Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - Wood stoves in WA state

I'm looking to heat a ~1500sq/ft home in Washington state. With the wife jobless it's going to be a "tight" winter and I'm looking to install a woodstove. Last winters energy bills show it will pay for itself in one winter.
I have a pretty steady source for free wood that helps alot too.
I'm finding that all the affordable ones aren't "good enough" for washington, and I've got to cough up over $1000 just to get started when many non-approved versions are only $300-$400. Not to mention I'm a fabricator by trade and it kills me that I can't just weld one up and install it.
Anyone have any recommendations for a more affordable Washington State legal woodstove?

Hi rk, I was in diapers when we lived in Spokane so no help on current rules, but I work the other side of the street, so to speak, in that I help people reduce their heat loss. And I know what it is like to live on a tight budget. What I can suggest is to review the suggestions for improving the efficiency of your home. MANY of the steps are simple and inexpensive. All too often people price out new windows or blowing in new insulation and the estimates just aren't in the budget. But air sealing, caulking, weatherstriping, and some carefully placed insulation can be affordable and have the best payback of any of the available improvements. We refer to them as "the low hanging fruit".

Another advantage of weatherization is it doesn't upset the insurance companies. In the northeast they have gotten so strict that many have chosen to remove their stoves out of fear or threats that their insurance will be canceled.

Keep watching, I'm sure we have some from the nw on the forum.

bud

Thanks for the reply.
Our home is only a year old and very tight, we have electric heat/fan units in each room with their own thermostats.
The problem is we are exposed to the NE winds and it got really nasty last winter, we had wind gusts over 70mph, sustained 20mph+, and temperatures were in the negatives.
Our livingroom(north end of the house) heaters ran full time and could only hold 63* despite adding 2 more portable space heaters. The wind just pulled the heat out of the north end of the home.
The worst part is our house is shielded partly by the neighbors. The northernmost house across the street from us(open fields north of it) had a big pile of pipes in the front yard after those cold days passed:(
The only place I have noticed that leaks is strangely around one of the outlets, you can feel a little bit of cold air when you get a big gust of wind.
DIY fireplaces aren't regulated, I may consider going that route although more time consuming.

A fireplace with an air tight insert might work, but not a traditional fireplace. They lose more heat than they provide. Even new homes rarely are well sealed, unless you specifically pay for it. Some time and effort sealing things up, i.e. those outlets, will reward you greatly. For example, I use a contact paper to cover switches and outlets, just cutting out for the device and then trimming to the cover plate. It provides an air seal around the box as well as the device. Do all boxes, inside walls as well. There are all kinds of lists on the web and it is easy to do. Savings could be as high as 25% of your heating costs and make the home a lot more comfortable. Bud

Spend the money and get a certified. Your neighbors will like you for it and you can keep burning on those inversion days. What is a Burn Ban? | Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (http://www.pscleanair.org/airq/burnban/default.aspx)

Be safe, G in Tacoma

I have been looking into the wood stoves and getting ready to buy a Approved/Certified model. My last question is a bit of a tricky one.
The stove that we'd like to get is an efficient non-cat stove that is on sale as well as applicable for the 30% tax incentive. The problem is that it doesn't have the ability to have a outside air duct attached.
Reading the IRC R1006.1 they state blah blah blah...OR.."that the room be mechanically ventilated."
So I'm wondering if I can add a duct behind the stove with a closable cover that's opened when the stove is in use?
Our city hall doesn't know and thought it would be ok, but I don't want to buy this thing and send the permit in to have some other verbage pop up and not be allowed to use the stove.

Regency and Lopi stoves are going to be your best choice in your area and there models are EPA cert. for Wa. As far as air supply try to get the owners manual for the unit you are looking at the cities will usualy always go by what the manufacturer has in there manual. Most states only require air supply when installed in a bedroom. As far as sizeing the stove go as large as you can afford you can always cool the house down but you wont get the stove to produce more heat than it is intended too. There estimates are like car mileage always wrong. get a stove made for 2000 square feet. Goodluck