New wood burner needs help.

[Dale.Z]

Hello,

New wood burner here and I am in need of some advice.
I am pulling out what little hair I have left on trying to decide what type of heater would best for my home.

1st question is freestanding or insert?

I have a large masonry fireplace that last winter I installed some very nice and expensive glass doors on but as far as heat output it’s pathetic. The location is ideal as it is located pretty much in the center of the house.

2nd issue:

The house has 2500 sq ft of living space and a full basement. The home was custom built in 1955 but has never been updated. It still has the original leaky windows and needs more installation. It does not have an open floor design rather very compartmentalized.

Wood is plentiful here in east TN as I have five cords of oak cut, split and stacked drying for next year so I am not interested in pellets stoves.

From what I have read I am understanding that there is a heat loss is an issue with inserts? I don’t know. And then to make matters worst now there is the tax credit to consumers who purchase a 75%-efficient woods.

Any opinions / advice is greatly appreciated, sometimes all the reading in the world can’t replace experience.

Thanks Dale

 

[webby3650]

Can you post a pic of your fireplace setup? That would help a lot!

 

[johnn]

Welcome to the "Forum", Dale.
Your fireplace location is ideal being that its not on an exterior wall. You will need to got to the" Hearth.com Quick Navigation" at the top of the page and pull down the menu to get many sources of info. Stove reviews, block-off plates (you will need) and much more are all there. Threads get pushed back so quickly it will take considerable time learning that way. Hopefully others will post quick references to your thread you can just click on to steer your research.
The jurys still out on the refund, however there is time for you to choose once all the info comes in. You might consider starting to use incentives available to replace windows as you can, for the difference is considerable. When choosing your stove, insert , get as large a box as you can, for they will offer better burn times. Buck makes a stove which can also be used as an insert, others to look at may be Blaze King, Hearthstone stove or insert,Avalon stoves and inserts, Check for local dealers and see whats available if you feel you want the local support and or installation, warranty issues covered more easily.
Good Luck,
John

 

[Dale.Z]

Hope this helps.

 

[Dix]

Hi Dale, and welcome !!

Fireplace measurements and a house layout (hand drawn is okey doke) will help alot, also.

The decision on an insert or a free standing stove(with a centrally located fireplace to make you further confuzzled :smirk: ) is going to end up being a decision based on heat ouput, airflow through the house, and how many $$$$'s you've got to invest, the installlation, etc. I had to make the same call, so I understand your current pain

Getting your wood ready now, is a good thing!! It'll save you some heart ache next fall, which ever you decide.

 

[jmhpsu93]

Looking at your setup, with that really small hearth (I think that's carpet out there) if you put a wood stove in there you're either going to 1) push the stove in so far that the radiant heat heats up the mass of the fireplace, not the surroundings, or 2) you're going to need to extend the hearth with some kind of heat-resistant extension. I was in the same boat and went with the wood stove with a temporary hearth extension (sort of like a very heavy, tile hearth pad).

I'm still fooling around with the installation (see "Leaking Flue Connector?" thread for details) and I would imagine with a stove you'll have to figure out your best installation. That being said, I still appreciate the aesthetics of a stove vs. an insert, but that's all personal opinion.

Take your time...read ALL over this forum...shop around...GET REFERENCES...and good luck.

 

[weatherguy]

I have a large masonry fireplace that last winter I installed some very nice and expensive glass doors on but as far as heat output it’s pathetic. The location is ideal as it is located pretty much in the center of the house.

Just out of curiosity was it an airtigth door with ceramic glass?