Ditched the fancy wood stove insert, back to the old box stove in Barre

Everyone in Barre kept pushing me to drop $3k on one of those high-efficiency inserts, so I did back in 2019. Turns out my drafty 1890s farmhouse just fought the thing, creosote built up faster, and I was splitting more wood than ever. Pulled it out last fall and put my grandpa's old box stove back in, burns hotter and I only go through about 2 cords now instead of 3. Anyone else found that the older, dumber setups actually work better for older houses?

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harper_owens22d ago

Got a buddy up in Hardwick who did the same thing, swapped his fancy insert for an old frankenstove he found in a barn. Said it drafts like a chimney should and he's back to burning half the pine he used to. Old houses just seem to vibe with that old-school draft.