…… Looking for recommendations on EPA certified wood burning stoves

[Grouchy Granny]

Found out I'm going to have to replace mine because some of the pipe in the chimney has separated. The company that did the inspection can get me a new one, but they will only deal in EPA certified ones.

Definitely do not want a catalytic one and it has to burn wood, not pellets.

Any recommendations/suggestions desperately wanted.

 

[mecoastie]

I swear by these guys:

Wood Stoves

Wood Stoves

www.woodstove.com

They are not cheap but they burn great and are very efficient. We have the Progress Hybrid and it is a wonderful stove.

 

[Millwright]

If you like your stove, you can keep your stove??

Find someone else to replace the pipe, perhaps?

 

[West]

Did they show you a picture of the failed flue pipe.

 

[Grouchy Granny]

If you like your stove, you can keep your stove??

Find someone else to replace the pipe, perhaps?

No one will work on it if it's not EPA certified - already checked. And because we can't find a manufacturer on the plate they still won't work on it - I wished because I like this one, but alas, not to be.

 

[Grouchy Granny]

dup - hit the wrong key

 

[Grouchy Granny]

Did they show you a picture of the failed flue pipe.

In living color even!

 

[West]

In living color even!

Okay, what brand of flue system do they propose to replace it with?

Hopefully you can just have them replace the flue system at first. Shop around on the stove. The time to buy is spring time, I've seen huge discounts on good stoves in the spring and summer months.

Move the stove out. Tell them you can afford to do the flue system, for now.

Then perhaps move the stove back in?

IDK, that sounds scummy, if they can't do the flue separately.

 

[summerthyme]

Okay, what brand of flue system do they propose to replace it with?

Hopefully you can just have them replace the flue system at first. Shop around on the stove. The time to buy is spring time, I've seen huge discounts on good stoves in the spring and summer months.

Move the stove out. Tell them you can afford to do the flue system, for now.

Then perhaps move the stove back in?

IDK, that sounds scummy, if they can't do the flue separately.

This sounds like the best idea, if you can make it work. Stoves are heavy and awkward, but if your current stove is satisfactory, it's ridiculous to be forced to replace it solely because your chimney has an issue! Damned laws, anyway!

Summerthyme

 

[Grouchy Granny]

This sounds like the best idea, if you can make it work. Stoves are heavy and awkward, but if your current stove is satisfactory, it's ridiculous to be forced to replace it solely because your chimney has an issue! Damned laws, anyway!

Summerthyme

Mainly damn the EPA and them wanting their stupid stuff (aka catalytic converters) which doesn't mean a hill of beans except to Commifornia.

 

[kyrsyan]

Jotul is who I recommend. Out of all the brands I've looked at over the years they've met all the checkmarks. Well designed. Larger ash drawers/pan. Very efficient. Cooktop versions available. And IIRC they have some catalytic free models. It just depends on the size of the room you are trying to heat and the size of the stove.

 

[Illini Warrior]

relining a 2 story chimney with a stainless flue pipe is a simple thing these days <<< one story half again eazy >>> nooooo way in hell I'd be chucking a perfectly OK stove because of some company ....

find another company - if nothing else find an all purpose handyman that has the experience >>> if the masonry run is certified OK - this isn't either a safety issue or brain surgery repair ...

 

[Grouchy Granny]

When we installed the original stove it came with the triple ceramic lined pipe. Because I had this 1970's or something else fireplace we ripped that out (thank heavens because there had been a chimney fire and the studs were charred to a crisp). So, to beat the zoning rules, we ran the triple walled pipe through the original triple metal chimney pipe by taking out the center piece. It's worked until now - I may run a search on the model number to see if these are still made, just doesn't have a mfg on the plate.

So, basically all I have is pipe - no brick chimney on a 1 story house. I will check into other people though.

 

[nebb]

I second gettin another opinion, we recently had our chimney cleaned. Every sweep around are booked for weeks and we couldn’t use our ws.....was blocked (my fault)......anyways.....we found a guy not booked but kept an appointment with our original as backup.

First guy couldn’t get past blockage and wanted to tear down the chimney to find the blockage, no thanks.....we’ll think about it. Original guy came....worked his rods on the blockage and bam.....cleaned the chimney and works fine now.

 

[nomifyle]

DH replaces the "stack" on ours every few years, but then he is very knowledgeable on how to do things.

God is good all the time

Judy

 

[briches]

Jotul is who I recommend. Out of all the brands I've looked at over the years they've met all the checkmarks. Well designed. Larger ash drawers/pan. Very efficient. Cooktop versions available. And IIRC they have some catalytic free models. It just depends on the size of the room you are trying to heat and the size of the stove.

I’d get another opinion as well.
If you have to get a wood stove, another vote for a Jotul. They’re not cheap but built like a tank. We love our little one here.

 

[CaryC]

There are a couple of things you can consider.

1) replacing the flue. Just hire a handyman and get the double insulted stainless steel kind. They come in 3' sections, and 18", which will do about anything. Even with a fire you can lay your hand on them. They have things that will work with your roof/wall/timble etc. You seem to be wanting to work with a certified yada, yada, and they will loose their license if they don't do EPA yada yada. Which is understandable you want well qualified people, and I don't blame you for that at all. Total cost for mine which runs on the outside and extra's 600.00. about 10 years ago.

However replacing a flue isn't rocket science. I put mine in, so I know it is easy to do.

2) we have a Dutchwest Convection Heater (with a catalytic converter) It's solid cast iron and weights about 400 lbs, and its one of the small ones. The catalytic converter is something you kick in once the firebox reaches a certain temp. We never use it. The converter sort of works like a damper, kick it in and it recirculates the smoke and burns it. So in essence we never use the damper, and use the vents on the heater to control the fire. We paid 900.00 for it some 15-20 years ago the same heater last I checked a couple of years ago was 1900.00.

3) even if you get a new heater the flue has to be replaced. Get the one above.

Hope that helps.

 

[Shooter]

get some help. put your good woodstove in the garage, cover with blankets and boxes.

call company to replace chimney (not the same one) tell them you want the chimney now, and you threw out the old stove, you dont have the money now to get the new stove, but just want a new chimney,

wait a week or two. then put your stove back in the house

 

[Shooter]

also. Im 68 with a bad back, I put in 18 ft of tripple wall chimney myself 2 years ago, had to cut a hole in the drywall half way up. but dywall is easy ,

 

[Grouchy Granny]

Got another estimate from one of my favorite companies yesterday - well, I don't have the estimate yet, but they came out and looked at the problem and will get me an estimate as soon as they can. Their issue is trying to get parts since Covid has really screwed the building supply market biggly!