jreed
ArboristSite Lurker
I have an old Alaska Kodiak wood stove. My house is a 1500 sq ft ranch and the stove is in the basement. Would I benefit from purchasing a new wood stove? Are they significantly better?
The EPA stoves use about a third less wood for the same heat output.
Likely your Jotul #8 was a fairly efficient stove to begin with. I believe it's basic design is still seen in some of today's Jotul stoves....but with improvements made.
I used for years a Riteway Model 37 that was a down draft design that was designed so the smoke exiting the stove had to go down near the coals...it was well known to be more efficient than the top exhaust types. I added a catalyst to it in 1981....well ahead of the EPA mandates that started in 1989.
I think 10% less on average might be a more realistic figure. The most striking difference is the wood MUST be seasoned. Otherwise you will be fighting a never ending (& frustrating) battle of excessive coals building up. What's amazing is how little heat is given off by the coals.
Al
My old non cat stove typically burns clean with no visible smoke from the chimney unless I just put 6 or more big pieces in it. Once its back to temp its clear. I can build a small hot fire or a large hot one and get the same results. I just hate to spend thousands on a stove to end up finding out it isn't any better than the old school stove that cost a few hundred.I know their supposed to burn the smoke and put out less pollutants, but untill you get the cat really hot it won't work and the stove still smokes. On some days that means it's gonna be too hot in the house to do that.
Vermont Castings is taking a beating reputation wise. The suggestion seems to be to avoid them all together these days. I believe they've been bought and sold a few times lately.
So all I am sayin is lab testing doesn't always = the same thing in the real world. I think it would interesting to hear from some other members of their real world experiences after a change out as compared to the lab tests.
Luckily your fears are unfounded! The new stoves are more efficient and have lower emissions. Emissions mean smoke, in case you didn't know. If the older stove you are referring to met the emission and efficiency requirements established in 1989, it would most likely still be in production. It didn't and it's not.
Anyone using a stove in their finished basement to heat the entire house? Just wondering how this would work...does the heat find its way upstairs. I have mine in an unfinished basement with no ceiling so Im wondering how one in a finished basement with a ceiling would do.
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