Blaze King Sirocco 25 Ready for Winter.....almost

[Boxer]

I got my new insert installed and just about ready to go. I need to add a mantle guard. The dealer said it would be with it but it wasn’t. I also ordered a terra-cotta top cap. The flat top collar the Homesaver dealer sold me would not sit flat. Every time I tightened the clamp the whole base would twist. I don’t want to drill holes in my flue tile so I’ll just use the other one when it arrives.

I’ve read and watched this forum for a lot of years and always read good things about Blaze Kings. So far the insert itself has lived up to the hype. It is well constructed and everything is high quality right down to the crate it came in. It’s a little smaller than what I started out looking for but I think it will serve its purpose well.

I think it looks great and I’m lookin forward to getting it fired up. I don’t want to be in too much of a Hurry though, summers are too short here and I’m going to enjoy it. Here’s a picture and I’ll post a review once I get to put some wood through it.

 

[spudman99]

Looks good on the install Boxer.

As I am in the investigation phase, the Sirocco is at the top of my list. Did you look at the Princess at all, given that it is a larger box and could throw off more heat? Was there a lag time from order to delivery? How did the liner installation go (I realize it was not a diy but sometimes the crew comments positively or grunts in agony). Care to divulge the cost?

 

[Boxer]

Looks good on the install Boxer.

As I am in the investigation phase, the Sirocco is at the top of my list. Did you look at the Princess at all, given that it is a larger box and could throw off more heat? Was there a lag time from order to delivery? How did the liner installation go (I realize it was not a diy but sometimes the crew comments positively or grunts in agony). Care to divulge the cost?

Thanks. My first choice was the Princess. My wife hated the looks of it so that was a no. She said it was too big and fat?? I was looking at what it could do and didn’t care what it looked like.

I’m in the middle of Amish country so I’m lucky that I have three dealers with three different brands within a 20 mile radius. They all have a pretty good stock so there was no wait. I picked it up the day I bought it.

Actually it was a DIY. I worked on it off and on for two days. There were a few grunts of agony I can assure you. The liner was surprisingly easy to get in. I went with a Homesaver chimney and it was all good quality except for the top plate. I think they just sold me what they had instead of ordering the right one. Today I ordered a regular Terra- cotta top plate from Rockford chimney. I’m hoping it will fit my flue tile correctly.

I paid 2900 for the insert and 769 for the chimney. I also probably had another 150 in misc supplies to complete it, plus the new top cap I ordered online. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad price but that’s what it was. They said they usually have big sales around Labor Day but I wanted to get it in.

 

[Rob711]

That looks great! Blaze King is at the top of my list, so the only difference between that and a ashford is the surround? The specs are identical. Your pic should be in blaze king brochure, I was leaning toward the ashford 25, now I see a real world install not sure.

 

[Boxer]

That looks great! Blaze King is at the top of my list, so the only difference between that and a ashford is the surround? The specs are identical. Your pic should be in blaze king brochure, I was leaning toward the ashford 25, now I see a real world install not sure.

Thanks, from what I can see the Ashford is indeed the same insert with a more traditional wood stove look. The dealer didn’t have one on display so I didn’t get to actually see one. My wife likes a more contemporary style so we went with this. I don’t think you could go wrong with either one.

 

[webby3650]

Thanks, from what I can see the Ashford is indeed the same insert with a more traditional wood stove look. The dealer didn’t have one on display so I didn’t get to actually see one. My wife likes a more contemporary style so we went with this. I don’t think you could go wrong with either one.

The firebox is the same between the 2, the Ashford has a cast iron face and surround accents. That’s the only difference.

 

[webby3650]

Thanks. My first choice was the Princess. My wife hated the looks of it so that was a no. She said it was too big and fat?? I was looking at what it could do and didn’t care what it looked like.

I’m in the middle of Amish country so I’m lucky that I have three dealers with three different brands within a 20 mile radius. They all have a pretty good stock so there was no wait. I picked it up the day I bought it.

Actually it was a DIY. I worked on it off and on for two days. There were a few grunts of agony I can assure you. The liner was surprisingly easy to get in. I went with a Homesaver chimney and it was all good quality except for the top plate. I think they just sold me what they had instead of ordering the right one. Today I ordered a regular Terra- cotta top plate from Rockford chimney. I’m hoping it will fit my flue tile correctly.

I paid 2900 for the insert and 769 for the chimney. I also probably had another 150 in misc supplies to complete it, plus the new top cap I ordered online. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad price but that’s what it was. They said they usually have big sales around Labor Day but I wanted to get it in.

I’m guessing the top plate you got is the standard plate that gets sealed down with silicone. If you want something better, you need to specify as you found out..

 

[Boxer]

I’m guessing the top plate you got is the standard plate that gets sealed down with silicone. If you want something better, you need to specify as you found out..

That’s the one I got. I bought the chimney from a local place that just sells chimneys. He said I would be wasting my money paying more for the other one as this is all they use. It might have worked and lasted for years. Every time I tightened the clamp the flat base would warp. In all fairness it could have been user error. I just didn’t want the silicone to break loose in the dead of winter and have a leak. Where my chimney is if it’s snowing I’m not getting to it.

In all fairness he said he would order me the other one and I said I would just take the universal. I wanted to get it done since I had time this week.

 

[webby3650]

Those plates do that, there’s a few little tricks that help.

 

[spudman99]

Thanks. My first choice was the Princess. My wife hated the looks of it so that was a no. She said it was too big and fat?? I was looking at what it could do and didn’t care what it looked like.

Hehe... I am in the same situation. Wife is unsure about an insert, so I thought the Sirocco 25 with the larger glass would make it look more like a traditional fireplace. Clearly the Princess puts out more heat but I am not sure if she would like (understand) that.

 

[mellow]

Looks good! Just be careful with that door, sometimes a hot coal will ride on top of the gasket and could fall on your carpet.

Did you insulate the fireplace before the install?

 

[Boxer]

Looks good! Just be careful with that door, sometimes a hot coal will ride on top of the gasket and could fall on your carpet.

Did you insulate the fireplace before the install?

Thanks for the heads up on that. I might go buy a hearth pad of some sort to lay in front of it for the winter.

I did put a metal block off plate in with rock wool above that. Im still up in the air about insulating the complete firebox. I could always do it later I guess. I think I need to research that a little more before I decide one way or the other.

 

[mellow]

If you have an exterior fireplace then it is a no brainer.

 

[weatherguy]

Hehe... I am in the same situation. Wife is unsure about an insert, so I thought the Sirocco 25 with the larger glass would make it look more like a traditional fireplace. Clearly the Princess puts out more heat but I am not sure if she would like (understand) that.

I think the princess insert is virtually the same size as the Ashford and siroco inserts. If I get another insert it will be the Ashford or sirocco, I had the princess already.

 

[Boxer]

If you have an exterior fireplace then it is a no brainer.

Honest question.... why doesn’t Blaze King insulate the insert? Wouldn’t it make them more efficient for a minor price increase?

My firebox is lined with firebrick. I understand the masonry will be warmed up but won’t the fire brick hold heat and radiate it back into the room?

I have also heard the argument that masonry needs to breathe and I can see where that might make sense. Do you think warming and drying that brick up would be a bad thing? I just don’t know if the gain is worth the cost. I’m actually more worried about the brick in the chimney during the months we are not burning. I feel like in the damp humid months we don’t burn wood is when the firebox and chimney need to breath and air out. What’s happening behind all that insulation during those months? These are just questions I have and am in no way saying what works for you is wrong. Please don’t take it that way.

 

[BKVP]

Honest question.... why doesn’t Blaze King insulate the insert? Wouldn’t it make them more efficient for a minor price increase?

My firebox is lined with firebrick. I understand the masonry will be warmed up but won’t the fire brick hold heat and radiate it back into the room?

I have also heard the argument that masonry needs to breathe and I can see where that might make sense. Do you think warming and drying that brick up would be a bad thing? I just don’t know if the gain is worth the cost. I’m actually more worried about the brick in the chimney during the months we are not burning. I feel like in the damp humid months we don’t burn wood is when the firebox and chimney need to breath and air out. What’s happening behind all that insulation during those months? These are just questions I have and am in no way saying what works for you is wrong. Please don’t take it that way.

In the manufacturing world, we have to make the product so it fits as many fireplaces as possible. Adding insulation would increase width, height and reduce sales opportunities. Also, we have been asked why we do not add an ash drawer option, same answer.

If your fireplace has the room to add insulation, you might do so. Not certain about the requirements of allowing the masonry to "breath".

 

[mellow]

No wood burning insert to date that I have seen includes insulation, I am sure there is a liability there that no one wants to tackle.

Thread on the subject: https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/finally-got-around-to-insulating-my-fireplace.75755/

 

[BKVP]

Honest question.... why doesn’t Blaze King insulate the insert? Wouldn’t it make them more efficient for a minor price increase?

My firebox is lined with firebrick. I understand the masonry will be warmed up but won’t the fire brick hold heat and radiate it back into the room?

I have also heard the argument that masonry needs to breathe and I can see where that might make sense. Do you think warming and drying that brick up would be a bad thing? I just don’t know if the gain is worth the cost. I’m actually more worried about the brick in the chimney during the months we are not burning. I feel like in the damp humid months we don’t burn wood is when the firebox and chimney need to breath and air out. What’s happening behind all that insulation during those months? These are just questions I have and am in no way saying what works for you is wrong. Please don’t take it that way.

by the way OH__

 

[Boxer]

In the manufacturing world, we have to make the product so it fits as many fireplaces as possible. Adding insulation would increase width, height and reduce sales opportunities. Also, we have been asked why we do not add an ash drawer option, same answer.

If your fireplace has the room to add insulation, you might do so. Not certain about the requirements of allowing the masonry to "breath".

I have read the thread that mellow started. I think without going back and reading it he has a metal firebox. The insulation is without a doubt working in his case. I have a layer of firebrick, concrete block and bricks on top of that. My clean out is in the basement garage and in the summer a lot of warm humid air rises up into the firebox and around the chimney structure. Brick is porous and no matter what you do it’s going to absorb moisture. The rest of my house has weep holes here and there to let moisture out and air in. I could be totally off base but I do tend to overthink things. I have plenty of time before I have to light a fire. I’m going to watch it this summer and see how it acts with the block off plate and insulation. I just don’t want a moldy mess back there. It’s not a big deal to slide it out and add insulation later. I wouldn’t know what I was missing if I didn’t try it without first anyway ..

And oh yeah IO
Are you a Buckeye?

 

[begreen]

Is the back of the fireplace exposed to outdoors? If so, the masonry will wick some heat away from the insert in winter, but you've made a good start with an insulated block off plate. Insulating behind the insert will help even more. Roxul is vapor permeable and available in batts or as insulated sheathing board.

 

[Boxer]

Is the back of the fireplace exposed to outdoors? If so, the masonry will wick some heat away from the insert in winter, but you've made a good start with an insulated block off plate. Insulating behind the insert will help even more. Roxul is vapor permeable and available in batts or as insulated sheathing board.

Could you just use the batts or does it also need covered with the Durock? A small portion of it is exposed to the outside.

 

[BKVP]

I have read the thread that mellow started. I think without going back and reading it he has a metal firebox. The insulation is without a doubt working in his case. I have a layer of firebrick, concrete block and bricks on top of that. My clean out is in the basement garage and in the summer a lot of warm humid air rises up into the firebox and around the chimney structure. Brick is porous and no matter what you do it’s going to absorb moisture. The rest of my house has weep holes here and there to let moisture out and air in. I could be totally off base but I do tend to overthink things. I have plenty of time before I have to light a fire. I’m going to watch it this summer and see how it acts with the block off plate and insulation. I just don’t want a moldy mess back there. It’s not a big deal to slide it out and add insulation later. I wouldn’t know what I was missing if I didn’t try it without first anyway ..

And oh yeah IO
Are you a Buckeye?

More a fan. I have 2 reps that are...many dealers that are and I'm there a few times a year. Nephew played football at a Christian University there as well.

 

[begreen]

Could you just use the batts or does it also need covered with the Durock? A small portion of it is exposed to the outside.

It doesn't have to be covered, but some prefer to in order to minimize the slim chance of fibers getting into the room air.

 

[webby3650]

I insulated behind and around my insert. It made a huge difference. We really fought radiant cold from the stone.