Used wood burner advice

[kugss]

Im going to look at a used wood burner. I want to know what makes it a good one? The guy selling it cant tell me who makes it but said that it has duct work that ties in with your furnace. What should i look for when buying it?(quality hinge and handle on door, fire bricks inside, how thick it is)?

 

[MN Ripper]

If it ties into your forced air ductwork wouldn't it be a wood furnace?

Either way I'd look for the normal door wear and tear, rust, cracked welds and warped metal if its made of sheet steel. Firebricks are cheap unless you needed a lot of them, then it more the hassle of cutting them.

Does it have a catalytic element or reburn air tubes+baffle? Those can need attention too if the burner has seen a lot of use.

Hopefully this gets you started.

 

[Steve NW WI]

Ripper's got it mostly covered, though it's probably gonna have some surface rust, but any major pitting is signs of trouble.

In my experience, cracking at corners of welds, like the corners of the door frame, are most likely to be the first signs of metal fatigue.

I'd probably shy away if it looks like it's been used with a bunch of firebricks missing, but they do get beat up and cracked from normal wear. Pretty much a maintenance item.

Being a furnace, check to see that the blowers work.

Door seals are another cheap maintenance item, not a big deal to replace. The door should open and close nice and square though. If the steel the hinges are welded to is warped, you may not get a good seal even with a new rope in there.

I have 0 knowledge on cat or afterburn setups, can't help with them.

Is chimney pipe or anything else included? Stove pipe, mainly the good double/triple wall insulated stuff is a big expense, and if it comes with, that's a bonus for you.

 

[kugss]

I guess it would be a furnace. All i got was a piss pore CL ad and some crappy cell phone pics.Can anybody what brand this is?

 

[havenodog]

Its a Englander wood furnace. I own one and have had it in service for years. Good unit.

 

[kugss]

Its a Englander wood furnace. I own one and have had it in service for years. Good unit.

Thanks, i went to there website and i can still get parts for it. If the guy still has it i think im going to get it.

 

[kugss]

I bought it today for 375.00 just need a couple of the fire brick inside.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I bought it today for 375.00 just need a couple of the fire brick inside.

Seems like a pretty decent deal, good luck getting it all hooked up and going!!

 

[Jredsjeep]

nice deal, it should pay for itself in one year easily if you have oil heat! i have saved the cost of my woodstove many times over.

 

[havenodog]

375 is a good deal for that stove if it only takes some fire brick replacement and paint. It has an 850 cfm blower which should do fine if you don't have too long a distance to go with the hot air. Everyone is different but I start mine and leave the bottom door open for about 10 to 15 min. Get a good hot fire in the fire box, shut the bottom door, close the top damper till you have about 1" on the right side and close the bottom damper just enough to where you can slip a penny in the slot. You may need to adjust one way or the other but this method works best for my stove. Of course it all hinges on good draft. You must have that. Hope this helps. Good success on your burning season.