New insert purchase

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Yes we have but we want our tv to hang above the fireplace. By putting the tv over the fireplace my wife will be able to have furniture on the remaining 3 walls.
 
We went to a fireplaced store yesterday and explained what we want to do and were advised that we could several different units. Lennox Monticeto, Monticeto Estate, Hearthstone Clydesdale, a BIS unit and a few from Pacific Energy. Those are just the units that this store carried. I assume there are many more. Surely in new constructiuon every fireplace option doesnt require a masonary firebox/chimney. The sales rep told us most units require a 2" clearance and they line the inside of the chase with concrete board. Most require class a pipe which can be in a chase, if I understood him correctly.

The Lennox units are of the type you should be looking at, high efficiency zero clearance fireplaces. The Clydesdale and PE inserts are desidned to be installed in a masonry or factory built zero clearance fireplace.

You can download manuals for just about anything and see for yourself.
 
You can put any insert in it that is approved for a ZC fireplace. Not all of them are. Another issue is that many of them will only fit a very small insert.

What is it you like about the inserts over a high efficiency prefab?

Another feature that many of these fireplaces have is the option to add another blower and ducts to move heat to other areas of the house.
 
Yes we have but we want our tv to hang above the fireplace. By putting the tv over the fireplace my wife will be able to have furniture on the remaining 3 walls.

That may be a problem even with an insert. I know with the ones I've had (Century and Summit) the heat tends to stay in that area right over the mantle even with the inserts blower running.

Now I generally point a table fan at that area to circulate that pocket of hot air (a ceiling fan would probably work there also). But I would be concerned about having a flat panel tv up there.
 
Yes we have but we want our tv to hang above the fireplace. By putting the tv over the fireplace my wife will be able to have furniture on the remaining 3 walls.

You'll probably want a heat deflector, or perhaps a non-combustible mantle to deflect the heat away from the wall. Note that placing the set too high tends to lead to stiff necks or slouching to watch the tv. just a thought.
 
TVs should be centered at eye level & to the center or right of the seating. Anything else is an unnatural viewing position and may result in sore neck muscles. Try turning your head to the left & then right. Right will feel more comfortable. Looking left or up for extended periods can be straining . Don't ask me why, this is what the experts state. As far as heat is concerned, I have a Clydesdale and a TV would not survive being mounted above the mantle, even with the installed deflector. Too much dust and heat.
 
Which insert are you leaning towards?
 
My vote is for a free standing stove. MORE HEAT. I've been using an insert. and parents used a free standing stove. Wish I had room for free standing stove.
 
why not get a Free standing? Many of the inserts can also have legs put on and be free standers? You can use drywall behind it at the right distance or use rock/tile/brick that you put on cement board behind it to limit the distance as well.
 
We are leaning towards a free standing stove now. So far I like the Jotul stoves. The fireplace sounded like a good Idea but was getting way too complicated and was going to be over 10k. Ive been told to get a non cat unit and an outside air kit. Who makes the best stove? And why? Thanks again!!
 
Who told you to get a non cat and what was there reasoning?


As far as who makes the best, thats pretty subjective but get no price range best is going to be blaze king or wood stock most likely. Tho Jotul have a large following as well.
 
The main reason from what I understand is the increased maintenance of the cat unit. I guess the "cat components" need to be replaced more often than non cat units. Ive also been advised to not get a unit that requires an air cooled chimney.
 
There really should not be any more maintenance on a cat stove. And I am not sure that any stove requires a air cooled chimney.......
 
Tons of stuff here on cat vs non-cat. If you do a search, you'll find enough to read for a month. Really.
 
We are leaning towards a free standing stove now. So far I like the Jotul stoves. The fireplace sounded like a good Idea but was getting way too complicated and was going to be over 10k. Ive been told to get a non cat unit and an outside air kit. Who makes the best stove? And why? Thanks again!!

Nothing wrong with the Jotuls . . . they make a lot of very nice stoves.

That said . . . there is nothing wrong with the cat stoves . . . and there are many other great stove manufacturers out there as well . . . asking for who makes the "best" stove is much like asking who makes the best pumper, who makes the best bunker gear, who . . . . well you get the idea.

Now if you ask what stove folks bought, why they bought it and if they would get it or another brand stove (and why) you might get a better response. I can tell you I went with a Jotul Oslo since I read a lot of reviews and it seemed as though for cast iron stoves they were quite reliable and built well (although truth be told . . . many other manufacturers have very reliable stoves as well.) While other stoves have caught my eye (particularly the Woodstock Progress), I honestly think I would go with another Jotul if I had to do it over since this has been a very nice stove for my own needs . . . plus I like the look . . . although I would go with the blue black finish.
 
There really should not be any more maintenance on a cat stove. And I am not sure that any stove requires a air cooled chimney.......

There is inherently more maintenance on a cat stove. It may not be a lot, but this is unavoidable. There is greater complexity (bypass lever), ash clearing (frequency depending on design), bolt replacements (not all cat holders are well designed), cat and cat gasket replacement, etc.. Again, most of these tasks are not onerous, but depending on the stove design and how one burns, they are part of the routine.
 
There is inherently more maintenance on a cat stove. It may not be a lot, but this is unavoidable. There is greater complexity (bypass lever), ash clearing (frequency depending on design), bolt replacements (not all cat holders are well designed), cat and cat gasket replacement, etc.. Again, most of these tasks are not onerous, but depending on the stove design and how one burns, they are part of the routine.


Couldn't you say similar things about stoves that have secondary burn tubes as well tho? So I wouldn't say more maintenance, maybe different maintenance.
 
Being lazy, I do nothing special for our secondary system outside of removing the secondary baffle when cleaning, and putting the baffle back in. But true that no stove is maintenance free. Some just require a bit more than others.
 
We finally decided on a unit. I purchased a Jotul F400 and it will be installed 10/17/2013. It will be sitting on a pad 65"x48" made with natural copper slate. I can't hardly wait to fire the stove up. I'll post a picture post install. Thank you for all of you advise/help.
 
Congratulations. That is a beautiful looking stove. Note that it likes a strong draft. Make the chimney as tall as possible. Other than that the main issue this first season will be having dry wood. Do you have a good source?
 
Great decision! Congratulations! I'm sure you will be very pleased.
 
stove.JPG Today was the install day!
 
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