Trying to find a more effecient fire

[CaptRR]

I am trying to go through my options. My house was built in 1955, its a pretty small house only 1500 sqft, it has a brick fireplace, however its pretty small. My chimney sweep said its whats called a heatilator, and has a metal firebox. Its in good shape, I get it inspected and swept every year. However this has to be the most inefficient method of heat I have ever had to deal with. And while it heats the house, I go through so much wood to do it, that its probably cheaper just to run electric.

What I was wondering is what are my options for putting in a wood burning stove. For space reasons I would like to have an insert, but putting a stove into a metal firebox seems like a very, very bad idea (unless I am trying to burn my house down that is).

Another option is putting a stove on the hearth, and having a pipe run up the chimney, but I am concerned by clearance issues with the couch, and the brick hearth is also flush with the floor (who though that was a good idea!).

So I guess I am wondering what my options are here. If I can find a reasonable solution it will be put in by a professional, I definitely want to be safe. This is my first house without a built in wood stove, so I am finding the electric bill surprising, and house a little chilly for my liking.

Thanks.

 

[webbie]

First of all, you are 100% right that it is futile (and dangerous) to try to heat the house with that open fireplace.......

But, in terms of putting a small insert into there - you can certainly do that and it IS usually safe. You will be putting MUCH less heat onto the interior walls of your fireplace than before, which is a good thing.

Do you have the measurements of the fireplace? Back when I had a shop, I used to use very small inserts like the Avalon Pendleton:
http://www.avalonfirestyles.com/product_guide/detail.aspx?id=117

This is available as an insert also...but we often would just set the unit partway back in without the surround panels...you'll get more heat this way! The same can be done with smaller Lopi, Quadrafire and other brands....

Ah, found a pic.....in our gallery
https://www.hearth.com/gallery/pics/woodcoal/source/lopi_revere.html

 

[Lighting Up]

The picture of my avatar is what it will look like with a surround. You don't say what 's the name of your Zero Clarance stove but Avalon is approved for alot of inserts. Every question you asked is what made me buy this insert.

Pros: I'm able to heat a 2200 sq ft house with out the furnace most of the winter when home. Use way less wood.
Cons: Only one, the fire box is small so your wood may need to be cut smaller.

Cost around $3000 with a liner installed. Burn time around 8 hours, Great stove better then ripping it out costing $8000 IMO.

One other thing the Avalon Pendleton insert can be converter to a stand alone stove with adding legs so if you change your mind the stove can still be used in another room.
Good Luck..
md

 

[CaptRR]

Thats good news, I thought I was going to have the have the metal firebox cut out.

The measurements for my fireplace (at least the metal firebox) are at the front 35 3/4" x 27" , at the back its 28 3/4 wide. The hight at the back is harder to find since its begins to curve forward after about 8 inches. The depth is 19" and the hearth is 21" deep.

Like I said this is a small house, and the fireplace is centrally located. While 3grand is a little high, its worth it long term, to have a nice professional installation, that with yearly maintenance I know is safe.

An 8 hour burn time would be quite an improvement, since right now I have about a 2 hour burn time. It seems like with the fireplace I am either turned on max, and wasting heat out the chimney, or turned off. Not much in between.