Do inserts depend on blowers to heat room?

[BKPmax]

Regarding radiant vs blower heat from a wood burning insert.
I would like an insert that gives off a lot of radiant heat not completely dependent on a loud blower. Are all insert models the same? Do some give off better radiant heat? ...and do some really require the blower to get the heat into the rooms?

...If so, can anyone recommend high efficiency, "radiant" type insert?

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Basically, you would need to find an insert that either sticks out a bit vs being flush with the face of the fireplace, or another option would be to actually place a stove on your hearth as many members have done here.
Inserts in general are to be used with blowers, as much of the insert is located in the fireplace which makes it difficult to transfer the warm air from the hearth to the room without the use of a blower.
We have a small insert, and I would say that most of the time the blower is perhaps on 45-60% of full power, so its not too loud.

 

[WoodPorn]

Blakes,

My wife and I went from a Quad 3100 freestanding that would burn you out of a room to a 3100i that sputters hot air every once in a while.(kidding)

As much as I love the look of the insert, it does not compare...not even close to the radiant output of the freestanding, and the blower does grind on you after a while.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Dieselbreath]

Our insert has a blower that has two speeds, hi & low. On hi it's a bit loud so I've put it on a variable speed control and it's pretty quiet now. Can turn it off easily but without the blower the insert is pretty much useless. (Looks nice tho!)

 

[Dix]

Hay Blakes, welcome to the forums

My insert has a variable speed blower that can be continuously on, or shut down when the stove lowers to 200 °F . It also sticks out from the FP opening, and allows some radiant heat, but when it's below 30 outside, the blower must be on to get maximum benefits.

I also have to use a small box fan to help move the heat though the house, as well as ceiling fans, if need be.

I'd not count out a free standing stove. I had the option for either one, and opted for the insert. If I had to do it over again, I'd go for the stove.

Just something to think about

 

[Fsappo]

Any decent quality insert with the blower on low should move plenty of heat with barely being able to hear the fan. As far as radiant vs convection, etc..theres a million threads about that on these forums. If you want an "insert" that gives more radiant heat, look for one that is less flush.

 

[gpcollen1]

While there is a blower on my Avalon Olympic, I barely every use it early and late in the season. It does radiate heat pretty well regardless of what some people think. You can feel the natural convective forces a bit too as that air will move a bit without the blower. When winter begins to howl, i do need the blower on, mostly on low and sometimes up about half way. In general, it is not loud at all unless I crank it on full.

That said, my Jotul upstairs does pretty well with no blower but i find myself turning on a fan to move the air around.

 

[EJL923]

I have a flush face, and the blower is always on. During shoulder season, its turned down low and can you can barely hear it. In the dead of winter, i have the blower almost 3/4 of the way, really cold, all the way. I also have a big house and im trying to heat more than the stove can put out. If i had to do it over, i would still get an insert, but the largest i could find and also sticks out. I was at first worried about the hearth below stove getting too warm so i went with a flush face, but its not an issue now that ive run a season. I must say though, it looks damn good when its chugging along.

 

[BKPmax]

Thanks all for the replies. Great stuff.

 

[btuser]

I don't turn my blower on untill it gets below 20 degrees. If the wood is good and dry you can do it, but its not as good as a free-standing stove. I think an air-tight insert with good wood will give you 10-20k btu without the fan, which is enough for me during mild weather. When I need/want more heat I give it more air and turn on the blower.

Have fun with it. It took me 2 years for my stove to teach me what it likes/dislikes.

 

[granpajohn]

It may also depend upon whether your FP chimney is exterior or located within the building envelope. Heat lost to the indoors is not really lost.

 

[tickbitty]

I looked for an insert that stuck out a lot onto the hearth, and find it the best of both worlds. Didn't need to modify the fireplace or chimney,and have a nice sized cooktop that sticks out into the room for radiant heat and a steamer or etc too. I don't find that we lose much heat up the chimney at all, and can put my hand on the metal damper that is above the stove in the chimney opening even when the stove is going full bore so I know that shroud on the back part is working. The blower definitely helps circulate the heat quicker and more effectively but I think a stove that sticks this much into the room probably can do without it, such as in the case of a power outage etc.

I know a lot of folks like the flush look, or go for the hearth mounted stoves. But this took the least revision and was ready to go with just a removable hearth pad in front of the brick hearth.