Choosing a wood-burning fireplace insert

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Goldwin

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Oct 21, 2012
2
We bought a house with a fireplace that had been converted to a gas insert, and we'd like to switch it back to wood, for emergencies and backup to the gas furnace. (See the book "One Second After.") There are dozens of brands and models to choose from, and everyone says theirs are the best. We haven't discovered one source that rates them all fairly, including Consumer Reports. We visited a local store that sells Regency, and decided on the H2100, which sits on the hearth. It had an efficiency rating of 84.9, which was the highest we've seen, seemed to be well made, and the design allows for cooking on the top. Unit with faceplate and blower was $2207, the stainless steel vent kit was $300, and the contractor the store uses for installation, quoted $685 to deliver and put it in. Total with tax was $3415, which seemed a bit high for what we were getting. The installer wasn't "FTI-certified," but had received training from Regency. Is the FTI thing a big deal? The store didn't give us a professional looking quote, choosing to scribble the numbers on a piece of scrap paper. So far, they don't seem eager to deal, and when we visit the store, we are always the only ones there. We are about ready to put this off until spring, when supply and demand might bring down the price. We've waited 6 years, so I guess there's no rush, unless of course, that EMP thing detonates over Kansas.... Input appreciated.
 
Most common questions you will be asked:
Where do you live?
How large is your home/heating area?
Fireplace dimensions?
Seasoned wood supply?
Pix if you got em!

Welcome!
 
That sounds like a fair deal, especially at this time of year. Ask the installer for references and call them.

And get to work on the electric fence in case dinosaurs start roaming the prairies again. :cool:
 
First, do you have your wood already seasoned i. e. split and stacked with lots of wind and sun exposure for at least a year? Modern EPA stoves need properly seasoned wood to work efficiently. If not I would suggest doing that now and to wait with the stove purchase for the next winter. Be also aware that you can rarely buy seasoned wood. If it has not been cut, split and stacked for at least year (oak needs two) it is not seasoned!

The quoted price sounds really good to me. $685 for delivery and install is a fair price, the $300 for the vent kit is rather low. Do you already have a liner in your chimney? I cannot recommend enough to get a full, usually 6 inch liner up to the top. It improves your draft tremendously which makes your burns cleaner and safer. Sweeping will also be way easier. Ask also about a block-off plate which will help against heat loss up the chimney. And who is cutting off the gas line to the fireplace? Most states require a certified gas installer to do this kind of work.

Please be aware that an insert will not get the heat out as well if the power is out and the blower is not working. Have you thought about putting a free-standing stove in front of the fireplace? That is usually also the cheaper option. You will also have more room on the top for cooking etc.

Lastly, the insert you are looking at is a smaller one with only a 1.6 cu ft firebox. Depending on your location, level of insulation, and size of the house that may or may not be enough for your needs. With a stove that small you will also have problems getting an overnight burn (8 to 10 h of usable heat with coals in the morning). Firebox size matters the most when looking for a stove. Modern EPA stove are all in the 75 to 85% efficiency range and that is an "optimum" number. In contrast to an oil furnace, a lot depends on the wood supply, draft, the stove operator etc. Thus, I would not give too much in all the specs the manufacturer is giving other than the firebox size.
 
If it is just for emergencies then efficiency doesn't matter. You may want a stove if used for when power goes out as the inserts will heat some, but not great without a blower.
If you want to use it regularly, get one big enough to burn overnight without need to be restarted in the morning. No fun relighting every morning...
 
At one time, I greatly coveted the Regency H2100 Hearth Heater; and so read the manual and specs thoroughly.
It is actually a hearth stove. It does not "insert" far into the fireplace. It should work fairly well without the blower. It can be cooked upon.
But, if I read the manual correctly, it has a shallow firebox. The few reviews I could find were, however, quite favorable.
IIRC; I determined that it wouldn't quite fit my situation.
 
Goldwin--welcome! I relate you your One Second After reference and I encourage you to consider a free standing stove if this is your real motivation. A stove will be much more useful than an insert because no blower is required. I can't speak to granpajohn's info but if it the H2100 is a small stove that may be fine, depending on where you live.
 
Thanks to all for your input. Home size is 1950 sq. ft., single story. We live in Albuquerque, NM, and the climate is fairly mild compared to many parts of the country. Most of our wood is well-seasoned, but not the high-btu hardwood that most people try to buy. It consists mostly of trimmings and removals on our property--juniper, a little ash, and some fruitless mulberry. Firebox dimensions are roughly 40" wide by 24" tall by 24" deep. We actually considered a free-standing wood-burning stove, but detoured down the insert path, because it took up less space, and the chimney was already there. I guess placing a stove in front of the fireplace is possible, with some rearranging. We are in no hurry here, and nothing is written in stone, so we might re-examine our choices. The house has a pitched roof, with roomy attic spaces, so the stovepipe addition shouldn't be too bad. Since a stove or insert would be used as backup to the gas furnace, we aren't worried about heating the whole house. As long as we keep the pipes from bursting in an emergency, that's the bottom line. We might also use an insert or stove to reduce heating costs during long cold spells, but wouldn't make a fire every day. We've more than doubled the attic insulation, the windows have all been replaced, and are well-covered, and we utilize passive solar as much as possible. The $300 vent quote was for the 6" stainless pipe, running all the way from the back of the insert, to the top of the chimney, and that part does sound reasonable. We agreed that was the way to go, not only for efficiency, but who knows what problems might lurk in a 33 year old fireplace? It also makes it easier to clean, and we already have the brushes for that. As to removing the gas insert, I haven't checked into any code issues yet, but it appears that all that is needed is to disconnect the insert and place a cap over the end of the line. There are 2 in-line valves on the gas feed, and both would have to be leaking for any gas to get to the stub-out in the firebox. Besides, if you do an insert, there is no combustion next to the stub-out. A certified plumber installed our fireplace gas line in our last house, with just a single shutoff valve less than 2 feet from the firebox, and the end of the line was right in the firebox. We never used it, choosing instead to burn wood. We had many hot fires in the fireplace over a 12 year period, with no problems. (It always struck me as a little odd, to have a gas stub-out in the firebox, and I always wondered what would have happened if someone opened the gas valve by mistake, placing propane at the end of that pipe. Just to be safe, I removed the valve handle.) Thanks for sharing, and we welcome more input.
 
I could be wrong but 40"x24"x24" is a big fireplace. With the mild climate and that large of a fireplace it's possible to put a free standing stove in the fireplace. That will save some bux because no surround is needed. And give the most out of the stove as it has no surround. Something along these lines:

http://www.thetoyzone.com/2009/wood-stove-insert/


The gas valve thing is a lot iffy! I would have a pro come and remove...Safety first!
 
an insert without the blower working is putting out (guess) 5% of the heat it does with the blower on. For emergencies then you need inverter and batteries or a generator (better option).

If you are thinking in terms of "one second after" then go buy a free standing stove (the insert really needs electric power). guy bury 10,000 rounds of .22 ammo in the backyard and leave the .45 stuff in the basement. Then go read earth abides (my favorite post apocalyptic book) in front of your new fireplace.
 
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