Hello everyone! I am new to the wood burning insert arena and have a few questions. I would like to put a wood burning insert into my existing fireplace. I have come across a used Drolet Escape 1800-i with the faceplate and the chimney liner included. Is it ok to put in a used insert and chimney liner assuming it all fits the fireplace dimensions and chimney opening that I have? If it is, what should I look for when inspecting the unit and chimney liner? Any and all info that may help me out would be appreciated. I would like to use this insert to heat my house most of the time if possible. The main level of the house is 1250 sq. ft.
Used wood burning inserts?
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Thanks for the reply gzecc. I have not seen the unit yet. The seller has told me it is 4 years old but was only used the first year that he had it. Supposedly it is in "mint condition".
I have talked to my insurance company already and an insert is ok with them as long as it is not a homemade insert. I do plan on having it installed by someone with experience.
I will try to get a picture of my existing fireplace posted. I do realize I will have to do some modifications to the area to meet some clearance codes.
The Drolet Escape 1800-i has mostly good reviews from what I can find. Anyone here have any experience with this particular unit?
I have talked to my insurance company already and an insert is ok with them as long as it is not a homemade insert. I do plan on having it installed by someone with experience.
I will try to get a picture of my existing fireplace posted. I do realize I will have to do some modifications to the area to meet some clearance codes.
The Drolet Escape 1800-i has mostly good reviews from what I can find. Anyone here have any experience with this particular unit?
Just a couple of notes - this is a 2.1 cuft firebox. You can expect 5-6 hour burns (from the manual).
Look for anything obvious like warped tubes or plates, cracks, etc.
Make darn sure that it will fit in your fireplace. Does it have the optional fan?
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
You say your main level is 1250 sqft. what is the total?
The 1800i is a nice little stove, but the key is little......it also depends on other facts. When was the house built, insulation (great, fair, poor), windows (how many, single pane or multi-pane), etc.
Aside from the shorter burn times that Jags mentioned, if you cannot feed this stove pretty regularly, it will not keep up in that climate. I would select that stove to heat 1250 sq ft home in my neck of the woods (assuming average to good insulation and windows), it may be asking too much for your area.
My $0.02
The 1800i is a nice little stove, but the key is little......it also depends on other facts. When was the house built, insulation (great, fair, poor), windows (how many, single pane or multi-pane), etc.
Aside from the shorter burn times that Jags mentioned, if you cannot feed this stove pretty regularly, it will not keep up in that climate. I would select that stove to heat 1250 sq ft home in my neck of the woods (assuming average to good insulation and windows), it may be asking too much for your area.
My $0.02
Here is a photo of my fireplace. The opening is 30" h x 36" w at the front and 27" h x 27" w at the back. It is 22" deep at the bottom and 18" deep at the top.
What size fire box should I be looking for to heat approx. 1800 square feet (main level and upper level)? The upper level is not used at this point.
The house was built in the 50s. The windows and insulation are not the greatest but also not the worst.
What size fire box should I be looking for to heat approx. 1800 square feet (main level and upper level)? The upper level is not used at this point.
The house was built in the 50s. The windows and insulation are not the greatest but also not the worst.
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Ram 1500 with an axe...
Minister of Fire
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
Do you plan on using this as a primary source of heat, or just to warm up in the evenings and on the weekends?
If you plan a nice "warm up on a cold night" a few times a week fire, I think that insert would be fine.
If you plan on heating an older drafty 1800 sqft house with that insert, you will wake up cold every morning. The 1800-i says up to 1900 square feet, but that is not gonna cut it in a harsh climate with so-so insulation. Also keep in mind that heat will rise, so that unused space upstairs will get some of that heat, whether you want it to or not.
To get an 8 hour burn, you would need a 2.6 - 3.0 cubic foot firebox (in my opinion).
Each manufacturer lists square footage that they believe their stove will heat. That top number tends to reflect a temperate climate with good insulation. I think you have neither of those.
You are looking more for inserts like
Buck 81, 85
Osburn 2200, 2400
Lopi
Napolean
Quadrafire
Jotul C550
The list goes on and on.......you may want to go to your favorite search engine and type large wood burning insert (you will get a ton of stuff to read).
You may also consider that Buck woodstoves sells a zero clearance unit or two (http://www.buckstove.com/model-20zc.html#.UxuXX4VOKKw and http://www.buckstove.com/model-80zc.html#.UxuXYoVOKKw). If Ram 1500 is correct, that would get you out of the clearance issue. ZC units will sit right against combustibles, so there is no issue of how far away your mantel is, etc.
If you plan a nice "warm up on a cold night" a few times a week fire, I think that insert would be fine.
If you plan on heating an older drafty 1800 sqft house with that insert, you will wake up cold every morning. The 1800-i says up to 1900 square feet, but that is not gonna cut it in a harsh climate with so-so insulation. Also keep in mind that heat will rise, so that unused space upstairs will get some of that heat, whether you want it to or not.
To get an 8 hour burn, you would need a 2.6 - 3.0 cubic foot firebox (in my opinion).
Each manufacturer lists square footage that they believe their stove will heat. That top number tends to reflect a temperate climate with good insulation. I think you have neither of those.
You are looking more for inserts like
Buck 81, 85
Osburn 2200, 2400
Lopi
Napolean
Quadrafire
Jotul C550
The list goes on and on.......you may want to go to your favorite search engine and type large wood burning insert (you will get a ton of stuff to read).
You may also consider that Buck woodstoves sells a zero clearance unit or two (http://www.buckstove.com/model-20zc.html#.UxuXX4VOKKw and http://www.buckstove.com/model-80zc.html#.UxuXYoVOKKw). If Ram 1500 is correct, that would get you out of the clearance issue. ZC units will sit right against combustibles, so there is no issue of how far away your mantel is, etc.
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
scratch the model 20, as it is the same size as the drolet 1800i. The model 80 ZC would be a good size stove for your situation though.
Ram 1500, when you say check clearances are you talking about at the face of the fireplace where the wood mantle is or the distance from where the insert would sit in the existing fire box to the brick at the back?
Smokedragon, it would be used nights and weekends to help cut down on my propane usage as much as possible. It would not be the only heat source used. I will check out some of the inserts you have listened along with more research online.
Cost is a factor. That's why I was thinking of going with used as long as it is safe.
Smokedragon, it would be used nights and weekends to help cut down on my propane usage as much as possible. It would not be the only heat source used. I will check out some of the inserts you have listened along with more research online.
Cost is a factor. That's why I was thinking of going with used as long as it is safe.
Ram 1500 with an axe...
Minister of Fire
From your picture, it looks like you have 6 inches on top and both sides, so you need to keep that in consideration with your project.....
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
4 years ago we lined our chimney and put in a 30 year old stove. It has served us well. We have now decided we like the lifestyle enough that we want a newer, bigger, more efficient stove.
I grew up with wood heat, she didn't....... so these 4 years have been a great trial. She decided she liked the feel and the work, so now we will invest more. Had I spend thousands on a stove (my old hunk o metal cost me 200 plus door gasket and paint) I would be upset if my wife said she really didn't like the smell/look/mess/etc.
Get a certified sweep out, get an estimate to line your chimney/install. If you are looking to build a fire in the evening and let it heat till it runs out (supplement your heating bill), then a used drolet 1800i is a great little stove. It will not heat your home 24/7, but it would get you stared.
If you can get it cheap and get it installed safely, go for it. Then down the road, you may decide to go 100% wood. I think it would be a great "starter stove"
4 years ago we lined our chimney and put in a 30 year old stove. It has served us well. We have now decided we like the lifestyle enough that we want a newer, bigger, more efficient stove.
I grew up with wood heat, she didn't....... so these 4 years have been a great trial. She decided she liked the feel and the work, so now we will invest more. Had I spend thousands on a stove (my old hunk o metal cost me 200 plus door gasket and paint) I would be upset if my wife said she really didn't like the smell/look/mess/etc.
Get a certified sweep out, get an estimate to line your chimney/install. If you are looking to build a fire in the evening and let it heat till it runs out (supplement your heating bill), then a used drolet 1800i is a great little stove. It will not heat your home 24/7, but it would get you stared.
If you can get it cheap and get it installed safely, go for it. Then down the road, you may decide to go 100% wood. I think it would be a great "starter stove"
Seriously ???
I can't fathom it.
Thanks for sharing your experience smokedragon.
Found another question to ask. It got up to a tropical 43 ° today so I decided to climb up and check the chimney out. The opening of the clay tile is 5 1/2" x 10" for the last 2 1/2 - 3 feet. Can a 6" round liner be flattened enough to fit? Or do I need to get an oval liner?
Found another question to ask. It got up to a tropical 43 ° today so I decided to climb up and check the chimney out. The opening of the clay tile is 5 1/2" x 10" for the last 2 1/2 - 3 feet. Can a 6" round liner be flattened enough to fit? Or do I need to get an oval liner?
I sold my Quadrafire 2700i to a friend of mine. He repainted it himself and had a local stove shop install it. It looks and works great. I put 5 cords though it one winter.
My Quad was 1.7. My Hampton is 2.3, and they bill it as medium sized. I love it, and it can be loaded n/s, but I digress.
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
Which part?????
Yuck.......I am pretty sure you aren't allowed to distort the dimensions of your liner. Even if there is no code against it, I wouldn't because it would be difficult to get a cleaning brush down a distorted liner. That may mean busting out some of the clay tiles to get a 6" liner in......If it is larger further down, and only restricted in the last 3 - 5 feet, busting out some clay tiles wouldn't be that bad. If it is 5 1/2" all the way down, that would be a different scenario. I would get a professional opinion as codes vary drastically from place to place.
Liners are ovalized to get through a narrow damper throat all the time. Normally this is done just for the last 3 feet or so. It's not ideal but can be done.
JTM21 what is the tile size at the top of the chimney?
JTM21 what is the tile size at the top of the chimney?
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
I can buy that (although I would only do it if I had no other choice)......that's why I asked if it was just the last 3' or all the way down.
If his tile is 5 1/2" all the way down, I say it's a bad idea.......
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