Help w/freestander inserted in Fireplace

[mheller]

I recently installed Lopi Republic 1750 inside existing masonary fireplace. With your help I first cleaned existing clay tile lined masonary chimney, installed ss liner with insulation with top plate and chimney cap. Also, added extra mineral wool insulation in smoke chamber and installed block off plate with insulation above. The fireplace opening is 27"w x 32"h x 22" with slight taper on sides towards rear. I previously posted here about freestander inside fireplace and got mixed reviews, mostly good. House is 1920 unisulated farmhouse style with lot of windows.

Enough background, I went with freestander vs. insert cause of odd size to fireplace and that I wanted over 2 cubic ft firebox. The stove works great, great draft, chimney is interior 25' straight up. I can get stove room 15' x 30' up to 80F but rest of house is 60 ish. Have stove thermometer and its up to 600f in no time. Stove does have blower on it.

Other than moving stove onto hearth, how can I circulate heat? The heat seems trapped in fireplace. There is about 2" of air space on each side of stove, 3" on rear and 5" above. I run blower, but on high its too loud. Do I throw more air at stove or push air out of room? I was thinking of adding little corner doorway fan to help and possibly add ceiling fan. I was hoping to get some of the heat to 2nd floor. The house has center foyer right off stove room going up to 2nd floor and a ceiling fan at top of steps. I'm new at this and thinking maybe should have went with insert. Thanks for any suggestions.



i

 

[begreen]

Do you have a standard table fan or box fan? Temporarily set it in the foyer, blowing into the room with the stove. Run it on low speed and let us know how that works. If it does, then a refined version of the setup should work as a long term solution.

 

[Gooserider]

A ceiling fan in the stove room may help, I know it makes a MAJOR difference in our house, and many other people have reported the same.

A small fan blowing air into the fireplace towards the bottom might help move the heat from the exterior of the stove out of the fireplace area. If it is an exterior firebox, you might also benefit from putting some high temp insulating boards on the back wall of the fireplace, being careful not to restrict the airflow around the stove.

The other thing is to try blowing cold air from the rest of the house INTO the stove room, which will push the warm air back out into the house. This seems counter intuitive, but it is often easier / better to move cold air towards the stove rather than trying to blow hot air away from it.

A technique that I have seen mentioned is to go around to the doorways with a candle and / or incense stick, and see which way the natural air currents in the house seem to be flowing. Hold the candle near the top of the door opening and the bottom, and observe which way the flame deflects. You will generally get better results if you try to enhance the existing airflows rather than reversing them or trying to create new ones...

Gooserider

 

[BrotherBart]

Am I the only one that thinks that the stove is putting out plenty of heat but the heat hasn't got a chance in an uninsulated farmhouse with lots of windows?

A six hundred degree stove with the blower running is kicking out some heat. And with the blower that heat ain't staying in that fireplace.

 

[begreen]

I'm with ya BB. Sometimes I think people get tired of hearing me repeat the mantra. It seems folks have a lifetime habit of heating the outdoors with cheap fuel. There's always another priority and short term fixes that become permanent are the preferred route.

 

[mheller]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm gonna fire er up again tomorrow, it was a little too warm here in Eastern PA this week. Also, realize there is a learning curve to all of this and I got late start this year just finishing install and getting final inspection less than 2 weeks ago. Happy burning.