best bang for the buck to get a some more BTU's out of an open fireplace

[twd000]

My main woodstove is in the basement. I also have a fireplace in the TV room. We plan to use it for maybe a dozen cold nights per season, nothing serious. I know that open fireplaces can be very low efficiency, or even net negative. But I'm looking for a cost-effective way to make it "not so bad" for those times that we do use it. Let's limit the budget to $150. Is there anything I can buy below that price point that will measurably increase the efficiency? Or just forget about it, and try to limit the use of the open fireplace? Are the glass doors worth it? Do I need ceramic glass? What about those radiative back plates? It seems that brick already has a high emissivity, can steel improve on that?

 

[bholler]

Is there anything I can buy below that price point that will measurably increase the efficiency?

nope nothing at that price will do anything at all. And even with no price limitations you will get very little gain with any accessories added to your fireplace

 

[jb6l6gc]

I wouldnt waste time or money, pick up an insert and a liner.
may be able to find a good insert for cheap

 

[webby3650]

There are some air seal doors out there that help. Stoll makes a product called Heat Champion that does better than nothing. Other than an insert with a liner these are about the only options that are "better" than an open fire.

A quality air seal glass door will be over $1500, add several hundred more for cerimac glass.

 

[weatherguy]

Wilkening makes an airtight door too but that's about the same price as the stoll. Maybe try the grate wall of fire, I think that's in your budget

 

[webby3650]

Wilkening makes an airtight door too but that's about the same price as the stoll. Maybe try the grate wall of fire, I think that's in your budget

Pretty sure it's close to double his budget. And I've not heard good things about it, mostly just advertising hype. Either way, there is still about 200 cubic feet of air being sucked out of the house every minute!

 

[Dix]

Nope. I went through it all, figuring this firewood burning thing all out.

An Englander 13 insert is probably your best bet, and the chimney lined, IMHO.

 

[jb6l6gc]

There are some air seal doors out there that help. Stoll makes a product called Heat Champion that does better than nothing. Other than an insert with a liner these are about the only options that are "better" than an open fire.

A quality air seal glass door will be over $1500, add several hundred more for cerimac glass.

2g's for doors is pricey thats over halfway to an insert and liner. Maybe more if u can find a good condition used insert.

 

[BrotherBart]

Just start a nice fire in it and enjoy it.

 

[branchburner]

Let's limit the budget to $150. Is there anything I can buy below that price point that will measurably increase the efficiency?

If you don't already have one, you could buy a top-sealing damper, which would do nothing to help when you burn, but might reduce heat loss when you don't.

 

[iluvjazznjava]

I can tell you that you will get heat while you have a decent fire burning. The problem is the heat going up the chimney when fire is very low or not burning. A damper on the flue or even basic glass doors will help. I have tempered glass doors that I open when I burn. I broke one once, but it was only $10 for new glass. Ceramic glass would have been $200. Basic glass door route would be what I would do, but a basic insert and liner would be 100 times better.

 

[webby3650]

I can tell you that you will get heat while you have a decent fire burning. The problem is the heat going up the chimney when fire is very low or not burning. A damper on the flue or even basic glass doors will help. I have tempered glass doors that I open when I burn. I broke one once, but it was only $10 for new glass. Ceramic glass would have been $200. Basic glass door route would be what I would do, but a basic insert and liner would be 100 times better.

While it seems to be heating, in reality it's not. There will be some radiant heat but that will not ever compensate for the massive amount of heat being sucked up the flue.

 

[twd000]

I wouldnt waste time or money, pick up an insert and a liner.
may be able to find a good insert for cheap

yeah I will eventually go that route. First year in this house and just seeing if I can make any improvements in the short term.

 

[twd000]

There are some air seal doors out there that help. Stoll makes a product called Heat Champion that does better than nothing. Other than an insert with a liner these are about the only options that are "better" than an open fire.

A quality air seal glass door will be over $1500, add several hundred more for cerimac glass.

I'm really surprised at the price of glass doors! Why wouldn't people buy an insert at that price?

 

[twd000]

If you don't already have one, you could buy a top-sealing damper, which would do nothing to help when you burn, but might reduce heat loss when you don't.

yup, I just got a chimney balloon from Battic Door for air-sealing when not in use

 

[twd000]

Wilkening makes an airtight door too but that's about the same price as the stoll. Maybe try the grate wall of fire, I think that's in your budget

I'm reading up on the Grate Wall of Fire. I'm concerned about damage to the bricks when they have a pile of coals in direct contact...

 

[webby3650]

I'm really surprised at the price of glass doors! Why wouldn't people buy an insert at that price?

Because a lot of people aren't looking to heat their home, but they want to seal it up and be able to get a little bit of heat. An insert with a liner is typically closer to $4,500, doors are considerably cheaper.

 

[iluvjazznjava]

While it seems to be heating, in reality it's not. There will be some radiant heat but that will not ever compensate for the massive amount of heat being sucked up the flue.

I'm not one to argue too much, but in my case I can say I have used my masonry fireplace to raise the temperature in my home a good 6 or 8 degrees by building a big fire and leaving the doors open. It's nowhere near the efficiency of my Jotul stove, but it can be a net heat gain in the house - while the fire is burning at least. When the fire dies down, I close the glass doors (nearly air tight), and when the fire completely dies I close the flue damper. I have read and heard a lot about masonry fireplaces doing nothing but sucking heat out of a house, but I think it depends somewhat on your setup. If masonry fireplaces didn't heat, wouldn't people have froze to death in the days before central heating?

All that said ... there's no doubt an insert with a liner will be a way better route heat wise. Drolet's 1800i insert with flexliner kit included can be had for <$1,500 if you shop around and feel up to installing it yourself (the kind people on the forum will gladly offer advice in that regard). I too went the route of considering upgrades to my masonry fireplace in our family room, but in the end I kept it and just put in a Jotul F55 in my basement for real heating capability. Masonry fireplace is used once or twice a week in the winter for ambience, but if I ever want real solid heating performance from it I will install an insert.

 

[bholler]

If masonry fireplaces didn't heat, wouldn't people have froze to death in the days before central heating?

The biggest difference is that before central heating those fireplaces where not sucking air that had already been heated by the furnace. Yes they did heat the house but the house was still pretty damn cold and they used a ton of wood. I totally agree that some fireplaces are much better than others but even the best ones still do not begin to approach the efficiency of even a basic wood stove

 

[billb3]

+1 on just use it.


Buy an ash bucket to take the remains of a fire and toss in the stove downstairs so you can close the damper on the fireplace sooner.