your truck, this is your furnace. :)
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thanks for the information...... i really like the looks of the central but admire the simplicity of the hardy! it's just a hard decision no matter what!
Does the central boiler have the endless supply of hot water that the hardy gives ya?
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I also have a Central Boiler, this is my first season with it and my only stove so I can't help you that much. I love it though and am so glad I bought one. I can't honestly tell you which ones are better and I imagine most people can't either since they last so long, most only have ever had one! I think if you go with a well known brand, for service, warranty and parts issues, you can't go wrong.
Not sure what you mean by "endless supply of hot water" I'm pretty sure all OWB's are able to do that. I haven't had to add any water in the only month or so I've been burning so far... maybe you're talking about domestic hot water. Like from a hot water heater in your house. If so... yes, all OWB's can be hooked into that or do an on demand system like Willie G did.
Good luck and let us know what you end up with!
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They'll all give you as much hot water as you need, especially if you have a big enough heat exchanger. I haven't plumbed mine in yet because it seems like I have so many things on my plate. Right now I'm trying to finish my garage and can't even find time to get ahead on wood.
One other thing to look at is the PEX system you buy. Make sure it's very well protected and insulated as you can lose massive amounts of heat through your PEX going from your stove into your house. Think of it as a big heat exchanger with 20 degree soil if it's not insulated well enough or if moisture gets to it.
Your installation of the system will really be a big factor in how your stove operates, no matter which one you buy.
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yup i'm well aware of the insulation of the pex
i know 2 guys who have hardy's now for 18 years...... both still working
but i like some of the ideas on the central, may come down to who gives me the best deal/sales speach haha
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From what I hear you'll not be able to touch a Central Boiler for what you can get a Hardy for. I looked at Hardy's first but the dealer close to me didn't think he had a stove big enough to keep me burning for more than 6 or 8 hours at a time. He also wasn't sure how to plumb it into my dinosaur at the time either. Anyway, the rest is expensive (but paid for itself) history.
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Really... what's a Hardy go for about. Just the stove itself. I paid just under 8 grand for my CB 6048.
I really wish I would have checked into these things a little more before I bought mine. I went off of 2 others suggestions and never really heard of many other brands. Not dissin' my CB at all... just wish I would have found this forum and could make a better decision for myself.
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Your sizing and set-up is the most important in my mind. More important than the brand you buy! A few things below my opinion only.
1) Get the next larger unit that you think you need (don't skimp on size)!
2) Spend the extra on you pipe, yes $12.50 a foot but worth it.
3) Place the unit as close as possible to your home. What I mean is the less pipe you run the less heat loss! (wind direction????).
4) The more water capacity the better.
5) Stainless ???????? In my mind its not what its cut out to be. Just my opinion.
Not a whole lot of difference in all of them. I use a Central Boiler 6048. I heat an old farm house, not insulated to well, high ceilings, two story and 3000 sq. feet. For a year of burning I use about 7 cords. I am totally satisfied with it.
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Scratch, I'm not sure now but I remember them being 10 to 15% cheaper when I got mine. I'm like you, when I bought I looked at as many online as I could but only a few in my area to look at in person. I saw a Heatmor, Taylor, Hardy, and maybe a couple of others. I think the thing that sold me on the CB was the fact that the dealer said it would be no problem hooking it up. Well I've redone it a few times and right now I'm getting as much as I can out of it without removing my old boiler inside and redoing the near piping. I have a lot of 3" black iron at the old boiler so it made plumbing kinda hard.
I do like the look of PhinPhan's Woodmaster. It's similar to a CB but has a round firebox. Check those out too.
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whats the advantages to the round firebox?? pressure relief in the corners or what?
I've been pricing them in my area, I got priced a 5036 CB for 7800, Not installed.
I was priced a Hardy H2 installed for 7200, or an H4 installed for 8500.
you guys using those big monster 6048's, i thought those were for stuff over 5k sq ft
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you guys using those big monster 6048's, i thought those were for stuff over 5k sq ft
My house also has my wife's hair salon attached to it, which we're heating. And I'm planning on adding my workshop in a pole barn to it next year.
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My house was built in 1867 when they worried more about how to keep one cool than warm. If it got cold they'd just throw some more coal in one of the 7 fireplaces. So needless to see the older large homes (mine is pushing 5000 sq. ft.) are much harder to heat. I do hope adding another six new windows and insulation + siding will help for next heating season.
I'm glad the Hardy guy was honest and said he doubted one would heat my home without loading it more than 3 times a day or I might have been sorry I bought an OWB. Believe me, I'd rather have a smaller firebox using less wood..hehe
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whats the advantages to the round firebox?? pressure relief in the corners or what?
I've been pricing them in my area, I got priced a 5036 CB for 7800, Not installed.
I was priced a Hardy H2 installed for 7200, or an H4 installed for 8500.
you guys using those big monster 6048's, i thought those were for stuff over 5k sq ft
With 40 percent fewer seams than a square box, round firebox have stronger chambers with less chance of cracking or leaking, and pitting is minimized.
It lets the water flow all they way around the drum
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I literall go back and fourth back and fourth thinking about which one to get.............
I start looking at the simplicity of the Hardy, and then I like some of the other things about the central boiler! It's a tough decision, it may just come down to where i can get the best deal. Right now I'm debating on the 5036 or hardy h4.
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I like taco circulators because they have a cartridge that's easy to change if you need to replace the unit. 4 small bolts and your pump is as good as new. See what kind of controls, pump, pex, etc. each dealer uses too.
Will you need any zone valves are anything special? Central Boiler has installation kits that will provide you with everything you need for your particular application. They also have detailed instructions/illustrations to help you through the install. I'm sure they all have something similar but make sure you're looking at that too.
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I too was at the hardy / central boiler decision? The fact that the hardy had forced air vs. natural draft made my choise for me. I thought that the blower on the hardy forced unused hot air out the stack. I know hardy users in my area. They use more wood than i do!! I would not install another without thermopex!! It cost alot but i lose very heat temp. returning to boiler!!
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I'm going to get the insulated lines and such........
Right now I'm thinking that the central boiler! theoretically should be easier on wood based on the firebox design and air draft.. Am I on the right track? looks like if your forcing the air in their would be just to much as jon said.
I appreciate your guys help.... it is helping
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I'm running an old global hydronics stainless unit. The stainless corroded in just a couple years, so stainless can have problems. I wrapped the firebox in copper tubing replaced water jacket and filled the old water jacket with pea gravel to normalize temp swings. I would shy away from any OWB with a blower to feed the fire. My blower is disconnected so the aquastat only allows the solenoid to open the port for combustion air. When I fired it up for the first time with the blower the heat going out the stack was truely amazing. I paid $300 for the junk unit and I'm pleased with everything especially considering all in costs of $3K. This won't heat a McMansion but for a modest home is a pretty good choice. I'd also recommend a sidearm for hot water. My system has had a fire for about four years now winter and summer.
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My dad heated his house for years with an indoor natural draft wood/coal furnace and he is much more satisfied with my Hardy than he was his furnace. That's apples and oranges, I realize, but I really like having the blower. I get solid 12 hour burn times even when it's really cold and the furnace keeps the drafty old house nice and warm even on the coldest nights.
I guess that's one nice thing about the variety of furnaces out there: there's something for everyone.
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looks like the blower could just cause it to unncessarily send a lot of heat up the pipe? I could be wrong but it seems like it would do that, I thought a natural vent would be better.
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If you need more draft you can also add another joint of pipe. I have 3 pieces of triple wall on mine since it's close to the house. I'd add more if I didn't have to guy it off somewhere.
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Shouldn't the stove come from the factory with the length of pipe that works best for your model?
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not necessarily. Your location also will affect your draft. Things like wind direction, structures nearby, etc.
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yeah i'd guess so......... I'm officially starting to lean towards central boiler!
Hope I'll make a good decision
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I'm sure if you go with one of the more popular stoves, for example... like the ones listed on the main page of this forum, You'll be ok. I think they're all very similar. Might want to look at it like which companies have you heard complaints about. I've only heard complaints about their stove from one person.... he happens to be on this forum also...
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That I really can't answer because I only have experience with my furnace. Hardys have a flat ceiling in the firebox and the stack comes out the top, while CB's {I think} all have baffled tops and rear exiting stacks. So it would stand to reason that Hardys lose more heat up the stack. When it's real cold and we get a fair ammount of snow it will lay on top of my furnace. As I've said I get good burn times and don't go through more wood than I think I should. Heat out the stack has never seemed to me to be a problem, but again, I have nothing to compare my furnace with. You have a tough decision to make and I wish I could be more helpful, but I will say this-with all the thought you're putting into this and all the research you're doing, whichever you decide on will be the right decision. I'm looking forward to seeing what you finally do decide on.
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I have a hawken and love it it has the forced draft and you can see some heat loss thru the top of the chimney my buddy has a central with about 12 ft of pipe as a chimney mine is only a ft tall so his might cool before i have a chance to compare at the top. I do know that he goes thru more wood than me not by much I think its due to the fact that it takes him alot longer to get up to temp where mine gets there faster then shuts down. If you want less smoke I would recommend a forced draft, I think that all brands offer it some as an option and some standerd check out the insides and watch out for the dead spots where corrosion can start and read the fine print on the warrenty I think all brands are prorated but look at exactly what and how long that they are covered for, and how close the factory is in case you need to drive it up there for a claim.
tim
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Just a thought on forced air draft. The Central Boilers all offer a kit that replaces the servo and plate on the front door with a draft inducer. They cost about as much as one joint of triple wall chimney. So if you don't feel you're getting enough draft naturally, you can induce more, if you don't simply want to add chimney as some do for multiple reasons including more draft, less smoke at roof level.
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looking at central boiler . hardys can burn coal i was looking at that too
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i think you can burn coal in just about any of them... but not straight coal.... i wouldn't mind throwing a lump or two in with the wood on a CB
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I would say if you had a nice bed of ash in the bottom of most any OWB coal wouldn't hurt it. I think the problem would come if you had coal in direct contact with the firebox, no good.
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My two cents on burning coal. Not all OWB can burn coal (one of the reasons I went with the Natures comfort).. things to look for .. heay gauge firebox, fire brick and most important .. the blower bmust be mounted to provide air under the fire .. NOT on top. Many boilers have blowers that blow down on the fire .. this is not good for burning coal.
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SStan, you may know this already, but Hardy's have the air introduced into the back of the unit, under the fire box. It comes into the ash box. If the ash box is fairly clean, it blows clear up to the front of the unit and then turns up through the grates to the wood. The wood in the front of the furnace always burns first-if you open the door in the middle of the day you'll see the front is empty while the back is still all there.
My dealer happens to also be a coal miner and he runs a mess of coal in his Hardy. From what he told me when I bought mine he has never had any trouble. I don't expect to hear horror stories from a dealer but he seems honest.
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SStan, you may know this already, but Hardy's have the air introduced into the back of the unit, under the fire box. It comes into the ash box. If the ash box is fairly clean, it blows clear up to the front of the unit and then turns up through the grates to the wood. The wood in the front of the furnace always burns first-if you open the door in the middle of the day you'll see the front is empty while the back is still all there.
My dealer happens to also be a coal miner and he runs a mess of coal in his Hardy. From what he told me when I bought mine he has never had any trouble. I don't expect to hear horror stories from a dealer but he seems honest.
my cousin has a hardy, he's had it for 18 years and has burned a lot of coal in it since he works at a coal dock. at the same time however, he's had the stove apart and had my dad welding on it on several different occassions, i'm sure that most people wouldn't have attempted the fix, he did, and it stilll works though
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What crapped out that needed to be welded?
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did you buy one yet
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not yet i'm in the process of trying to become a dealer for central boiler
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If you become a dealer I want good deals on replacement products..heheheh
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We want to eventually have an outdoor wb furnace too. I have been doing research and reading for a couple of years or more when I get a chance. Of course the sales people will all tell you that they have the best and even those who have them will tend to be skewed toward the one they have if it works well and against it if they have problems. Pretty standard. That’s how we humans operate. I have had a lot of questions still but I did find a link that had an interesting report. I hope it is permissible to post a link here. I did find the report online when I was searching for information on a particular furnace I found in the classifieds someone is trying to sell (new, never used). The link is: http://www.ashcreekph.com/images/Heating_Logos/Energy_Industry_Report.pdf. A lot of what I read makes sense. Where you live and the cold you are facing would make a difference. As far as the ranking system they used, you have to make up your own mind about the report. Good luck.
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If you become a dealer I want good deals on replacement products..heheheh
buy a hawken..i think the dealer just arrived..lol
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forgive me..i couldn't resist
but when i see such a spread between one manufacturer and all the rest it seems a bit suspicious
i apologize
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classifieds someone is trying to sell (new, never used). The link is: http:has//www.ashcreekph.com/images/Heating_Logos/Energy_Industry_Report.pdf look like dealer to me
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Using words like "silly warranty" and some other phrases for the "other" furnaces tends to make me believe that it was written by some Hawken group. I remember Central Boiler coming out with this "EPA article" explaining the benefits of the E-Classic. In the fine print was Central Boiler's name...
I'm pretty sure they all do it.
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I assure you I am not a dealer. I found the report when I googled Hardy H3 Outdoor Wood Furnace because there is one listed in the classifieds of the Jefferson City newspaper. I only know I will be following up on the report, i.e. calling the listed authors and inquiring about their information. I am interested in finding the best OWB that I can find that will provide us with the heat and hot water that we require without feeding it on a too regular basis. I talked to a salesperson for Central once and he said that unless it was very cold (below 0), I should only have to add logs once every 24-36 hours. And that was for Montana. From what I have read here, that would seem to be quite an exageration. I will not commit to buying any brand until I believe I have the best and most information I can get, along with a very good understanding of the warranty and what it will cover. Without that, none of them will get my money.
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well thats how i found it loo.king at hardy furnace i think the report is a dealer
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Hi
I am a Heatmor dealer.
Been following this thread and think I can add some insight about becoming a dealer.
Yea it sounds great when you can get a stove cheap and sell some to recoup your investment!
It started great for me but think first.
1. How do you get them to buyer? How do you intend to move them around?
2. Phone time I have at least 100 calls of just looking at whats out there. this gets old on weekends.
3. Warranty work. wait till you get some one with 10 yrold furnace that is leaking and wants new for free.
This was my first call thought Heatmor did well to offer to replace furnace for 50% of new cost hooked up
but was told off by owner after spending hours on phone.
4. Parts you will get calls for parts and will not make many $ for time.
5. Do you have a sales tax license?
If you are in the heating bus. not a bad way to go but I now know I will not make much money at this.
I do love my 200 and think it is the best stove on the market.
I have 1800sq ft. log home 6 1/2 full cords so far. Northern Michigan
I will be happy to answer any Heatmor questions for you
Beaver Creek Alt. Heat
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Hi
I am a Heatmor dealer.
Been following this thread and think I can add some insight about becoming a dealer.
Yea it sounds great when you can get a stove cheap and sell some to recoup your investment!
It started great for me but think first.
1. How do you get them to buyer? How do you intend to move them around?
2. Phone time I have at least 100 calls of just looking at whats out there. this gets old on weekends.
3. Warranty work. wait till you get some one with 10 yrold furnace that is leaking and wants new for free.
This was my first call thought Heatmor did well to offer to replace furnace for 50% of new cost hooked up
but was told off by owner after spending hours on phone.
4. Parts you will get calls for parts and will not make many $ for time.
5. Do you have a sales tax license?
If you are in the heating bus. not a bad way to go but I now know I will not make much money at this.
I do love my 200 and think it is the best stove on the market.
I have 1800sq ft. log home 6 1/2 full cords so far. Northern Michigan
I will be happy to answer any Heatmor questions for you
Beaver Creek Alt. Heat
6 1/2 full cords..mmm I do beleive I have read (for possably the first time) an honest a statement from a dealer. may i ask if that is good wood ..oak or hickory and dry wood as well
i heat with only dead elm...some getting punky and some still decent, but all dry and i use about 8 to ten full cords on a normal year..this year will be more i think as i am at about 9 now I fill my stove twice a day no matter the weather..just less per fill on warm days , i find stuffing the stove just makes for more unburnt coals as they get covered by fine ash if the stove is filled too full
im at the southern tip of lake huron on the canadian side (30 miles east of port huron michigan)
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well, i would move the stoves on a trailer, i would load them with a fork truck.....
As with any business, you actually have to do something to make it work, you can't feel hassled because you got a few to many calls on the weekend...
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Hi
I am a Heatmor dealer.
Been following this thread and think I can add some insight about becoming a dealer.
Yea it sounds great when you can get a stove cheap and sell some to recoup your investment!
It started great for me but think first.
1. How do you get them to buyer? How do you intend to move them around?
2. Phone time I have at least 100 calls of just looking at whats out there. this gets old on weekends.
3. Warranty work. wait till you get some one with 10 yrold furnace that is leaking and wants new for free.
This was my first call thought Heatmor did well to offer to replace furnace for 50% of new cost hooked up
but was told off by owner after spending hours on phone.
4. Parts you will get calls for parts and will not make many $ for time.
5. Do you have a sales tax license?
If you are in the heating bus. not a bad way to go but I now know I will not make much money at this.
I do love my 200 and think it is the best stove on the market.
I have 1800sq ft. log home 6 1/2 full cords so far. Northern Michigan
I will be happy to answer any Heatmor questions for you
Beaver Creek Alt. Heat
so why didn't heatmor replace his stove? they are supposed to have a lifetime warranty, I would think unless they sent someone out to fix his stove, they should have replaced it, if he can't continue to use his stove, then what good is the warranty?
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Scott,
About the stove if you look at the warranty it is prorated as I believe most brands are.
I can only tell you Heatmors warranty but would be curious to know what centrals is word for word.
heatmor from the warranty sheet is
first 5 years 100%
year 6 is 70 %
year 7 is 60%
year 8 is 40%
9 is 20 %
10-19 is 15%
20 and beyond is 10%
The owner of this stove e-mailed me the pictures and I forwarded them to the factory. The owner had a welder come to see if it could be repaired he stated it could not be. Heatmor decided that they would send a new stove to him for 50% of the cost of a new stove about $4500 delived to him, I thought this was a fair offer from heatmor, If you got 10 yrs. and had to pay 50% for a replacement would you be satisified? What would Central Boiler have for a warranty?
Not trying to be trouble am curious. I have only been a dealer for a year and am not so sure if its worth all the extra work involved.
That was the reason i mentioned this as there will be issues that you have no control over.
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Willie,
All oak most real good and dry some a little punky but overall quality wood.
I put 1000ft of radiant in my main floor and am so happy with it, the wife really loves to have a warm floor
in the mornings,even offered to help with wood next year. It uses a lot less wood than the coil in my plenum
but will only keep house warm till 0 then needs a little help.
As far as honesty I find all the bs funny I am not selling stoves to make a living I just want to give people a good deal on a product they have decided that they want. If I never sell another stove its fine with me.
Usually fill the stove three times full at 11 pm and half about 11 am and half at 6pm.
this keeps the ashes to a minimum and gets a real good burn.
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i owuld tend to agree on frequent fills of less wood making for less ash
i only have one room (new addition) on radiant theat about 200 square feet and i too love it if i ever built a new house it would be 100% radiant but i would also put in more pipe than recomended as you get NO SECOND CHANCE in you are dealing with poured concrete
i plugged my chimney in my fireplace and put a rad inside it...no more fires or ash or smoke in the house
a few years back i burned good dry dead oak trees out of a swamp.. i used less than 8 cord for that winter but now i have a piece of land that has acres of dead elm so i have been using that, takes a little more but its only gonna fall down anyway so i clean it up
also my underground pipes are not the best, when i put my stove in it was about the best available 2 runs of 1 inch pex feed line wrapped in bubble wrap, then return line wrapped beside it so the feed line is wrapped twice and the return once then all shoved down a 4" plastic sewer pipe
i am 250 feet from the house and am considering moving the stove about 60 feet closer in a year or two and perhaps getting new underground pipe...i really believe i can save at least 3 cords of wood