Quadrafire 3100i vs Lopi Revere

[pjordan]

So with my specs on the current fireplace I have narrowed my search down to the Lopi Revere and the Quadrafire 3100i- I do not know anyone that personally uses these units- so help me answer these questions...
1)Are these units really comparable?
2)In posts I have searched on here the Quad should be the more expensive- but my quotes show the Lopi more expensive by $1000 for a complete install
3)One of these dealers says that I need an insulated pipe one says not? any opinions?
4)Which of theses will have more air movement? This will be going in a great room with two adjacent rooms?
5)From what I have read there is not a lot of dislike for either of these units-in fact when asking the dealer to differentiate their product from each other they could give me no real reason-so I admitted to them if no difference in quality I would buy on price. What am I missing here I didn't expect the Quad to be cheaper- and they seem to have an equal to better product- the ACC system seems like it would be easy for my wife should she ever use it. I looked at all of the specs and they seem to be similar and I asked them to spec them with the same hardware level and fan option- I want to make the right choice and am nervous that I am missing something big here- tell me what your experience is and what I should expect for prices. What burns more wood, throws more heat, easier to clean, quieter fan, better air movement, or any other tangible that would give one the nod over the other. Thanks for your help.

pj

 

[JV_Thimble]

3)One of these dealers says that I need an insulated pipe one says not? any opinions?

pj

Hi pj - Can you describe (or better yet, with photos) your chimney configuration? That might start moving the group towards understanding your pipe and flue needs.

Welcome to hearth.com.

John

 

[Pagey]

Both are fine products with good reputations. I have a Lopi Endeavor, so I can personally vouch for the quality of a Lopi product. But you will find a ton of happy Quad users here as well. As far as whether or not you need to insulate your liner, keep these things in mind:

1.) Most of today's stoves and inserts have a 6" flue exit. If you vent into a masonry chimney with a larger diameter/surface area, you can have sluggish draft, and insulating the liner can help.
2.) Most masonry flues are not built to code. Insulating the liner will bring the flue up to code and the proper UL listing.
3.) If the flue tiles are in any way compromised, you'll want an insulated liner.
4.) Insulating the liner can cut down on creosote.
5.) If, IF you had a chimney fire, the insulation can stop the fire from spreading from the liner to any deposits left on the clay tiles and thus turning into a structure fire.

It will cost more, that is a fact. But it's a one-time up front cost that offers many benefits. Now, this is not saying you MUST insulate, but I'd be remiss not to point out why it often makes sense.

 

[pjordan]

My chimney is clay tile one story built in 1981. Approx 13-15'. The chimney is in working order right now- no cracks or defects, and certainly is up to code. I believe the diameter is 10x12 so I was planning on the liner for draft purposes. Every place that I talked with wanted an insulated liner except one- unfortunatly it's one of the two I have narrowed down to-