Another "Noobie" needs help

[Woodcrafter]

Back in August, I asked this forum for recommendations for a sealed fireplace insert to install in my new North Texas home. Got wonderful response and lots of information for me to research. Recap: house is single story, ranch style, about 3000 sq. ft. The fireplace is located in the the great-room and that room is approximately 20' X 21', centrally located in the home, and open to an adjoining Kitchen/Breakfast area that is 24' X 24'. I think that I have my choices down to the FPX Xtroidnair 44 or the Quadra Fire 7100. I'm told that the Xtroidnair is a "cat" firebox and the Quadra Fire is not. Will either one of these choices be better to operate in my home, without over-heating the great-room area ? One dealer says the "cat" will allow more flexibility in the size and temperature of my fire, and the Quad will be too hot. Quad dealer doesn't seem to think his unit will be too hot for the area. Here in the South, probably neither one has much hands-on experience, like some of you guys who have many years' experience. I think I would prefer the non-cat, but I'm really not sure. Any suggestions from people who know about heating with fire ? Oh yeah, wood will just be supplemental heat to back up a Trane XL19 central unit. Thanks.

 

[BrotherBart]

Being a trans-planted Texan were it me I would buy the Quad. It will give you a better show in the firebox with those Post Oaks and Live Oaks and a Mesquite every once in a while that you will be burning. You just control the heat with the fuel load and the intake air. A cat stove will give you long even burns but I am willing to bet that the ambiance is important to you along with the heat.

A big ranch style house needs a fire that looks like a fire dang it. That and lots of paneling in the "den".

Gotta go. I am getting homesick typing this.

 

[Corey]

Interesting - I would have thought just the opposite on the stoves. The cat stove would allow less flexibility due to the need to get the cat to light-off temp and keep it there for the duration of the burn - you are locked into a high rate of heat. Whereas the Quad, you could just burn a little lower. But admittedly I have never burned a cat stove, so I may be totally wrong.

I also don't know about the worry of "overheating the space" - the two rooms you describe are over 1000 square feet total - that is a pretty large space and you still have more house to heat. To me, the key to not overheating any one room will be a lot of airflow.

Corey

 

[Shane]

When comparing the secondary burn characteristics typically the cat units are a little more flexible since they don't have to have as high of temperatures for the catalyst to work (the whole theory behind the cat is that the platinum wash has a chemical reaction with hydrocarbons that have really high ignition temps. This chemical reaction effectively lowers the required temp to ignite the hydrocarbons) I like the FPX Elite fireplaces. Everyone always knocks them and says that they're junk because fo the posi pressure etc. But they are heatin units and among the best ZC EPA fireplaces available.

 

[jpl1nh]

Interesting - I would have thought just the opposite on the stoves. The cat stove would allow less flexibility due to the need to get the cat to light-off temp and keep it there for the duration of the burn - you are locked into a high rate of heat. Whereas the Quad, you could just burn a little lower. But admittedly I have never burned a cat stove, so I may be totally wrong.

I also don't know about the worry of "overheating the space" - the two rooms you describe are over 1000 square feet total - that is a pretty large space and you still have more house to heat. To me, the key to not overheating any one room will be a lot of airflow.

Corey

Actually you can burn a cat stove cleanly at a much lower firebox temp than a secondary burn system since the cat ignites combustion gases at 500 as opposed to 1000. Once the cat is firing, the firebox temp can drop even further since the cat feeds off of the gases and stays lit as long as there is a good gas supply. The Woodstock soapstone stoves provide beautiful fire display even at low burns since the cat is positioned towards the front drawing the gases towards the primary air supply where they burn in a slow dancing flame near the top of the firebox before entering the cat. Its kind of like watching Northern Lights.

 

[Woodcrafter]

Pyro Extrordinaire: My deepest sympathy and condolences to you and yours. To move from the "Lone Star State" to another part of the inhabitated world is almost akin to the "supreme sacrifice", and deserves much praise. Thanks for the reply and you're "durn" right, we like a big 'faar', by golly! I'm in N.E. Texas and don't have post oaks and live oaks, but got pin-oak, red-oak, white-oak, water-oak, burr-oak, sweet-gum and black-gum........and several elms....all of which make for a good 'faar'. Got some "punky stuff" too, but I'll use it in the regular fireplace on the back porch. Thanks for the reply, and we'll keep a light on for ya'. If ya' need any help, and want me to send a posse, or anything....... ya' just holler !

"Cozy Heat": Thanks for your reply. I feel much better, having the input of folks who have actual experience in heating with wood......so, all of the input is very valuable to me. Lord knows, I need the help.

jpl1nh: I've got lots of air movement designed into the house....one of which is placing a return air register in the ceiling of the great-room. Hopefully, I can capture the warmed air near the ceiling, and by leaving the central air blower in the "manual on" setting, can distribute some warm air throughout the house. Thanks for your comments.

This is a "SUPER" forum, and I have more more knowledge packed onto my computer monitor, than I could get anywhere else. Thanks for the help.

 

[BrotherBart]

Please send a decent chicken fry and gravy. ASAP. Ya kin get a good wood stove anywhere. Ya can't get good gravy anywhere but Texas. And fewer and fewer places around there anymore. Here they think it comes in a package at the store.

Where yat? Up around Paris?

 

[Woodcrafter]

GRAVY IN A PACKAGE ????........GIT A ROPE Like I said before "Movin' outta th' State, is akin to th' supreme sacrifice" That's really sad, man......gravy in a durned package.....yuck !
I want mine made from the steak drippins, and dark and heavy. My place is just a tad south of Paris, and just south of Sulphur Springs..little community called "Emory". Let me know, if you want to come by sometime, and I'll chain up th' dogs... Thanks again for the input on the fireplaces. A "long burn" down here only happens when somebody's got to sit up with th' herd.

 

[BrotherBart]

Directions in Texas are so simple. You are either "up around" somewhere, "down around" somewhere or "out around" somewhere. And like pappy always said "Never ask a man where he is from. If he is from Texas he will tell you, if he ain't there's no sense in embarrassing him.".

Good luck with the fireplace hunt. And let us know what you end up with and hit us with a few pictures of the fireplace and your spread.

 

[Woodcrafter]

Thanks, Bart. One more silly question that I can't seem to find an answer to: Xtrodiare seems to be big on the fact that their unit has a forced air fan to bring outside air for both combustion, as well as "pressurizing" the house envelope. I like the idea, but cannot determine that Quad has anything more than a re-circulating blower to move already heated air into the bottom and out the top of the fireplace. I know that it has an outside air duct for combustion, but I'm still unsure about the other. Looks like the Xtrodinare would pull in enough outside air to preclude me having to use some sort of humidifyer.....but if the Quad is simply recirculating interior air, seems like it could starve for humidity. Any thoughts ?

 

[BrotherBart]

My take on it is that in winter there is more humidity inside the house than outside the house. Showers, toilet evaporation (sorry), etc. An outside combustion air intake should preclude the fireplace blowing your inside moisture up the chimney but it would seem that bringing in pressurized lower humidity outside air into the living envelope would just be blowing your moisture out through any air leaks in the house. Fresher air no doubt but drier air.

The above spoken by someone who does not know squat about HVAC design. Or as you would say "All hat and no cattle.".