After researching wood and pellet stoves, I finally decided on a Pacific Energy Summit insert wood stove. I decided on a wood stove over a pellet stove for several reasons: the greater cost of pellets over wood, I can get some free wood, the higher potential btus from the wood stove. I was seriously considering the Regency I3100 until I saw the Pacific Energy Summit. After reading reviews, I decided to go with the Summit.
Everything I read was good, and nobody seemed to have any complaints at all. It has higher potential BTU output and, and sounds like it will do a slow burn very well. The stove will be delivered and install on the weekend after thanksgiving. The Summit stove insert cost $2300, and I will need a liner for my chimney, and that cost $1000 and installation will be $625. The Regency would have cost over $2400, though the install would have been about $550, and the liner would have only cost $400 (though I don’t know if they knew that I would have needed about 35 feet of it. I have a tall chimney). I believe the 304 stainless steel liner I am getting is a much heavier gauge than I would have gotten from the place selling the Regnency.
The guy at the fireplace store said I would probably use about 4 full cords of wood. I already have about 1 full cord, so I called and ordered another 3 full cords. I have been out back on my property cutting down dead trees, and cutting them up. They already pretty dry. There is a big fallen tree down the hill, and I am going to try to cut it up and stack it for next year. My chain saw was starting to cut pretty slowly as I think the chain was getting a little dull. I pulled out the chain saw sharpening kit that I had bought for my Dremel, but have never used. With a bit of reading, and trial and error, I think I succesfully sharpened my Poulan Pro chain saw. So hopefully I will get out tommorrow and cut up some more wood. I am probably going to rip up one or two of my raised bed gardens so I will have a place to stack the 3 additional cords of wood I am getting. I am really pumped to get my new stove.
Our Pacific Energy stove was delivered in damaged condition in July of 2009. Quality control, either at the factory or at the distributor seem to be a major issue with this company. Enamel panels were scratched down to bare metal; door handle was bent; top enamel lid was wobbly and loose even though it was properly screwed down; baffle insulation was torn; baffle gaskets broken.
Comment by Bruce — July 28, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
Bought a pacific energy “pacific” (medium size wood insert). After first burn the paint falked right off of the unit. The dealer gave me a new one which is now called the “super” insert. Once installed, I noticed a hole in the side of the unit near the door the size of a tip of a pen. The dealer gave me silicon to put over the hole. Two units in 2 months and 2 problems, sounds like a lot of trouble from the company. Also, motor turns on for a few mintues when up to temp, then shuts off, then turns back on. What a mess, had a known I would have spent the extra 300 from another dealer and got a different insert.
Comment by Mike — November 1, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
I bought a Pacific Energy Summit insert this year on the recommendation of my Chimney guy. I had an insert from Fisher that just wore out after 15 years. I am very disappointed. The baffles that push air out are noisy and rattled so much that the installer had to come back and try to secure them (they still rattle). The ash guard in the front of the firebox warped after just two burnings and now has to be replaced because it is completly twisted after just 10 uses of the instert. I would not recommend this insert to anyone.
Comment by Richard Clarkson — December 19, 2009 @ 1:44 pm
I bought an Alderlea T-6 free-standing stove around the end of February this year after a lot of research and cost/benefit analysis. After 2 months usage I am reasonably happy. The heater itself works very efficiently and heats very nicely. I live in a 2700sqft 130yr old farmhouse that is quite drafty and inneficient at retaing heat. It warms the downstairs quite comfortably and makes the upstairs bearable at night without the use of the propane furnace. I live in the midwestern US and only burn hard woods (as that’s all I cut for myself and all that I sell to others), including various types of Oak, Hackleberry, Locust, Walnut, Mulberry, Hedge and some silver maple. The stove is quite easy to use, and the only problem that I’ve experienced (other than the ash-dump system is designed rather poorly) is that the ash guard or whatever the metal plate behind the loading door is, warped within the first 20 fires. After the initial warpage, it has held it’s current shape and seem fine otherwise. For those wanting a roaring blast furnace, this isnt the stove for you. But, for those wanting continuous, efficient, steady heat (thats deceptively warm) this will make you very happy with your purchase. I was very dissappointed in the dealer/installer as the install cost me $1500 and the shoddiness of the flue install (aesthetics only as it doesnt leak any smoke or fumes) gives it the appearance that a couple of drunken incompetant idiots performed the work. That said I am quite happy with the stove overall. It definately cut my fuel consumption down approx. 7/8ths between the propane furnace barely running at all and just the sheer fuel amount that I used in previous residences for much less heat. During a 2 week period where the average temp was 5-34 degrees (f), the stove only consumed 1/4 of a chord and the propane furnace ran a total of maybe 8 hours or less. For perspective, when I bought the house in January, I went through an entire 500 gallon propane tank trying a semi steady 63 degree (F) indoor temp. With the Stove the indoor temp varied between 65-70(F). Just thought I’d try to give people some hard/fast numbers to do an accurate comparison with. My next project is replacing all 4 doors and 15 windows on my house. When that’s done, the r-factor should increase by 10-15 and I imagine that the stove will then keep the upstairs comfortable and the downstairs almost too’ hot. That’s a problem I dont mind having.
Comment by Bryan — May 15, 2010 @ 10:18 am
I’m in the process of getting a wood burning insert. I am getting the Regency I3100. The dedision came down to the Regency and the Pacific Energy Summit. I choose the Regency for two reasons. When looking at the two in person the door on the Regency seemed much more sturdy and the two dealers I was shopping both recomended the Regency over the Pacific Energy because of quality.
Comment by Tom — July 15, 2010 @ 11:16 pm