Wood Insert or Freestanding Stove

[Pologuy9906]

Hello

I'm at a crossroad. I definitely want a long burn time and love the openness of a traditional fireplace. Dont like inserts that protrude outward. Like the more modern looking flat options.

The room the insert or the stove would go into has cathedral ceilings. The insert would go on the first floor. It opens to the kitchen as well. The stove would go on a second level loft that looks down to the area where the fireplace is located. It abutts the master bedroom.

The stove would require piping that's visible from the front of the house, coming out the roof. Not ideal but...........

Here are my list of likes

Inserts:

Destination 2.3
Recency CI2600 or Altera
PE Alderlea T5

Stoves:

BK
Hearthstone(Phoenix,shelburne,Manchester)
Woodstove

Wood stoves we love the enamel painted or matte black look.
Great wood supply moisture content less than 20%. Room area is maybe 8-900 sqft.
Open to any suggestions.

 

[begreen]

I'd put the largest insert possible in the fireplace and skip the stove in the loft. Heat is going to rise to the loft area and peak of the cathedral ceiling. If anything it may be too hot up there when the insert is really rolling. You'll need a ceiling fan or two to help break up the heat stratifying at the ceiling peak.

 

[Alpine1]

This conversation about fireplace inserts occurred between me and a Thermorossi technician a few years ago and can be illuminating (Thermorossi makes wood stoves, fireplace inserts, wood furnaces etc):


Me: “I would be interested in a fireplace insert...”
Tech: “is it an antique fireplace?”
Me: “nope, it’s a plain fireplace built in the 70s”
Tech: “is it a design piece, a valuable one?”
Me: “no, it’s made with red bricks around a prefabricated core... “
Tech: “do you want to make a good job?”
Me: “of course, I’m here for that!”
Tech: “then tear it apart and install a wood stove!”


This conversation led me to buy my beloved BK Ashford 30, and I’ll never look back.

 

[Pologuy9906]

Makes sense. I have a ceiling fan in place. I plan on upgrading it to a bigger fan. It would be amazing if the heat went through the kitchen or master.

 

[begreen]

Is the fireplace a masonry fireplace or a metal chimneyed zero clearance fireplace? Pics and a quick sketch of the floorplan may help.

 

[Pologuy9906]

 

[Pologuy9906]

Sorry its a masonry fireplace.

 

[begreen]

Yes, the heat from an insert will go up to the loft quite readily.

What's currently in the fireplace? What are the fireplace dimensions (opening and back, and depth top and bottom.) How large an area will be heated?

 

[EJL923]

My wife wanted a flush face face insert for the looks, and so did I in a way. My flush face is what it is, looks great and heats the house OK, but being flush requires fans 24/7. Two things. 1. I wish I had a free standing stove for the radiant heat. 2. If not freestanding, i wish it was an extended insert and not flush, again for the added radiant.

 

[begreen]

Flush inserts are popular but they have a greater dependency on the blower to convect heat. They also have a tendency to spill ash in front of the insert which often gets sucked up into the blowers. This shortens blower life and can make for a dusty house. Inserts without any ashlip are the worst in this regard.

 

[Pologuy9906]

Its opening 34+ x 25. Dont have the depth right now.

Nothing is there right now. Just masonry

 

[ddddddden]

+1 for freestanding, out in front of the fireplace on an extended hearth.

Fans are great, but you can put a fan on most freestanding stoves. Whatever heat an insert's fan does not get out of the FP, will be transferred to the surrounding masonry and the great outdoors. I would consider an insert only for an interior FP and chimney, because the heat absorbed by the masonry would eventually be released back into the house. If you go with an insert, try to insulate the FP walls behind it. There are many threads on here about pulling the insert and insulating behind it for better heating results.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/roxul-around-insert.155978/

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/rockwool-insulation-and-an-insert.72577/

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/insulation-between-the-insert-and-fireplace-walls.150719/


Also, unless the lintel on your FP is very high, an insert would have to be pulled from the FP for any flue maintenance.

 

[begreen]

Its opening 34+ x 25. Dont have the depth right now.

Nothing is there right now. Just masonry

How large an area will be heated?

 

[begreen]

Also, unless the lintel on your FP is very high, an insert would have to be pulled from the FP for any flue maintenance.

The insert would be connected to a liner. Maintenance is often done without pulling the insert. The baffle is removed to sweep. But there are some that are easier to maintain than others. The same thing for blower maintenance, some designs are better than others.

 

[Pologuy9906]

My total house sqft is 2500. I currently use a FlexFuel 30 biomass boiler as my main heat source. It works great.

The area were the insert or stove would go is roughly 900 sqft.

 

[ddddddden]

The insert would be connected to a liner. Maintenance is often done without pulling the insert. The baffle is removed to sweep. But there are some that are easier to maintain than others. The same thing for blower maintenance, some designs are better than others.

I didn't mean routine cleaning. I meant, like if you are having draft problems and you suspect a problem with your flue connection, you can easily put your hand on it to check, on a freestanding stove. I suppose this would be possible to check from inside the firebox on many inserts, but this isn't exactly easy access to the flue, which I count among the advantages of a freestanding stove.

 

[Pologuy9906]

Freestanding would go on a second floor loft.

 

[begreen]

Freestanding would go on a second floor loft.

I'd just install the insert and try it out for a season before proceeding with the second stove.

 

[ddddddden]

. . .the heat from an insert will go up to the loft quite readily.

Also true for a freestanding stove. If you're installing only 1 stove/insert. I second the recommendation that it go on the ground floor.

 

[Pologuy9906]

Now the next thing to do is decide on a insert. Any new suggeations on inserts?

 

[begreen]

Need full fireplace dimensions, but if it fits the Enviro Kodiak 1700 insert is worth considering. This also is available with very nice cast iron trim as the Boston/Cabello/Venice 1700 lines

The catalytic counterpoint to the Regency 2600 insert would be the Blaze King Sirocco 25 insert.

 

[madison]

Freestanding would go on a second floor loft.

-- I would very strongly suggest that you consider;
1. Negotiating the stairway with a load of firewood. Both the effort and risk of injury look very high. Also damage to the walls and railing.
2. Chimney height required for an EPA stove must also be considered for that second level install

 

[Pologuy9906]

I think insert works best
Just need to find a great one.

 

[Pologuy9906]

Insert MUST have a nice sized glass door to view the fire

 

[missedbass]

love mine, no problems