pellet inserts

[acardo]

i need to get a pellet insert for our fireplace. I am looking between the enviro m55 multi fuel or the qudro0fire mt vernon ae I have read up regarding both and I am not sure what to get. Can anyone help me with pros and cons and which is better

thanks

 

[seige101]

Welcome to the forum. You accidentally posted this to the boiler room. To get the most responses try the Pellet forum right above this one. Perhaps a kind moderator will move this.

 

[Gooserider]

Moved to the pellet area, as I hope you will get a better response there...

Gooserider

 

[acardo]

thank you both for your help

 

[dsnedegar3]

I can only speak to the Quadrafire Mount Vernon AE -- I"m going on my 3rd season and so far no problems. I chose the AE because of the programmable thermostat, multi fuel, quietness (quiet and normal fan speeds) and the battery back up option in case you lose power. My wife like the looks better than the others we looked and and was sold on the battery backup. I heat my first floor with it which is about 1500 square feet. Even at 10 below, it has no problems with heat output -- no need to supplement with other heat. With heating oil heading up to $3.00 a gallon, I"m very pleased with the investment.''

 

[briansol]

As an insert owner, I would advise you to re-consider getting an insert. I regret it. I wish i got a free-standing model, even if positioned just to the side of the fireplace. While I was never an active wood burner by any means, should the time come, I wish sometimes i could burn wood. Something to consider. And don't get the one I have. hate it :D

 

[acardo]

Thank you that is the one i seem to be leaning to

 

[dsnedegar3]

To the dissatisfied insert owner -- it would appear to be the brand that you bought that dissatisfies you -- not the fact that it's an insert.

 

[briansol]

Different reasons... I hate that it's un-reliable, but i also miss the potential use of the fireplace.

 

[dsnedegar3]

I don't miss my fireplace... rarely used it and when we did the heat went up the chimney... looked nice, but my focus for the insert was to get heat into the house and save money on oil.

 

[relxn88]

Whichever insert you buy, make sure it will fit in your fireplace. I am pleasantly surprised at the St.Croix I have. It was small enough to fit in my fireplace and it heats my 2 story, 2400sqft , non-open floor plan, 24/7 , October to March. I would have bought a freestanding, but the town wouldn't approve any exhaust outlet due to the house having windows everywhere.

 

[CygnusX1]

I love my insert. It doesn't take up any floor space and it fits in the fireplace I never used anyway.

The only drawback is usually a smaller hopper on most inserts, but not a problem for me.

Trust, me, you'll never miss the fireplace. Using a fireplace for heat is inefficient and pellet stoves have windows so you still see the flame.

 

[Former Farmer]

I don't think that a fireplace looks any better than this

 

[Pellet-King]

I don't think that a fireplace looks any better than this

Thats some funky looking stones, nice, bring's back memories of my grandfather,a mason, in the 60's he built everything with stones and morter
Sorry to read about your lennox, too bad Whitfield sold out.....

 

[tjnamtiw]

You never mentioned how much space you were planning on heating. I had two fireplaces and got tired of the cutting, hauling, splitting, stacking, unstacking, hauling, bugs, dirt, bad back, and getting up twice during the night to feed the wood inserts. No brainer for me. I have a Castile in one and a Sante Fe in the other. The only complaint I have with the Quads, which may be the same for other brands, is that the stoves are well designed to burn efficiently but the heat transfer mechanism with smooth pipes is almost like an after thought. Nothing like laminar flow to screw up heat transfer. Corrugated pipe or other means to present more surface area and break up the smooth flow would have shown that someone actually thought about it. It is old, old technology the way they put the pipes in there. Just like with some of the apparatus that you can put in a fireplace.

 

[sweetsncheese]

i need to get a pellet insert for our fireplace. I am looking between the enviro m55 multi fuel or the qudro0fire mt vernon ae I have read up regarding both and I am not sure what to get. Can anyone help me with pros and cons and which is better

thanks

3rd season with the Mt. Vernon and no complaints. Like others have said, nothing to compare it to though.

The programmable thermostat is quite nice. Mine automatically adjusts for home/away, day/night and week/weekend.
It came as multi-fuel but I wouldn't have paid for this if it was an option. I have no desire to coax rodents into my garage and basement with corn or sunflower seeds so I only burn wood pellets.

As an insert owner, I would advise you to re-consider getting an insert. I regret it. I wish i got a free-standing model, even if positioned just to the side of the fireplace. While I was never an active wood burner by any means, should the time come, I wish sometimes i could burn wood. Something to consider. And don't get the one I have. hate it :D

By "I wish I could burn wood" I assume you're disappointed you had to choose between a pellet insert and a wood insert. A fireplace is great for ambiance on a warm fall day but if you're looking for heat, it's not going to ever warm the house. I can remember losing power one winter years back and having to stay within 10' of the fireplace to stay warm. The rest of the house was at ~40°F.

 

[acardo]

i decided to get the Mt. Vernon insert and they just installed it on Tuesday the whole house is nice and warm I am really enjoying it just in time for the frost in ct

 

[Gweeper64]

Congrats! I think you will really enjoy it. What are you burning for pellets for your first samples?

 

[dsnedegar3]

Congratulations! I don't think you'll regret your decision. And with oil around $3.00 a gallon, and going higher, you'll be paying off that stove no time -- and staying warm while you do it. I tell my wife to set it at whatever temp. she wants. I never said that with oil... it was a battle at the thermostat!

 

[Deed]

I have a Mont Vernon AE this is the four winter, have been happy with it over all. Bought this before they had bio bricks. If I had to do it at this time. I would buy an insert or stand alone which ever fits your area wood stove. Get one with an a fan your good to go. You don't have any moving parts other then the blower, don't have to have a battery, if the power is lost.