# Wood burning stove



## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

I am curious what you all think of the price i may be getting on a wood stove ( wanting to switch over and get off the "GAS" grid as much as possible)

Its a Fisher PapaBear Wood stove, and they want $300.. its really rusty on outside, but that can be fixed.

I have priced NEW ones.. and OUCH... I have also looked on ebay.. but most of them are around 3-400 also.. This one is actually IN MY TOWN so no gas wasted really!

Please tell me what you think? Or is there any questions i need to ask about it ( ie i know i need to ask about the fire brick... ):help:


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## PitPat (Mar 27, 2008)

For a little bit more money you can get a modern EPA stove that will use way less wood to produce the same amount of heat. Unless you have access to large amounts of free wood, the old Fisher will end up costing you a lot more in the long run. Just IMO.

Also make sure your insurance would cover a non UL listed stove, that can be an issue sometimes.


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

OK, where would one get one of them EPA stoves ( at under $500) and yes LOTS of free wood around here. PLus with the storms here we have even more ( actually have 2 years wood already cut here !)


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## PitPat (Mar 27, 2008)

If you have free wood its not so much of an issue, just will cost you more in work processing wood. You can often find used Englander stoves for around $500 or $600, they are well-built steel stoves. New they run closer to $900 to $1000.

Fisher stoves where primo stoves at their time, but the technology has come a long way since the late 70s early 80s when most were built.


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

Well we have a log splitter, and were in "HARDWOOD" country here.. and there is ALWAYS someone needing wood removed here (storms ect) So I dont know.. Hubby will decide when he gets home.. My only concern is the insurance. but w/ $300 gas bills to heat our home last year ( and not above 65) i think I would save in the long run???


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## PitPat (Mar 27, 2008)

Well give your insurance company a call and see what they say.
And some Fisher stoves are UL listed (the ones made after 1980 or 81 I think). So you could ask the seller if the stove has a UL plate on it. 

Edit : nevermind, I was getting my old stoves confused


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

PitPat said:


> Well give your insurance company a call and see what they say.
> And some Fisher stoves are UL listed (the ones made after 1980 or 81 I think). So you could ask the seller if the stove has a UL plate on it. Also ask if there is any cracks anywhere in the casting. Surface rust can be fixed, but broken cast iron is a lot tougher to deal with.


Fisher stoves are plate steel, not cast iron, so there shouldn't be any cracks. (The doors are cast, however).When I bought my Papa Bear Fisher back in 1980 it cost about $500. It did was UL listed at that time. $300 is probably the most I'd pay for it.

Here's my old Fisher (photo circa 1981):


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## PitPat (Mar 27, 2008)

yeah, I realized I was confusing my old stoves after I posted

I had a papa bear in house I rented about 10 years ago. It was easy to use and threw off a lot of heat. Cute kid Cabin Fever


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

check with your insurance company , with my profesionaly installed stove with double wall pipe no increase in my insurance 

my parents have a fisher , not a bad stove they got theirs in about 1980 and i think it was a 78 floor model
was that 300 a month or 300 for the year
we would be about 300 a month at the new fule oil prices 

the other thing to think about is the chimney about 55 dollars a foot for 6 inch the 8 inch for the fisher will make that about 70 dollars a foot 

unless you have a good chimny in the house already , i paid 1000 for my epa stove 
and 2500 for the chimney


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

OK, hubby seen the photos.. said that it is a single door, too small, and yes the $300 was FOR ONE MONTH.. this year is gonna be scary. 

He said no to it.. said that it wouldnt be a good buy!  thanks for the advice all


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## neolady (Dec 30, 2005)

giraffe_baby said:


> I am curious what you all think of the price i may be getting on a wood stove ( wanting to switch over and get off the "GAS" grid as much as possible)
> 
> Its a Fisher PapaBear Wood stove, and they want $300.. its really rusty on outside, but that can be fixed.
> 
> ...


The Fisher stoves were generally uncertified - that means it will be almost impossible to get house insurance.

Add to that the fact that the unit is rusty, and that is indication of serious deterioration and safety issues. For about double that you should be able to get a certified unit from places like Home Depot and Sears that your household insurance will insure.

There are a lot of on-line sites that sell certified woodstoves - if you need some links let me know and I'll post them. Some brands that are reasonably prices are Drolet - not my favourite stove, but quite adequate.


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

The insurance issue that keeps getting brought up is an important issue, but don't just go by everyone's word here because it's not the final word.

We had a CEMI stove (built in the 80's like a Fisher in many respects) and used it the past 3 years (My dad's had the stove for 20 years) and our insurance didn't bat an eye at it. Of course it wasn't the only source of heat in the house as we had an Oil Furnace too.

So just check with YOUR insurance company as to what they require because insurance companies aren't as monolithic as it sometimes appears on these threads.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

just curiose , how big is your house , my grandparents have the small 2 door stove by fisher they light the fire let it go for a while then choke it down and let it go out after just a few logs , the house gets to warm they have about a 1400 sq foot house and we keep about 22 degrees for the avg for the winter with most nights between 5-15 degrees 
i thought kentucky barley if ever kept snow more than a day or two

are the houses down there just that poorly insulated


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

Well for one.. we do get down to the low 20's and teens.. no snow for the most part, but it is chilly ( not as chilly as when we lived in michigan) but our home is 1700 sq ft up top and basment is about 16-1700 also. SOO alot of space. We also have ALL hardwood floors ( i know this winter i will hear it from DH cause his feet are cold, i ripped all carpet out this summer, it was hideous, only to find beautiful,stained and sealed hardwood floors) So A small one door stove prob wont heat the whole area unless we got it hooked up to the heating system now... 

I guess its time to get more slippers/robes/coats/ and thermals ready!


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