We never had a fireplace in our home or heated with wood before. The fireplace in our new house looks great but given the tax credit and the almost 2 cords of wood left by the previous owner we would like to actually get something useful out of it. We have a split-level ranch with about 1400 sqft upper level living space. The fireplace is pretty centrally located in the living room of the house but the floorplan is not really open. However, I would not mind supplementing some other heat to the bedrooms in the back. From our needs and the fireplace dimensions I figured a medium size insert should work well for us. I was reading as much as possible in this great resource here but some questions remain. I would greatly appreciate some input before “taking the plunge”. After visiting some local dealers we have to decide between the following inserts (prices all inclusive):
Regency I2400 ~$3300
Enviro Venice 1700 ~$3700
Jotul C450 Kennebec ~$3850
PE Super ~$3450
1. The Regency was my early favorite due to the great reviews it gets and the low price. However, after visiting the dealer I am not so sure anymore. Apparently, a sub was in the showroom and could not really help with any question - very disappointing. In addition, they charge the lowest amount for installation by quite a bit and (but?) are the only ones having time slots open within four weeks. I have the feeling I am asking for trouble here. Finally, when looking at the unit I noticed that the door was not closed fully flush between gasket and front wall. The salesperson could close it after really pushing the handle with the effect that my wife could not get it open again. I have never seen the door as a weak point of the I2400 here; anyone else having that experience or was that just that particular unit? Does that correct itself after some use?
2. I could not find many reviews about the Enviro Venice 1700. Anyone here who could give some more insight?
3. Any reason the Jotul would be worth more than the other inserts? I like its looks a bit better but not for several hundred dollars.
4. The PE Super seems to be well liked. Anyone willing to elaborate on its pros and cons especially compared with the other models?
5. One appeal of having an insert is the ability to have some heat when the power goes out which of course also means the blower will not work. How much heat do you get from any of those models without the blower? Will the living area stay warm?
6. Our chimney is only about 13 ft tall since the fireplace is on the upper level and we have a low-rise roof. Do you think it will generate enough draft for the insert? We will certainly get a full liner. A little test fire in our fireplace seemed to draft ok although I needed to leave the glass doors open to give it enough air or it would start smoldering.
7. Finally, what distinguishes a good installation job from a bad one? What are the points worth asking beforehand? I could think of checking whether the chimney will be swept before putting the liner in and asking for a block-off plate. What other potential “shortcuts” of a not so reputable dealer should I be looking out for?
Thanks for taking your time helping out a total newbie. I really appreciate it.
(Below should be a picture of our current fireplace.)
Regency I2400 ~$3300
Enviro Venice 1700 ~$3700
Jotul C450 Kennebec ~$3850
PE Super ~$3450
1. The Regency was my early favorite due to the great reviews it gets and the low price. However, after visiting the dealer I am not so sure anymore. Apparently, a sub was in the showroom and could not really help with any question - very disappointing. In addition, they charge the lowest amount for installation by quite a bit and (but?) are the only ones having time slots open within four weeks. I have the feeling I am asking for trouble here. Finally, when looking at the unit I noticed that the door was not closed fully flush between gasket and front wall. The salesperson could close it after really pushing the handle with the effect that my wife could not get it open again. I have never seen the door as a weak point of the I2400 here; anyone else having that experience or was that just that particular unit? Does that correct itself after some use?
2. I could not find many reviews about the Enviro Venice 1700. Anyone here who could give some more insight?
3. Any reason the Jotul would be worth more than the other inserts? I like its looks a bit better but not for several hundred dollars.
4. The PE Super seems to be well liked. Anyone willing to elaborate on its pros and cons especially compared with the other models?
5. One appeal of having an insert is the ability to have some heat when the power goes out which of course also means the blower will not work. How much heat do you get from any of those models without the blower? Will the living area stay warm?
6. Our chimney is only about 13 ft tall since the fireplace is on the upper level and we have a low-rise roof. Do you think it will generate enough draft for the insert? We will certainly get a full liner. A little test fire in our fireplace seemed to draft ok although I needed to leave the glass doors open to give it enough air or it would start smoldering.
7. Finally, what distinguishes a good installation job from a bad one? What are the points worth asking beforehand? I could think of checking whether the chimney will be swept before putting the liner in and asking for a block-off plate. What other potential “shortcuts” of a not so reputable dealer should I be looking out for?
Thanks for taking your time helping out a total newbie. I really appreciate it.
(Below should be a picture of our current fireplace.)