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CF,
We did 15+ years NW of NYC, and 4 full time years on the Mtn in NC;
both houses had/have a decent wood stove, installed at build time.
We had access to all the wood we could cut/buck/drag/split and
stack, so the "fuel" was simply our tools and hard work.
Imo, when people do post installs of a stove burning wood/pellets/coal
etc., they tend to go overboard in sizing the stove too large. I realize
you live in Mass, (from memory), but unless one is trying to turn that
stove room into a sauna and blow out the rest of the house, bigger
ain't better. A reasonably sized, decent, non-foofoo stove, with good
dbl wall pipe and trpl wall where code requires, will provide exc. heating
for your normal living space(s).
One must be prepared to get up to a cool house and then fire up that
bastard when you get home and run the hell out of it on weekends, when
home. But again, a stove to heat 4,000 sq ft, when you are really trying
to be comfortable in room(s) of 400- 1200 ft sqd, is a diff consideration
and that jumbo, super efficient, doorway to hell stove may not be the
deal.
No clue on pricing, as it's been 7 yrs since our last stove buy and install,
but there are a lot of decent brands out there. Be sure to get any unit
with the UL approval and that unit's install specs also meet your local
building code specs.
I like wood; some like pellets but you are paying a couple steps for the
processing. Coal is a whole other animal...
Do some web hunting and good luck. My 50Cent is up...
BR,mD
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