Well I am new to this site and have been reading for several hours and it is a wealth of information... I live in NE Oklahoma and the temperature swings from 68 to 18 overnight. They say if you don't like the weather today just wait till tomorrow and it will change. My problem is this: When we built our house 3 years ago my wife wanted a large fireplace to burn wood and have a romantic fire. I suggested we have a high efficiency wood burning insert to save on heating costs and she was on-board till I showed her some and she said "they look like they belong in an old timey cabin" (Our house is rustic w/ cedar beams and rock work) but I did not win. We ended up with an large open fireplace with refractory brick. Basically you build a bonfire and stand around it to get any heat. Its big the opening is 43' wide X 31 1/2" tall X 31" deep (24" wide across the back). We have high efficiency heat pump to heat and cool but if the temperature dips below 40 degrees they do not work to heat (they do have propane furnace back-up at $4.00+ per gallon). The fireplace sits in the center of our house on an interior wall in a room that is approx. 900sq/ft. The rock/brick house is approx. 2600 sq ft. with 2x6 construction with good insulation. I built this house and I believe I could install an insert. Can a wood burning insert really heat this home? If so there are so many brands and I get bogged down with going from website to website trying to figure out which one is best for my situation. Could you please give me a little guidance. Thanks!
Looking for suggestions.... tired of this fireplace.
- Thread starter Jp388
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
- Status
Well, you were right and your wife was wrong...but she probably didn't see enough of the units available as I'm sure she would have liked one or two. Yes, you can do a lot to heat that size newly constructed home in your climate. I would prefer the idea of a freestanding stove partially or entirely inside your existing fireplace, but I admit that an insert will probably look "cleaner." The thing I don't like about inserts is the fact that they depend on their attached (usually front-mount) blowers to heat to their full potential. Do your research here and you will see some claim that their inserts heat just fine even without the blowers, but I guarantee that when they are run without they don't do more than half the heating they could. Blowers are noisy, especially on full, and they require electricity, which isn't on in a power outage. A freestanding stove would keep heating to its max. Now, many stoves are fitted with a jacket and optionally a blower is available for them that also pushes air through this jacket. The jacket is usually there to reduce clearances, which wouldn't be much of an issue for you in a masonry fireplace. Inserts are available with nice surrounds which seal off the rest of the fireplace, and do look clean. There are some large fireplaces that are basically inserts and they can be very capable. I would lean toward a 3 cu ft. or larger firebox for your application, to make sure you get adequate heat.
jp388:
You will probably get many responses to your question. It's a common problem addressed on this site: what to do with an inefficient fireplace.
I wouldn't be too hard on your wife regarding the fireplace vs. the wood stove issue. Several people posting on this site still prefer the open fireplace knowing full well that it's a heat looser. And you can still install a high efficient fireplace to replace a "Rumsford" (sp?) type fireplace.
Photos of your fireplace will give posters some idea how an insert or free standing wood stove might look/work. A diagram of your house layout will give additional information regarding potential choices that you have.
Facing the same problem that you have, my wife and I decided to install a wood burning insert inside our heat-loosing fireplace. We've been operating this unit - in our case a Hearthstone Clydesdale - see http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/store/wood-products/wood-inserts/clydesdale-wood-insert for about four years now. It's a well made unit that heats our 2000 sq. ft. ranch very comfortably. As you state, there are many other alternate choices. We also installed an insulated SS flexible liner that is connected to Clyde through an an appliance connector.
Poster yukiginger is right about the inserts requiring a fan. Most inserts need the fan to circulate heat throughout the house. This is true of Clyde also. But the requirement for a fan for air circulation can also said for free standing wood stoves as well. So much depends on your house design. We chose the insert over the free standing unit because the insert would not be so noticeable - as most of Clyde fits inside the existing fireplace. A free standing stove would just take up too much space in our living room.
You will need to install a new SS liner in your chimney if you install either an insert or a free standing stove. Most of these "appliances" have either a 6" or 8" exhaust flue. The size of your existing chimney is probably too large to achieve proper draft for a wood burring appliance. Many posting on this site would recommend an insulated liner. Your choices for SS liners are many, and there is some disagreement on this site as to which is better - a solid or a flexible liner. But that's a discussion for a different day.
Good luck in solving your fireplace problem.
Thanks for the info... I forgot to add that we have tall ceilings in this room also. I will try to upload a photo of what I have.
Dix
Minister of Fire
prezes13
Minister of Fire
There is a lot of beautiful inserts. Vermont castings montiplier is gourgous especially with a Georgian surround, Hampton inserts are very nice with the brown enamel finish. I ended up with a lopi cape cod which is a nice looking flush insert.
Dix
Minister of Fire
No they do not open in to it...office opens to the entry though. The living room has a cathedral ceiling approx. 16 ft tall in the center. Kitchen/living room is approx. 900 sqft.
Dix
Minister of Fire
Jp388:
Looking at your floor plan, I suggest that you will need some circulation fans even if you go with a free standing wood-stove. A completely open house design might mitigate the need for fans, but the enclosed areas that you show in your sketch will likely get cold. A fan, or fans, in your cathedral ceiling would help - if you don't have one or more already.
There are engineers - HVAC engineers, actually - that specialize in answering the types of questions for which you are seeking answers. I suggest that you get in contact with one and ask what they can suggest for circulating air through out your home, given your interest in installing a wood stove. With the increased need for home energy efficiency, there are more HVAC engineers out there who can advise about heat flow throughout a home design.
As an aside, there are some first rate free standing wood stoves, and wood burning inserts made in the USA. As a first cut, I would evaluate these. Check the reviews of wood stoves on this Forum. Also, Home and Garden shows typically have sales reps available to show wood stove products and provide quotes. These shows are typically in the spring - just right around the corner. If you want to take a big trip, plan to attend the "Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue" expo in Salt Lake City - March 6 - 8, 2014.
I wish you continued good luck in answering your wood stove questions.
Bigg_Redd
Minister of Fire
So you live in an open-beam-with-rock-work house and your wife objected to the insert because it/they looked "old timey"?
And to answer your question, yes, a wood burning insert could heat your home.
As for which one should you get - Except for Vermont Castings there's really no bad (in terms of converting wood into heat) EPA stoves on the market. With inserts the biggest issue is figuring out what will fit. Once you've compiled a list of possibles just have your wife pick out the one she likes, because that's what you're going to get anyway.
Last edited:
Benchwrench
Feeling the Heat
Personally I'd stay away from catalytic type of design. Second find the biggest one that would fit your FP dimensions, all the while comparing performance such as BTU rating, % Efficiency, steel thickness, and the like. At least these are all the things I kept in consideration when making my decision.
This is the one I went with;
This is the one I went with;
jharkin
Minister of Fire
Contrary to legend around here, your house wont explode if you install a Vermont Castings - but they did have bad years and are more complex/maintenance intensive than most and are not an ideal choice for a first timer.
Anoption to consider to keep you both happy - but more expensive - is to get the best of both worlds. Keep the open fireplace for ambiance and add a freestanding stove someplace with its own pipe. I and several others here have that type of arrangement.
If you a lot of cheap simple heat and dont care about aesthetics - look for a large firebox steel noncat burn-tube stove. If the look of a steel box isnt for you there are a lot of nice options in cast iron and soapstone. Catalytic is a good choice if flexibility to heat evenly on both mild and very cold days is important.
BTW, if somebody told you that was a Rumford fireplace... well they dont know what a Rumford is. The slopes side walls is about the only similarity there to a real rumford, which is taller than it is wide and very shallow with both sloped sides and a sloped back. A true Rumford can actually keep a decent sized room toasty, but still is woefully inneficient compared to any stove.
Anoption to consider to keep you both happy - but more expensive - is to get the best of both worlds. Keep the open fireplace for ambiance and add a freestanding stove someplace with its own pipe. I and several others here have that type of arrangement.
If you a lot of cheap simple heat and dont care about aesthetics - look for a large firebox steel noncat burn-tube stove. If the look of a steel box isnt for you there are a lot of nice options in cast iron and soapstone. Catalytic is a good choice if flexibility to heat evenly on both mild and very cold days is important.
BTW, if somebody told you that was a Rumford fireplace... well they dont know what a Rumford is. The slopes side walls is about the only similarity there to a real rumford, which is taller than it is wide and very shallow with both sloped sides and a sloped back. A true Rumford can actually keep a decent sized room toasty, but still is woefully inneficient compared to any stove.
Kosmik
Member
Ground source heat pump? Or air-to-air heat pump? If it is the former, I would think you could also look at a boiler pigtailed on for pure 'heating' value.
If it is air source heat pump...
Get that insert.
Sounds like the wife needs find one she likes the look of.
If it is air source heat pump...
Get that insert.
Sounds like the wife needs find one she likes the look of.
Yes it is a air to air heat pump... I am also beginning the task of picking out an insert... I really appreciate all of you giving me advice and helping me understand some of this... as I was reading many of the stove reviews on this site I assume that every insert is different in how to load, start, and adjust air flow for optimum performance... seems to me in some of the reviews people are up to the task or not... I know this isn't rocket science but I just want to do it right the first time..... I know now I probably want large capacity, nice look (wife approved), fan (not too loud), would be a plus if it generates heat with no electricity and I am still up in the air with cat or non cat.
firebroad
Minister of Fire
Don't forget the Alderlea t5!
I also did not want an insert, as I thought they looked like something that belonged on a tramp steamer rather than my rustic living room. I love mine, you can get it in majolica brown.
I also did not want an insert, as I thought they looked like something that belonged on a tramp steamer rather than my rustic living room. I love mine, you can get it in majolica brown.
An insert is Much better than an open fire place, but a free standing wood stove is better yet (more heat).
blazincajun
Burning Hunk
Lumber-Jack
Minister of Fire
You need to know the exact dimensions inside your fireplace to make sure what ever insert you purchase will fit, plus a little wiggle room, especially on the top because the other thing you are going to want to do is install a stainless steel flue liner in that chimney.
ridensnow23
Member
Not a bad price, but the model 21 is probably a bit small for that large fireplace. Only 1.6 cubic foot firebox. You will be reloading frequently.
For that price you could always get it and upgrade later if necessary. Does it come with the surround? Better measure. I imagine you would need the large surround to cover that fireplace opening. You can order that from buck if needed.
For that price you could always get it and upgrade later if necessary. Does it come with the surround? Better measure. I imagine you would need the large surround to cover that fireplace opening. You can order that from buck if needed.
- Status
Similar threads
