Used Wood Stove - Helpful Tips On Picking Up A Used Wood Stove

A used wood stovecan be used for several different purposes, but the most popular one is to heat a room or a home on a cold day or night. Many years ago, wood stoves were the only option people had for heating their living areas. Often, they would only have one wood stove in the living area that heated that main area. If there were other rooms like bedrooms, quilts or other items would have to be heated on or around the wood stove. On a cold winter night, a wood stove-heated quilt provides excellent warmth and comfort.

Where to buy a used wood stove

There are only a few places you will be able to find a used wood stove.Since they have been replaced by kerosene heaters, electric heaters, and centralized heating and air systems, they are no longer widely produced. However, because they were built so sturdy in the past, wood stoves are still around and available in used condition. The best places to find used stoves are listed here:

• Antique stores—Antique stores are located all over the place. You can find one (or more!) near you by looking in the phone book or online at a place like the Yellow Pages website. You might be surprised to find out how many antique stores there are around you. They often have small storefronts that open into much larger areas. They can be located on Main Streets, in old churches, or even in peoples' homes that have been converted into stores. Antique stores are a great place to find a used wood stove.People who are trying to clean out their homes often sell things in places like this.

• Estate sales—When a person passes away, his home is often left to his family. Many times, the family does not want all of that person's possessions, so the family will take out what they want, then they will open the house up for people to come in and buy all the rest of the stuff. You can often find things at estate sales like large appliances, including wood stoves.

• Word of mouth—Despite all of the technology available to people today, one of the best ways to find out information is through good old fashioned talking. Talking with neighbors, coworkers, friends, family, shop owners, and other people in your community can help you find out valuable information. If you are looking for a used wood stove, ask around. A friend of a friend may have one sitting in his basement, just waiting to be hauled away. You never know until you ask! Plus, spreading the word that you are looking for a particular item will help you find that item more quickly, as you will have more than just your eyes looking out for the item.

• Auctions—There are still auction houses all over the United States that auction off everything from doily collections to used wood stoves. Auctions are hit-and-miss when you are looking for particular items. You may have to go to ten or fifteen auctions before you can find your used wood stove.

• Online auctions—Places like eBay sell everything, including wood stoves. You need to be particularly careful if you plan to buy a used wood stoveon an online auction site because the shipping charges are sure to be extremely high. Your best bet is to find a place locally that might have a stove for sale, but if you cannot, an online auction may have to work for you. If you do go through an online site, be sure you talk to the seller to find out information like where the stove has been used before, how old it is, how big it is, and how much wood it typically goes through in one day.

• Online classifieds—Websites like Craigslist, local newspaper sites, and Recycler are a way for people to connect locally. You can sometimes find people who are offering used appliances like wood stoves through these sites. These types of sites are typically better than general public auction sites because the people you find on classified sites will typically be in your local area, rather than all over the world.

Before you buy a used wood stove

There are several important things to remember before buying a used wood stove:

1. When you go to move the stove, you will need a truck and probably one or two extra people to help you. Wood stoves are incredibly heavy because of their construction, so you will need help lifting it. In addition, they are bulky and large, so you will need a large vehicle like a truck or a trailer to move it from its old home to its new one.

2. Before installing a wood stove, you absolutely have to have proper ventilation. You may have to build a system into the room where you want to put the wood stove, or you may be able to tap into a ventilation system that is already set up in your home. Either way, you have to be sure you have the proper system in place before you install your stove. Otherwise, you will wind up with a room full of smoke.

3. You will have to find fuel. Remember that a wood stove requires wood to run. You will need to have an ample supply of wood on hand if you plan to use your wood stove often. A good idea is to have a place outside that is dry where you can store excess wood, but also have a small crate, rack, or other place inside your home for enough wood to completely fill up the stove at least two times. Be prepared to haul around a lot of wood!

4. You have to be very careful with a wood stove. They get incredibly hot both inside and outside. If you have pets or children, you should set up a fire-resistant barrier around the stove to ensure that little hands or paws do not accidentally get burned. As an adult, you also want to exercise caution when you are around the stove, as adults are just as susceptible to burns as children.

5. Look into local rules and regulations governing the usage of wood stoves in your area. Because of recent pushes for cleanliness in the environment, there have been limitations put on burning and emissions, so you want to check your local Environmental Protection Agency rules before you install a used wood stove in your home.

6. You will need ample space for your wood stove. You have to allot space all around the stove. It should be in an area where it is not touching anything else, and it may have to be a certain distance away from all other objects. So, when you are planning a space for your wood stove, be sure to leave plenty of room above, under, and around the stove to prevent anything around it catching on fire or melting.

Prices

The price of your wood stove is going to vary greatly depending on where you get it and what condition it is in. If you are at an auction and the stove is in excellent condition, you can expect to pay up to $500 for the stove. On the other hand, if you find a friend of a friend who has a wood stove, he may be willing to just give it away. For the most part, you can expect to spend between $100 and $300 for a used wood stove.Before putting down any money for the stove, you should inspect it to be sure it is in working order. If it is in need of repair, you should be prepared to spend some money having it fixed, so you can expect to pay less money up front for it.

In conclusion, finding a used wood stovecan be a challenge, but it can be a challenge that is worthwhile and interesting. If you have other people helping you look for a stove, you have a better chance for finding one quickly. It is hard to pinpoint how much you should expect to pay for a stove, but it will probably not be any more than several hundred dollars. Do not forget to ensure that your stove follows all local regulations before installing and using it. As long as you are cautious, you will enjoy your used wood stovefor many, many years.