I have been burning with a Jotul 550 insert for 3.5 seasons now and I am wondering how much more heat (if any) I could get with say a Woodstock Progress Hybrid or any free standing stove? I have an open floor plan great room with cathedral ceiling open to the hallway and bedrooms upstairs. 2,500 sq. ft. The ceiling fan keeps the heat downstairs pretty well and circulates it to the kitchen at the other end of the house. The chimney is on the outside of the house and is 28+/- ft high and the liner is not insulated. I do have a top and bottom plate. Thanks for your thoughts/help. I also like the idea of no fan noise.
Convert from Insert to Free standing Stove?
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The Beagler
Burning Hunk
I'm thinking about doing the same with mine...except I may get the Keystone. How long of a burn time
do you get out of the Jotul? They are beautiful looking inserts. Was considering on replacing my old Buck stove
Insert with a Jotul insert possibly. Decisions, decisions!
do you get out of the Jotul? They are beautiful looking inserts. Was considering on replacing my old Buck stove
Insert with a Jotul insert possibly. Decisions, decisions!
Burn time is a relative term on this site. Usable heat is the real question and I can get 3-5 hours of good heat output on a load. 8 to 10 hours later I have coals to restart - so what does that mean - 10 hour burn time? Not trying to be a wiseguy just realistic.
The Beagler
Burning Hunk
weatherguy
Minister of Fire
I would think you would get more heat with a freestander than an insert. I wish I had room for a freestander instead of my insert as I would convert if I could.
I guess that brings up another question: Room for a free standing stove. I have a raised hearth that it would sit on and it would probably stick into the firebox a little bit. Would I loose alot of the heat up the chimney which would effectively take away any benefit a free standing stove would have?
weatherguy
Minister of Fire
You would need to put a block off plate, if you do a search you see how many members have done one, its not too hard nor expensive.
I have a block off plate already. I guess what I am wondering is will the convection heat get sucked up/into the chimney since it is on the outside wall of the house or would most of the heat radiate into the house - with the help of the ceiling fan.
Stump_Branch
Minister of Fire
I had an insert and then set a stove out on the hearth. Hard for me to say as my insert was tiny and i went bigger. But i feel i get more heat.
With a good block off plate your heat loss should be minimal.
With a good block off plate your heat loss should be minimal.
scottgen20
Member
I'm actually on the other side of the fence on this one.. I had a freestanding (although set into the firebox a good bit), with a block off plate, etc. Recently replaced it with an insert and the difference at least for my house is night and day. Utilizing the freestanding, I could get the stove room warm, but the rest of the house was in the deep chill - 70-75 in the stove room, 60's in the adjacent kitchen, low 60's up stairs (stairs are right off of stove room).
Now that I have the insert and blower, the kitchen is warm and the upstairs is around 70. I wish I would have done this years ago! That being said, every house is different so a freestanding may work better for you than your insert.
Now that I have the insert and blower, the kitchen is warm and the upstairs is around 70. I wish I would have done this years ago! That being said, every house is different so a freestanding may work better for you than your insert.
scottgen20
Member
I went from a Jotul F100 to a Century CW2500. The Jotul firebox was small - I could only fit 16" splits which was annoying to say the least. It was a good little heater, but I cant believe the difference with this steel insert. The firebox is really just longer than that of the Jotul, not any more height or deeper. The Century has burn tubes while the Jotul injects air from the back plate.
I don't know what it is, but I'm able to damp the stove all the way down and get it over 500 at will, always a chore with the F100 - and could never damp it more than half of the fire would smolder - same wood being used in both stoves.
I'm also getting plenty of coals and 200 degree stove temp after 8 hours. I know the Century has a higher BTU rating, but I figured a lot of that was marketing since the firebox sizes between the two aren't hugely different. I guess I was wrong.
Sorry for the long answer, I just can't get over how well this thing is heating my house - and it was a bargain.
I don't know what it is, but I'm able to damp the stove all the way down and get it over 500 at will, always a chore with the F100 - and could never damp it more than half of the fire would smolder - same wood being used in both stoves.
I'm also getting plenty of coals and 200 degree stove temp after 8 hours. I know the Century has a higher BTU rating, but I figured a lot of that was marketing since the firebox sizes between the two aren't hugely different. I guess I was wrong.
Sorry for the long answer, I just can't get over how well this thing is heating my house - and it was a bargain.
Wow, Scottgen20, this is the first I've heard of an insert getting more praise for heat than a freestanding stove. It sounds like you're not comparing oranges and oranges as they are very different stoves, but I'd love to hear any other people's thoughts on this.
I have a dealer trying to get me to go with an insert and I'm pushing for a freestanding even though it implies removing my mantle. I have a three story house of about 2000 square feet and would hate to get an insert or stove that couldn't get heat up to at least my second floor.
I have a dealer trying to get me to go with an insert and I'm pushing for a freestanding even though it implies removing my mantle. I have a three story house of about 2000 square feet and would hate to get an insert or stove that couldn't get heat up to at least my second floor.
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