Outdoor Wood Furnace Info

All-Purpose OWF Discussions => General Outdoor Furnace Discussion => Topic started by: tinfoilhat2020 on February 20, 2015, 09:40:37 AM

Title: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: tinfoilhat2020 on February 20, 2015, 09:40:37 AM
Im looking for a new unit for the Spring. Not a gasser.
WHAT IS THE BEST PRODUCT OUT THERE RATED FOR 5,000 sqft??? WHo has the best "bang for your buck?"

THANKS IN ADVANCE
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: CountryBoyJohn on February 20, 2015, 10:41:36 AM
Do you want stainless steel or carbon steel?

Do you want forced air or natural draft?

Do you want spray foam insulation or bat?

Do you want a company that will survive EPA 2015 and still be around for years to come?

Do you have a quality dealer located near you that you like?

Do you want the least expensive or the best dollar for value?
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: tinfoilhat2020 on February 20, 2015, 10:45:27 AM
open to all options.
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: CountryBoyJohn on February 20, 2015, 10:52:02 AM
If you are wanting guys to come on here and sell you on the stove they own, you can get that easily.  My sugguestion is to ask yourself these questions to narrow down your choices.  There are only a certain number of stoves that fit into each one of these questions.  If you answer each one according to your wants and desires, you'll land on 1 stove, more than likely. 

My top manufactured stoves, in no particular order, are Portage and Main, Central Boiler, Heatmaster, Ridgewood, Heatmor, and Natures Comfort.  I believe all of these companies will survive 2015 easily.

If you want me to say "Buy a Heatmaster" I will.  And I will 100% mean it.  But, look into the pros and cons of these design aspects and you'll have your stove. 
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: agriffinjd on February 20, 2015, 11:10:06 AM
I think Ridgewood is a good stove from what I've heard, but I think it's going to fold down with the EPA destruction.  Small company with no gassers right?  How are they going to survive?
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: yoderheating on February 20, 2015, 11:27:51 AM
 Best I can tell you is if you want a furnace with a warranty worth the paper its written on buy from a company with a proven certified gassifier. Otherwise the whole company will be gone fairly soon. 
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: tinfoilhat2020 on February 20, 2015, 11:31:00 AM
Country Boy, i have looked into the Heatmor 200 as an option. I was something that burns like a blacksmith forge. From underneath. I have a natural draft unit and they are good for the most part, but when u get into arctic conditions is when you really start to see the differences IMO. Stainless scares me a bit, but i know heatmor has a pretty good reputation, and i have seen some stoves in use for 15-20yrs.

I am going to be heating house, dog kennel facility and DHW...will total right about 4100-4200 sqft.

Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: Jwood on February 20, 2015, 11:34:09 AM
If you are wanting guys to come on here and sell you on the stove they own, you can get that easily.  My sugguestion is to ask yourself these questions to narrow down your choices.  There are only a certain number of stoves that fit into each one of these questions.  If you answer each one according to your wants and desires, you'll land on 1 stove, more than likely. 

My top manufactured stoves, in no particular order, are Portage and Main, Central Boiler, Heatmaster, Ridgewood, Heatmor, and Natures Comfort.  I believe all of these companies will survive 2015 easily.

If you want me to say "Buy a Heatmaster" I will.  And I will 100% mean it.  But, look into the pros and cons of these design aspects and you'll have your stove.

 :post:

Except I'd say buy a P&M ultimizer lol. J/k countryboyjohn I know heatmaster makes good stoves as well!
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: CountryBoyJohn on February 20, 2015, 11:42:24 AM
Country Boy, i have looked into the Heatmor 200 as an option. I was something that burns like a blacksmith forge. From underneath. I have a natural draft unit and they are good for the most part, but when u get into arctic conditions is when you really start to see the differences IMO. Stainless scares me a bit, but i know heatmor has a pretty good reputation, and i have seen some stoves in use for 15-20yrs.

I am going to be heating house, dog kennel facility and DHW...will total right about 4100-4200 sqft.

If you are heating that much space, I'd go larger than 5,000 SFT.  I'm at 4,000 sft, hot tub and DHW and I went with the 10k and don't regret it 1 second. 

Mr. Agriffinjd, you're right.  I think Ridgewood is going to struggle.  I last heard they were working on a Phase II gasser, but Yoder is right, if they're not established now it's going to be really hard to survive.  I don't know why I put them in my list.  They do have many happy customers right now with their conventional stove, but no gassers. 

I'm not bashing other units, but I looked at Heatmor and I just felt they were too gimmicky.  Anode rods, sand, bladders, just too complicated.  I haven't looked at their gassers, however.  I do think they sell a quality product and they have lots of happy customers. 
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: agriffinjd on February 20, 2015, 12:42:12 PM
I'll be sad to see Ridgewood fail as it's a Michigan company and I'm a born and raised Yooper who reluctantly acknowledges da trolls below da bridge are still Michiganders, eh.  I seriously considered a Ridgewood but wound up getting a P&M, partly because last year I learned about this EPA garbage and figured Ridgewood wouldn't survive.
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: aries9245 on February 20, 2015, 12:54:46 PM
Do you want stainless steel or carbon steel?

Do you want forced air or natural draft?

Do you want spray foam insulation or bat?

Do you want a company that will survive EPA 2015 and still be around for years to come?

Do you have a quality dealer located near you that you like?

Do you want the least expensive or the best dollar for value?

 :post:
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: racnruss on February 20, 2015, 02:16:54 PM
First tell me why you are moving away from the Timberwolf and then I'll tell you the best stove to buy. :-*

Just kidding on that last part.  But why get away from your timberwolf?

If you need to heat 5k ft, then buy a stove that's rated by the manufacturer for almost double that.
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: Shrek1112 on February 20, 2015, 02:22:09 PM
I'll be sad to see Ridgewood fail as it's a Michigan company and I'm a born and raised Yooper who reluctantly acknowledges da trolls below da bridge are still Michiganders, eh.  I seriously considered a Ridgewood but wound up getting a P&M, partly because last year I learned about this EPA garbage and figured Ridgewood wouldn't survive.
:post: At least the troll part, LOL ;D
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: tinfoilhat2020 on February 20, 2015, 05:29:40 PM
I like my timberwolf. No issues with it other than its not to efficient.  Looses lots of heat out the stack and the door. Might jist do some modifications on this one this spring and see if I cant fix some of the issues myself. Ridgewood does make a quality stove. Ive seen quite a few in operation.  Very similar to my T-Wolf. Im a fan of forced air tho, the natural draft is nicemost of th year, but I dont get complete burns and when it gets real cold I jist end up with 3/4 of my forebox filled woth coals that have an inch of ashes on top.
Title: Re: Best Unit for its money rate for 5,000 sqft
Post by: jamesbodeis on February 20, 2015, 07:16:52 PM
Ridgewood does offer a fan option now. Running one on my 7500. Has allowed me to burn greener wood and still have decent recovery times.