Do grate heaters work?

[mortimer]

http://www.northlineexpress.com/fireplace-grates.asp for example.

I live in a walk out basement with a masonry fireplace and would like to get more heat into the room (12x20). I do not use the fireplace for 24x7 heat. I am looking to add a glass door arrangement like http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&No=12&Ntt=fireplace door&Ntk=i_products&N=0 or similar.

Using the existing chimney for venting an insert seems to violate code. Forced air natural gas furnace vents into same chimney.

Using a free standing stove is problematical due to cost. About 30' of double wall chimney pipe and the assorted fittings.

Thanks in advance!

 

[BrotherBart]

In answer to the subject question, no. They are snake oil sales.

 

[Roospike]

Almost $500. for the grate heater / blower & $200.-$300. for the doors. $700.-$800. for maybe 25% efficiency ? Lot of moneys for what little thet do.

A fire place to set the mood is one thing but for heat and to same money you need to put in a wood stove and or wood stove insert.
For saving money you better of spending the money on something that will pay you back and pay for itself in the long run. The grate heater and doors will never pay for them selves.

When it come to savings, a wood stove or wood stove insert is FREE in the long run as it will pay for its self in normally under 5 years , some in 1-2 years and save you a lot of money year after year from that point on.

Glad to see your doing your research before buying!
& Welcome to the wood burning pack mortimer.

 

[GVA]

Maybe it's cause Elk and I worked together most of today.
But two fuel burning appliances cannot share the same chimney. or should I say, the same flue if you have more than one flue running up the chimney.

 

[GVA]

To help clarify my last post cause I'm tired.......... T&B had 2 flues running up his chimney one was his furnace and one was his fireplace, which is fine. Do you only have one flue?

 

[mortimer]

Yes, one flue.

 

[mortimer]

I would not 'buy' a grate heater. If it looks like the idea would work, I would build one for a lot less than $500.

 

[Roospike]

http://www.northlineexpress.com/fireplace-grates.asp for example.

I live in a walk out basement with a masonry fireplace and would like to get more heat into the room (12x20). I do not use the fireplace for 24x7 heat. I am looking to add a glass door arrangement like http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productList&No=12&Ntt=fireplace door&Ntk=i_products&N=0 or similar.

Using the existing chimney for venting an insert seems to violate code. Forced air natural gas furnace vents into same chimney.

Using a free standing stove is problematical due to cost. About 30' of double wall chimney pipe and the assorted fittings.

Thanks in advance!

I got so caught up in the two items i didnt even read about the natural gas furnace venting into same chimney. Duh ......... Good catch GVA , and rightfully so you should be way more tired then me today you ole' stove installer you.

Would it not be cheaper to just run a SS liner up the chimney and vent the natural gas furnace vents else ware and skip the double wall pipe? It it do-able on the gas vent ?

 

[mortimer]

I got so caught up in the two items i didnt even read about the natural gas furnace venting into same chimney. Duh ......... Good catch GVA , and rightfully so you should be way more tired then me today you ole' stove installer you.

Would it not be cheaper to just run a SS liner up the chimney and vent the natural gas furnace vents else ware and skip the double wall pipe? It it do-able on the gas vent ?

I hadn't even thought of moving the furnace vent. Hmmm. Temperature is not a problem for the furnace exhaust. Currently uses 8" galvanized pipe that is cool to the touch. I'll need to check into that from a code perspective. Also need to find out what code says about chimney liners. I live in WA state. Double wall is ringing a bell...

Er, what is "SS liner"?

 

[Roospike]

I got so caught up in the two items i didnt even read about the natural gas furnace venting into same chimney. Duh ......... Good catch GVA , and rightfully so you should be way more tired then me today you ole' stove installer you.

Would it not be cheaper to just run a SS liner up the chimney and vent the natural gas furnace vents else ware and skip the double wall pipe? It it do-able on the gas vent ?

I hadn't even thought of moving the furnace vent. Hmmm. Temperature is not a problem for the furnace exhaust. Currently uses 8" galvanized pipe that is cool to the touch. I'll need to check into that from a code perspective. Also need to find out what code says about chimney liners. I live in WA state. Double wall is ringing a bell...

Er, what is "SS liner"?

Stainless Steel liner.

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/chimneyliners

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-X-30-Stainles...ryZ20598QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-X-25-STAINLES...7963833QQihZ016QQcategoryZ41987QQcmdZViewItem

 

[mortimer]

I got so caught up in the two items i didnt even read about the natural gas furnace venting into same chimney. Duh ......... Good catch GVA , and rightfully so you should be way more tired then me today you ole' stove installer you.

Would it not be cheaper to just run a SS liner up the chimney and vent the natural gas furnace vents else ware and skip the double wall pipe? It it do-able on the gas vent ?

I hadn't even thought of moving the furnace vent. Hmmm. Temperature is not a problem for the furnace exhaust. Currently uses 8" galvanized pipe that is cool to the touch. I'll need to check into that from a code perspective. Also need to find out what code says about chimney liners. I live in WA state. Double wall is ringing a bell...

Er, what is "SS liner"?

Stainless Steel liner.

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/chimneyliners

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-X-30-Stainles...ryZ20598QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-X-25-STAINLES...7963833QQihZ016QQcategoryZ41987QQcmdZViewItem

Oh. Thanks!

 

[Roospike]

;-)

Also do a "search" on this forum for tons of information on liners. Search "liners"

 

[elkimmeg]

he has a serious risk situation now venting into a common flue combined with his gas heater and a fire place, is a no no. that galvanised pipe is single wall 6" requires 18" clearance from combustiables. no mater if you can touch it you have to follow the furnace manufactures specs and code. It is possible your fire place is back drafting to the furnace and cooling the connector pipe, giving you a false sense of security Has your carbon monoxide sensors ever gone off it that basement? Does that gas burner have a draft hood? Have you ever smelled spillage of exhaust from the burner coming out of your fire place? has that set od carbon monoxide sensors in the fireplace room?

What I telling you, there exist some real saftey issues with your current setup. No a wood stove cannot be added to that flue along withthe burner hooked up or any other fireplace or additional appliance Your focus should be concerned with how to make your existing venting safe.

 

[mortimer]

he has a serious risk situation now venting into a common flue combined with his gas heater and a fire place, is a no no. that galvanised pipe is single wall 6" requires 18" clearance from combustiables. no mater if you can touch it you have to follow the furnace manufactures specs and code. It is possible your fire place is back drafting to the furnace and cooling the connector pipe, giving you a false sense of security Has your carbon monoxide sensors ever gone off it that basement? Does that gas burner have a draft hood? Have you ever smelled spillage of exhaust from the burner coming out of your fire place? has that set od carbon monoxide sensors in the fireplace room?

What I telling you, there exist some real saftey issues with your current setup. No a wood stove cannot be added to that flue along withthe burner hooked up or any other fireplace or additional appliance Your focus should be concerned with how to make your existing venting safe.

You're right. It is 6" pipe. The furnace is probably original equipment on the house (1950 or so, although a sticker on the furnace says 1966). It is a Mueller Climatrol type 119-110-E1. The only time the CO sensors have gone off is when I test them. I don't know if it has a draft hood. I have the original paperwork. It is in purple ink (ditto style technology). It does refer to a "Draft Diverter" and a "Flue Outlet Baffle". The baffle looks like a half moon that sits on bottom of exhaust port. No, I haven't smelled exhaust from the furnace.

Basically, not to scale, the setup is:
(dots added to keep format)

..SS
|-----|
| FP | ++
|-----|.. +
............+
......|------------|
......| Furnace |
......|------------|

Where the + signs are the the exhaust pipe from furnace and "SS" is the front of the fireplace. There is a wall between the furnace and the fireplace. Fireplace is cinder blocks faced with brick. One thing that suprised me a bit is that the fireplace has an access panel near the floor on same side as the furnace exaust. The exhaust goes into the firplace about 5' from the floor.

 

[mortimer]

A bump in the morning

 

[mortimer]

Any ideas?