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[Retired]

This is my first post on this Forum.  I'm no stranger to burning wood ( 40 years experience ) but 0 experience with an OWB .  I'm impressed with the amount of information thats available on this forum .  As my name suggest I'm retired  and of course money is tight,  I would like to install a OWB so that I can heat my House - water - and shop. I have been doing research on different brands, I found one that "looks" good It's made in Manitoba Canada by HEAT INNOVATIONS they call it The Homesteader .  They offer 3 different models starting at $ 5500.00 picked up at the dealer in northern Michagan. ( I'm in Ohio )   250.000 btu  240 us gals.  7 ga. steel fire box  door size 18 X 36 with a ash pan 3'x3'x5' fire box  will heat 5000 sq ft.  8" chimney.   Heat Innovations has been in business 20 + years and the dealer in Mich. has been in business 5 years . They gave me the names of 3 different buyers to contact ( I havent yet )  Just hoping that one of you guys knows something about this stove OR can recommend a different stove in this price range.   Thanks for the help. 

[woodman]

First thing is how big and what is the heat loss of the house and shop. Also how many people living in the house for the dhw? 

[Scott7m]

Things I personally like to see is a good warranty, shaker grates, and being able to buy from a knowledgeable dealer.  That's as important as anything.   So many companies have folks who sell the stoves, but do not install or carry parts.  You want to find a dealer that does this for a living and doesn't do this on the side.  Going with small stove manufacturers at this point in time I think is more risky than ever.  With new EPA regulations coming in, most of these companies will be closed in the next few years. 

I private messages you retired

[martyinmi]

VERY, VERY GOOD ADVISE, Scott

[Retired]

First thing is how big and what is the heat loss of the house and shop. Also how many people living in the house for the dhw?

 

My home is a large well insulated farm house 2 story ( we don't heat the upstairs )  New vinyl siding - Tivec house wrap - new thermo pane replacement windows - walls are insulated with blown in fiberglass and there is 20" of fiberglass in the attic.  Just the wife and I use the DHW. right now we are heating the down stairs with a wood stove in the kitchen, we are heating about 1200 sq ft with no problem.  The shop is 24x36  864 sq ft. It has an insulated 8' ceiling and I will have too insulate the walls.  We don't heat the upstairs because we both like a cold bed room for sleeping and there is enough heat  loss thru the ceiling and up the stair well to prevent freezing . most of the time it's about 55 upstairs when it's really cold out.

[Scott7m]

There are many options, the homesteader is a stove that never really took off, not many of them out there.  I would reccomend a more well known company.

[Bull]

Welcome to the site Retired, as Scott said there are many options in OWB but they are limited if your state has passed the EPA phase 2 law or what ever it is called.

[Scott7m]

Bull, your correct but Ohio don't have any laws yet.  My point about it being risky is the fact that most of the companies who don't have a LOT of experience in cord wood gassers will soon be a thing of the past..

I truly believe in 2-3 years there will only be a small handful of companies left.