Avalon Rainier, Regency I2400 or Buck 74 for Medium insert

[gnv8]

Looking for a new insert for 1500 square foot rambler to augment the gas heat and make better use of our fireplace

Lots of local dealers and choices and I have seen many of them
I like the flush look so I want the insert shoved as far back in the f/p as possible
All of my choices, will meet my heat needs fine

I've narrowed the list to the ones below for the best deal I've found installed with liner and fan
Any suggestions from seasoned veterans is appreciated
Any specific suggestions based on trying for flush fit with these models?
Other models I should consider?

Avalon Rainier
Regency I2400
Buck Stove 74

Thanks in advance for your feedback

 

[robertmcw]

We have Avalon Olympic 1190 insert (the fist cousin of Lopi’s Freedom) and my house has about 1200 sq ft. I like the bigger stove – you can make a smaller fire but you can’t make a bigger fire. The but’s really not that a big difference. I would go with the biggest stove your hole will fit. My two cents.

Robert

 

[kingquad]

I would shy away from the Avalon for sure. 1.8cuft firebox is kinda small. The Regency is a good unit, but the blower is two speed and cost extra $$. Don't know much about the Buck, but they do make good stoves. I have an Enviro 1700 and I really like it. Decent size firebox and variable speed blower. It's available in a few different styles too. Their dealer network sucks though, so it might not be available in your area.

 

[FyreBug]

The Osburn 2400 is definitely not a medium size insert but a large one with a 3.1 cu ft firebox.

The rule of thumb with insert is take the measurement of your fireplace and put in the biggest one you can afford. Make sure to download the manuals from the MFG sites as they will provide all the measurements and give you a heads up on any complication.

I work for Osburn so whatever I say is biased Better do a post search with 'Osburn 2400' or any other brand for that matters and you will find lots of useful info.

All the best and let us know how it works out. And remember, it did not happen if you dont post pics of your install.

 

[begreen]

Note that this is not New England. The coldest we've seen this season has been 30F. With 1500 sq ft to heat in our mild climate, a 1.8 cu ft stove can work just fine. A neighbor has the Rainier insert and it does a fine job of heating. How open is the stove room to the rest of the house? How often will you be burning? When burning 24/7 a larger firebox can extend burn times. But if one is burning mostly nights and weekends, a smaller firebox is fine.

Also, if the floorplan is wide open, then a bigger stove might work, but it may be idling a lot more which could mean a dirtier burn. If you are in a densely populated part of Seattle, that could make for grumpy neighbors. If the room is closed off from the rest of the house, I would opt for a medium sized stove. Our next door neighbor has a 2 cu ft stove (PE Spectrum) and it more than adequately heats their 1500 sq ft home with good overnight burns, as has Tom Oyen, owner of www.chimneysweeponline.com.

 

[FyreBug]

Note that this is not New England. The coldest we've seen this season has been 30F. With 1500 sq ft to heat in our mild climate, a 1.8 cu ft stove can work just fine. A neighbor has the Rainier insert and it does a fine job of heating. How open is the stove room to the rest of the house? How often will you be burning? When burning 24/7 a larger firebox can extend burn times. But if one is burning mostly nights and weekends, a smaller firebox is fine.

Also, if the floorplan is wide open, then a bigger stove might work, but it may be idling a lot more which could mean a dirtier burn. If you are in a densely populated part of Seattle, that could make for grumpy neighbors. If the room is closed off from the rest of the house, I would opt for a medium sized stove. Our next door neighbor has a 2 cu ft stove (PE Spectrum) and it more than adequately heats their 1500 sq ft home with good overnight burns, as has Tom Oyen, owner of www.chimneysweeponline.com.

One of the reason to put the biggest one that will fit is a small insert might look silly in a large opening.

 

[gnv8]

Thanks for the comments so far

BeGreen: You've nailed some accurate facts in your post, Seattle climate is mild and use will be mostly nights weekends (not intending to heat the house, only supplement)
The room the fireplace is in is the biggest room in the house, vaulted ceiling open living room dining room, with openings to the entry way, hall and family room
And its centered in the house, I think (but don't know) its in the perfect place to project heat to the other rooms
Also, the real square footage minus the garage is about 1000 sq feet, so it shouldn't be to difficult to spread some warmth

 

[begreen]

I think a ~2 cu ft stove like the Rainier, PE Pacific Super, Regency I2400, etc. would work fine in this case. Heat circulation can be greatly enhanced with a ceiling fan (run in reverse in the winter) and maybe a fan running at low speed, put on the floor in a cooler area, blowing toward the stove room.

After you get the stove, the main issue is going to be finding dry wood at this time of year. If you are in the northern part of Seattle, you might try NWFuel. He's a hearth.com member and also manufacturer of SuperCedar firestarters. http://www.nwfuel.com/

 

[gnv8]

Thanks for the wood source, there's lots of crooks selling "seasoned" wood that isn't even close

 

[begreen]

Thomas is a straight-shooter. He'll do you right. For sure there are a lot of bad wood sellers too. Just remember that you don't have to accept a load of wood. With an unknown seller, pick out a few random splits and resplit them. If they are damp on the freshly split face, refuse the load.

Most folks that buy regularly have learned to buy their wood in early springtime. That way once it's properly stacked it has the summer to continue to season.