Going Coal Next Year! Help With Decision

With the size, and layout of your place, I'd be looking at a nice quiet hand fed stove. I like the theory of the D.S. Circulator, and it's natural circulation tubes. It reminds me of some wall protection panels I've made in the past. The Hitzer 30-95 would be a nice size stove for your place. The fit, finish, and engineering of the Hitzer is very nice. Especially if choosing accent trim plating. You can also get different color stove bodies. However, the 30-95 has fan noise. You can run it without the fan. Use the fan only if/when needed. Should you Need the fan, you'll be happy you have it. And then there's the Chubby, as Lisa mentioned. A cute little stove that would fit your décor nicely. No personal experience with the chubby. The chubby does remind me of the radiant stoves of the past, where heat is radiated all around the stove(not sure of fan model). Should you buy a Chubby, and it radiates all around the stove, I'll make you one of my wall protectors for the cost of materials (about $100.00). Many colors to choose from. When heated, it pulls cool floor air in the bottom, and comes out the top as hot air. In theory, this will circulate the air like a D.S. Machine circulator stove. I say in theory, because I built them for wall protection, which they worked Great! Never paid attention to room circulation, as the room was already warm. I can say, the air coming out the top had a little force behind it. Wall went from extremely hot, to cold. Oliver

Here's what I've got inside and out. I want to replace the entire wood area with stone or brick. That would reduce my clearance requirements yes? I think the height of that fireplace opening is 21", but will have to measure when I go up next week.

If I did a rear vent Chubby would I have to leave the fireplace open or could I finish off with brick? If not, I'll set up like Lisa's.

I'll have time to tend the hand fired, In fact I'll enjoy doing it, but will go back to Maryland once or twice a month to check on my Dad, so fire would go out and I'd leave electric heat on 55° like I do now so pipes don't freeze.

I'm going to check out some stokers next week, but I really think the noise will bug me. Yes, I would consider an antique stove.

Julie

If you are replacing the chimney, as you stated in the first post, and putting stone on the inside. Your options are endless. as all you need is a hole into the flue for a stove.

BTW, nice place you have there.

Hi Julie,

Check out this post - Putting a Fireplace Insert in a "Manufactured" Fireplace. It's on putting a stove insert on the a manufactured fireplace like the one in your picture. I imagine you'd have many of the same issues if you tried to put a stove in it but I think you already know that. The bottom line is a heating stove produces too hot a fire for that chimney. You'd have to talk to a contractor but I think the wood façade that's there would have to come down anyway so that you could replace the existing chimney with a class A or a brick and mortar chimney. You could end up with something like I have or a chimney with a traditional fire box and off course you could finish it anyway you wanted. It's your choice.

You are in a great position - take your time and research it out. Come spring and summer there will be a lot of used coal stoves on Craig's list as people up grade or give up on coal. You should be able to get a great deal. Take care, Lisa

Sea Dog wrote:I want to replace the entire wood area with stone or brick.

I think that will look very good. I have a similar zero-clearance fireplace, and I would do away with it in a minute if my vote were not cancelled by my other half.
Trying to tie a stove into the existing fireplace/chimney would be way less than ideal, if only because the zero-clearance chimneys are designed to stay cool rather than warm. If you have room to put all the (new) stone or brick inside the room, with an insulated wall between the brickwork and the great outdoors, then you would have substantial thermal mass to absorb and even out radiant heat thrown by a stove. Avoid, if possible, a chimney entirely exposed to cold outside temperatures, because the warmer the chimney the better it will draw. Lisa makes a good point, that a masonry chimney will last forever. However, you certainly could consider a high-quality insulated stainless steel Class A chimney beginning at the ceiling. I have one that doesn’t look so great, because 15 inches of SS pipe projects below my ceiling. However, there are other brands that begin right at the ceiling and are not at all obtrusive.

Hi Julie and welcome to the forum.
You will love burning anthracite, no comparison with wood burning.
Take your time, in fact you have some till next Winter!

That house is screaming for a Crawford no. 2 or a Magee Crown 110 or similar BB.

If your going to do a masonry chimney, install a masonry fireplace as well with a thimble above the fireplace opening so you can easily add your stove. Also axe the raised hearth to allow the install to be as close to the wall as code allows. If you sell you can easily revert back to just the fireplace.

If you like the look of the old stoves get one, they will run circles around any new stove of any design. Plus, IMHO, they will not decrease in value like a new box stove.

Hi again Julie, Yes, I agree that tending a manual stove is more hands on / enjoyable than a stoker. It is for me anyways. Question: is that fireplace a zero clearance "Wood Burning" fireplace? If so, what's wrong with the chimney you have now? Maybe you can utilize the chimney you have for now. This would give you time to see if you really like heating with coal. Oliver

Ha! Just because I'm feeling contrary today, I'm going to argue against everything Gekko said.

Gekko wrote:If your going to do a masonry chimney, install a masonry fireplace as well with a thimble above the fireplace opening so you can easily add your stove.

Added expense, doesn't look as good, and useless for heating.

Gekko wrote:axe the raised hearth to allow the install to be as close to the wall as code allows.

I love my raised hearth. Looks good and gives me someplace to set the Halloween pumpkins.

Gekko wrote:If you sell you can easily revert back to just the fireplace.

OK, I agree that lot's of people like a fireplace, but that's just impractical people. Might increase eventual resale value of the house, but who cares at this point?

Gekko wrote:If you like the look of the old stoves get one, they will run circles around any new stove of any design. Plus, IMHO, they will not decrease in value like a new box stove.

Lots of used "new" stoves available on Craigslist, so depreciation has already happened. Low-maintenance welded steel construction, not leaky cast iron parts that need cement to seal them up. Parts are generally available. OK, I'm over-doing it a little -- got to admit that's one pretty stove, Gekko.

rberq wrote:Ha! Just because I'm feeling contrary today, I'm going to argue against everything Gekko said.

Me too!

Gekko wrote:If your going to do a masonry chimney, install a masonry fireplace as well with a thimble above the fireplace opening so you can easily add your stove.

Added expense, doesn't look as good, and useless for heating.

The additional cost will be minimal compared to the added marketing value of a fireplace in basically a cozy "A" frame house

Gekko wrote:axe the raised hearth to allow the install to be as close to the wall as code allows.

I love my raised hearth. Looks good and gives me someplace to set the Halloween pumpkins.

You can put pumpkins on a granite mantle.

Gekko wrote:If you sell you can easily revert back to just the fireplace.

OK, I agree that lot's of people like a fireplace, but that's just impractical people. Might increase eventual resale value of the house, but who cares at this point?

She will when she sells the house.

Gekko wrote:If you like the look of the old stoves get one, they will run circles around any new stove of any design. Plus, IMHO, they will not decrease in value like a new box stove.

Lots of used "new" stoves available on Craigslist, so depreciation has already happened. Low-maintenance welded steel construction, not leaky cast iron parts that need cement to seal them up. Parts are generally available. If you buy used, just make sure to hold out for the stove you really want.

An ok point, I have a 1& 1/2 season old MKII fore sale! But the savings in coal will pay for the Crawford!

All kidding aside take your time and do the due diligence. Whatever stove you end up with, as long as it's coal fired you can't go wrong!!!!!!

Julie, I forgot to ask if you will go for bagged or bulk anthracite?
Don't forget: both need some space, inside or outside of the house

oliver power wrote:Question: is that fireplace a zero clearance "Wood Burning" fireplace? If so, what's wrong with the chimney you have now?

Well, nothing...I'm burning wood and pellet fires in it, and the chimney sweep said it was good last fall. Since I've started researching coal burning though, all hand fired stove manufacturers recommend a Class A, which I seriously doubt this one is. And thank you for the kind offer to fabricate a heat shield!

I am so honored that my first topic has turned into a Base Burner ahem...discussion. Gorgeous stove Gekko!

If anybody has a recommendation for a mason/chimney builder serving Wayne County, PA please shoot me a PM.

Julie

Sea Dog wrote:I am so honored that my first topic has turned into a Base Burner ahem...discussion.

They're trying to get you into their cult!!!

Beware, apparently the pull of the dark side is strong because once you join you never want out!

nortcan wrote:Julie, I forgot to ask if you will go for bagged or bulk anthracite?
Don't forget: both need some space, inside or outside of the house

It might be pallets of bagged the first year until I can figure out how to build a coal bin. I was wondering... Can I pick up coal at the breaker if I have a cap on my pickup truck? Or would they need an open bed to dump it in?

Much less complicated with an open bed Julie. They can just slide a pallet of bagged in. Hmmmm, what kinda truck & weight specs???