Anyone have a Buck Stove Fireplace?

[hounddoghundzsa 7]

I'm strongly considering purchasing one of these for my modular home. I like that it's got a door and a blower and it's really efficiant. I can get one that heats 2200 sq ft for $1700. Since it's approved for manufactured homes I won't have any problems with my insurance company either.

My house has one of those cheap heatilator firplaces right now with busted up refractory panels and I don't feel safe using it. I know this is alot of dough for a stove, but with the cost of Propane, It'll be well worth it.

Has anyone had anything to do with these stoves???

http://www.buckstove.net/ZeroClearancePage.htm

[Indy w h 4]

I don't have the insert but ive got a central boiler... And I love it!!!

That's what I heat with. You might look into one All the mess is

outside.

Indy :thumbs:

[hounddoghundzsa 7]

I do like the idea of not having the mess, but I've heard those setups run in the 3k range. Also, aren't those dependent on elec to keep the water moving?

[qd-16 14]

My dad bought a new buck stove insert in the early 80's and used it up until 4-5 years ago when he got tired of burning wood. Now my brother has it. In my opinion they are very well made and crank out the heat. A few times he had to replace the 3 speed blower fan, but it was a simple job. I've seen used ones come up for sale time to time for a fraction of what new ones cost.

From what I know they are very well made units. I knew 2 other guys that had buck inserts just like dad's and they also spoke highly about them. Good luck!

[Indy w h 4]

Hounddog Yeah they are a little pricey!! Mine was just a tad over 6k but wow the whole house is the same temp!! I've got a regular wood stove that I used for years and the front room was 100 and the kitchen was 60. The central boiler uses a heat exchanger that fits in your trunk work on the down (or up) draft furnace and the blower blows the heat through the duct work. On the other hand it does take electricity to run the pump and dampner, but you can use a generator to power the boiler and your furnace if you loose power. Mine paid for itself in 2 years. Just a little info for ya.

Indy

[Gerry w 2]

I used to install the Buck inserts as well as 100's of other fireplaces/wood/gas stoves, you can have a licensed installer look at your Heatilator Fireplace zero clearance stove and see if one would fit into it. You would still need to run a liner, and if you power the fan won't work, but they get you much more heat then just a cheap z-can unit.

Have you thought about tearing out the existing fireplace and just installing a freestanding wood stove??

[Lane Ranger 10,569]

We had a buck stove that was in a very well built 1500 sq ft house (someone called it the apartment in the woods) that had very good inuslation, electric baseboard heat, insulating unit windows, chicken wiring holding up inusaltion in the floor joists, etc.

In December and January in Indiana back in the late 70's when we onwed the place it had a Moma Bear Buck Stove! I cut on an old Beech tree three years for wood with a Stihl chain saw to use in the stove- and beleive it or not-

we would have to open up the bedroom windows it got so hot in that house !

And I do mean from the stove!

They are very good , well made stoves that draw air and exhaust well!

[rickv1957 70]

Dont have a buckstove,but wood stoves in both of my shops,they work great,Rick

[hounddoghundzsa 7]

You would still need to run a liner, and if you power the fan won't work, but they get you much more heat then just a cheap z-can unit.

Have you thought about tearing out the existing fireplace and just installing a freestanding wood stove??

The heatilator that's in the house right now is a pre fab unit with an insulated pre fab chimney. So I've got plenty of room to work with and I've already got power there for the blower and already have the hole in the floor for the exaust inlet.

As far as installing a free standing unit - because of local building codes and insurance reasons I am only allowed to install a unit that has been approved for use in a manufactured home. As far as I know there isn't a free standing unit out there that's been approved for this purpose.

Here are some pics from when we first started working on the house, they're not great but they show what I'm working with:

[hounddoghundzsa 7]

http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii94/ho...dzsa/fireplace/

Copy and past this link, I can't remember which one you paste into the posting to get them to show up. These are pictures of my old fireplace.

[Indy w h 4]

there ya go

Indy

[stevasaurus 22,275]

Indy...you are defying gravity in the first picture. :thumbs:

[hounddoghundzsa 7]

Indy...you are defying gravity in the first picture.

....you should see what I can do standing on my head! :banghead:

[Gerry w 2]

I've installed 100's, not kidding, of those prefab z can units in homes and mobile homes. In most cases a small, free standing unit with an osa kit and fire rated surround can be installed in a home like yours, but I was installing in CA. and New England and not where you are. We would install a cement board to the studs in place of sheetrock, and then tile or brick/stones, etc.

If this still isn't an option then your insert is much better then the z can, and if the draft is an issue when you try to start the fireplace just crack open a window to give more air to the home. In some cases you will burn up the avail. air in the room and will need to open a window a crack to stop a down draft.

Again, good luck!

Gerry :thumbs:

[hounddoghundzsa 7]

I've installed 100's, not kidding, of those prefab z can units in homes and mobile homes. In most cases a small, free standing unit with an osa kit and fire rated surround can be installed in a home like yours, but I was installing in CA. and New England and not where you are. We would install a cement board to the studs in place of sheetrock, and then tile or brick/stones, etc.

If this still isn't an option then your insert is much better then the z can, and if the draft is an issue when you try to start the fireplace just crack open a window to give more air to the home. In some cases you will burn up the avail. air in the room and will need to open a window a crack to stop a down draft.

Again, good luck!

Gerry

You ever mess with Majestic pre fab chimneys? That's whats in the house and I've never even heard of this brand before. Did some online reserch and it seems they cater to contractors. Couldn't find much info though. :thumbs:

[Indy w h 4]

Indy...you are defying gravity in the first picture.

Steve, Thats not me!!! Just helping the hound dog out. He does look

like Superman tho. Lol

Indy :banghead:

[Gerry w 2]

You ever mess with Majestic pre fab chimneys? That's whats in the house and I've never even heard of this brand before. Did some online reserch and it seems they cater to contractors. Couldn't find much info though.

Yep, they are made by Vermont Castings out of Canada,( I think, they all run together) The chimneys "snap lock" together and there should be a stainless inner pipe and and outer Galvanized pipe, come apart pretty easy, and the parts are still available. Check with your local stove shop. Your right, they go into trac homes and sometimes prefab houses will contract them to install into those house while they are being built.

They are one of the top of the line "Z-Can" (zero clearance) units out there.

You talked about getting a Buck insert with it's surround to install into your home, the zero clearance could take the place of that surround, a good installer could put the Buck right into your existing fire place. If I was closer I'd do it for you for a good cup of coffee!

The pre fab chimney isn't rated for the insert, but they do make a liner kit, that is a stainless steel expandable system that is fairly cheap and easy to install that would slide right down your existing pipe system, that way your not messing with anything on the roof as far as leaks, all you do is install this system and put the new top on! You might end up needing to purchase an offset that attaches to the insert and then to the pipe system, believe it or not this might be the most expensive piece of the chimney system! Heavy duty gage stainless, and sharp! (watch out!)

Sorry for the long post, hope I answered any questions you might have.

Gerry

[Gerry w 2]

Indy...you are defying gravity in the first picture.

Steve, Thats not me!!! Just helping the hound dog out. He does look

like Superman tho. Lol

Indy

Indy, did you put those floors in?? They look great!! What is that? Prefinished what???? :thumbs:

[Indy w h 4]

Indy...you are defying gravity in the first picture.

Steve, Thats not me!!! Just helping the hound dog out. He does look

like Superman tho. Lol

Indy

Indy, did you put those floors in?? They look great!! What is that? Prefinished what????

Gerry w, the pics are of Scott (hounddoghundza)

I just posted his pics for him

the floors do look good!!

Indy