The insert is a stove within a surrounding convection jacket. That will limit the temps in the zc fireplace a lot.
Sick of my gas bill
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Oh ok. So my front runners so far are the Regency H2100, The Striker c160 granted i can remove the fire brick inside my prefab safely, and the Jotul F400 castine if I cant make an insert work. I think Id like to go with the regency, can you think of any problem with that selection and my application of it?
Ashful
Minister of Fire
Wait. This 21-7/16" height number has been thrown around, but it appears to me the lintel height is actually 6-3/4" higher than that, at 28-3/16". That really opens up some more options, in terms of free-standers on the hearth extension. For example, the aforementioned Jotul Castine 400 is only 27-1/4" at the top of the flue, configured for rear vent with the short leg kit installed. That Regency might make some heat, but it's none too pretty sitting next to a Castine.
I'd be looking to extend the hearth at current height, and put a rear-vent free stander on there, before settling for an insert.
I'd be looking to extend the hearth at current height, and put a rear-vent free stander on there, before settling for an insert.
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weatherguy
Minister of Fire
the house is about 1750sqft. The way its laid out is a large living room with a cathedral ceiling that also contains the staircase to the second floor. so my house is literally one big room with rooms off of it. my problem is my tstat for my forced hot air is on the first floor in a room with 18 ft ceilings. my literally every bedroom in the house is fine. just the big room is chilly. and considering my tstat is set on 66 and i still get a $200+ gas bill, if I even attempt to get to 70-72, my bill will be well over 300. So i cant say im looking to use the fireplace as sole heat, im just trying to prevent the gas from turning on so much, while producing warmth in that big room. I would say its more supplemental than anything.
PapaDave
Minister of Fire
You haven't mentioned this, but do you have a ceiling fan in that room where the stat is? If not, all the warm air is rising and sitting near the high ceiling, which means the stat isn't seeing much of it after the furnace kicks off.
Not trying to talk you out of a nice new stove, but you'll want some way to move the air from up high, no matter the heat source.
Welcome to the Hearth.
Not trying to talk you out of a nice new stove, but you'll want some way to move the air from up high, no matter the heat source.
Welcome to the Hearth.
i tried that way, both blowing down, and even both blowing up even though i knew that wouldnt work.
preaching to the choir. i just didnt listen to myself when we bought this. "Maybe this cathedral ceiling will be different" 
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.This may not be welcome information, but gas heat in NJ is as cheap as it's probably ever going to get. You won't be saving money, at least initially, by heating with wood over gas. Factor in the cost of a wood stove/insert, buying or scrounging wood, stacking it for two years, moisture meters etc and it all ads. Start with insulating and air sealing your house to the max which will provide a solid return on investment. I'm in northwest nj and would heat with gas in a nanosecond if it was available....my Buderus GB 142-45 is very efficient, but that is all relative when you are burning propane.
ironworker
Burning Hunk
Where in jersey are you, when I got my stove, the guy from the stove place came over and did a great job setting me up with what he thought best. All though these forums are great, sometimes your better off with someone who does this for a living and probably has a ton of experience with a situation like yours.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
If I could heat for $200 - $300 per month, it would be tough to find financial justification for the start up costs associated with wood burning. I suspect my total associated wood burning costs might approach that sort of number , when summed annually and amortized over 5 months per year.
It's that $1000 / month oil bill (more in January, less other months), that sort of pushed me from ambiance burner to full time burner.
It's that $1000 / month oil bill (more in January, less other months), that sort of pushed me from ambiance burner to full time burner.
Charles1981
Minister of Fire
I concur that savings wont be that great given your situation, but you stated you were paying 200 a month to keep the house nominally warm. If you did install the wood stove it would be a bit in up front costs and may save you same money in the long run (over the span of years)...but with wood heat you should be able to substantially increase the ambient temperature significantly higher than you comfortably willing to pay for the gas thus far.
My stove and install was a little over 4k. But it was costing 400$ a month in electric baseboard heating to keep the house just above freezing (~60F). It would have been 500-600 to try and get electric baseboard to heat up to 65F...we tried it runs almost non-stop to maintain that temperature for a few days.
With the wood stove in the basement (not even ideal). It is easily ~70 upstairs (so long as the outside temperature is above 15F). Unfortunately, I had to find out this winter that when its NEGATIVE 10 degrees outside upstairs struggles to stay at 65....but still remarkably better than baseboard heating (i don't even want to know what it would have cost in electric during this severe frigid spell). The basement (walkout) easily stays ~80 and really is like 85-90 in the stove room.
The stove is still going to take about 3-4 years to pay for itself but the quality of heat and comfort is increased substantially.
My stove and install was a little over 4k. But it was costing 400$ a month in electric baseboard heating to keep the house just above freezing (~60F). It would have been 500-600 to try and get electric baseboard to heat up to 65F...we tried it runs almost non-stop to maintain that temperature for a few days.
With the wood stove in the basement (not even ideal). It is easily ~70 upstairs (so long as the outside temperature is above 15F). Unfortunately, I had to find out this winter that when its NEGATIVE 10 degrees outside upstairs struggles to stay at 65....but still remarkably better than baseboard heating (i don't even want to know what it would have cost in electric during this severe frigid spell). The basement (walkout) easily stays ~80 and really is like 85-90 in the stove room.
The stove is still going to take about 3-4 years to pay for itself but the quality of heat and comfort is increased substantially.
yea its over 200 a month with the room being at 66. id like it about 70-72, which will probably put me close to 300. I know im going to eat the cost at first, but we just bought the house and plan on being here for a long, long time. I know it will pay for itself eventually, besides, whats more homely than a nice fireplace.
@ironworker
I live in southern ocean county. I called three places and went to one, and none seem to want my business. I swear as soon as they hear "i have a prefab fireplace", they run for the hills.
Unfortunately, I'm thinking the only way I'm going to get this done is do it myself. I consider myself capable when it comes to the trades, Ive just never tackled a fireplace so I want to make sure I'm doing it correctly for obvious liability reasons.
It seems I am S.O.L. when it comes to an insert. I was looking at freestanders and actually came across this guy: http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/store/wood-products/wood-stoves/homestead-hearthmount
In the hearthmount variety. The plan is to utilize the rear exit and the dimensions seem to be on par. Only thing I have to do is move some combustibles around and change the mantle.
@ironworker
I live in southern ocean county. I called three places and went to one, and none seem to want my business. I swear as soon as they hear "i have a prefab fireplace", they run for the hills.
Unfortunately, I'm thinking the only way I'm going to get this done is do it myself. I consider myself capable when it comes to the trades, Ive just never tackled a fireplace so I want to make sure I'm doing it correctly for obvious liability reasons.
It seems I am S.O.L. when it comes to an insert. I was looking at freestanders and actually came across this guy: http://www.hearthstonestoves.com/store/wood-products/wood-stoves/homestead-hearthmount
In the hearthmount variety. The plan is to utilize the rear exit and the dimensions seem to be on par. Only thing I have to do is move some combustibles around and change the mantle.
yea this is turning me a bit ambitious to say the least. i plan on building a brick half circle thats about 2" high and tiling/stone the entire wall. according to the manual ill still have the clearence to get the flue out the rear and into my prefab. connect it to whatever 6" i gotta drop down my existing chimney and close it all up with thier rear heatsheild they sell. i still have to look up all the R values for everything but i think this is on the right track. finish it off with a decent sized cement (from factory) mantel and i should be able to keep the tv near where its at.
Read up on the insulation requirements first. And pay attention to the different leg heights. While the standard leg is about R=2.5, the short leg requirement is something stunning like R=6.6?! You may have 2-3" of insulation buildup just to get the required value. If that is the case it may end up being a tiled hearth.
We are battling the same problem. The Buck Stove Model 18 will probably fit, but it only produces about 20,000 BTU @ 55% efficiency. But at 7.5 cents per KWH your sill saving 44 cents an hour if your wood is free. Were probably going to end up ripping ours out to gain efficiency. Mathematically the efficiency needs to get up above 70% if your having to buy firewood at $100 or more a cord. We have a large supply of free wood, so were still considering all options.
This is pretty cheap. Hard to justify much with those bills. Considering this has been a brutal winter I would stay with the gas for the amount of work and time involved with wood. If u don't have saws and equipment factor those in too. Most people that go to solid fuel for savings have propain or oil.
I would sell my boiler very quickly if I had natural gas.
Tim
mikey
Burning Hunk
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