Buying a home with a sealed woodstove fireplace

[Squirreljester]

First off, I'm new, so hello! This site has been invaluable with the amount of information on alternative heating solutions during my new home search these last few months, so thanks for that!

I'm in the process of buying my new home, and it has a fireplace unlike I've ever seen (image uploaded). It looks like a "sealed woodstove" that I've read about on here, but never seen it built into a chimney like a fireplace with the upper and lower vent setup before. There's also 2 controls on the front, one is the flue, but I'm not sure what the other is but it may control the air intake vent, I couldn't tell, and my home inspector couldn't really see what it did either. There's also no switches or knobs for turning on fans or blowers at all.

But this can be used to heat the house according to the current owners. The house has a gas furnace central air system as well, but the previous owners say they've used this fireplace to heat the whole house, and there's a nice 4-cord chopped woodpile out back that they're leaving.

I have 2 questions:

Is this a passive heating system or does something kick on at a certain temperature?

I've also been reading about burning pellets, and I was curious if I could get one of those fireplace baskets and burn pellets efficiently in this type of fireplace, since it does seal and it does seem to be designed for heating rather than for being a regular "snuggle up to a cozy log fire" fireplace. I've heard mixed reviews burning pellets this way.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide!

-Erik

 

[bholler]

From that pic it really looks like just a regular fireplace with a good set of doors on it. The vents are not uncommon it is probably a 2 layer metal firebox possibly with tubes to circulate air around the firebox and back into the room. But i absolutely could be wrong Can you get pics of the interior of the fireplace that would clear allot up.

 

[Squirreljester]

From that pic it really looks like just a regular fireplace with a good set of doors on it. The vents are not uncommon it is probably a 2 layer metal firebox possibly with tubes to circulate air around the firebox and back into the room. But i absolutely could be wrong Can you get pics of the interior of the fireplace that would clear allot up.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/osi67a9wtokz1ei/DSCN0088.JPG?dl=0

They obviously haven't cleaned up there in quite a while. I'm getting a cleaning done as soon as I move in.

I thought I had one of it opened but I guess I don't. The doors are pretty heavy duty, and they seal shut with a latch on the bottom of the left door.

 

[bholler]

Well i was wrong that is some type of zeroclearance stove. I don't recognize it hopefully someone will come along who does.

 

[begreen]

Check inside the door frame for a mfg. tag to figure out make and model.

 

[Squirreljester]

Check inside the door frame for a mfg. tag to figure out make and model.

I'm not sure I can go back inside just yet, I just submitted my requests to repair things, but I'll ask my realtor if she can let me back in. I don't think someone is living there right now, but I'll find out.

 

[weatherguy]

That looks like someone took a zero clearance and put on air tights doors and a baffle. They almost look like Wilkening doors.

 

[FP Guy]

Erik, The fireplace you have is an OLD, like 1980s, Kozy Heat most likely a model 236. It is a masonry installed "stove" with a hollow chamber around it constructed of cement block ect. It most likely is a passive system unless you can find a wall switch to turn a blower on.
Burning pellets in a basket grate may work if you allow enough combustion air (lower control above the door) in. To say they will burn "efficient" is another story to long to post.

 

[Squirreljester]

Sorry, we're in the middle of doing all the paperwork and inspections and crap, so it's taking me a while to get another walk-through scheduled, but I believe FP Guy is right. The house was build in 1985, so the 1980's suggestion lines up, along with some of the pictures I've been finding online of the system he thought it might be.

When I get back in the house I'll look for a model number or some kind of indication as to what it is, but if this is a passive system, are those kind of systems pretty efficient burning wood? I would like to burn pellets to burn cleaner, but if I'm going to be burning through the pellets as fast as wood, it'll be a waste of money.

Sorry, I'm kinda new to this stuff. I've read a lot online, but I'd rather have some expert advice.

 

[begreen]

The speed and volume of fuel consumption is going to depend on how quickly the house loses heat and the efficiency of the appliance, regardless of the fuel used.

 

[jetsam]

By modern

are those kind of systems pretty efficient burning wood? I would like to burn pellets to burn cleaner, but if I'm going to be burning through the pellets as fast as wood, it'll be a waste of money.

By 1980 standards, that was probably a reasonably efficient setup- but the competition featured a lot of open fireplaces.

By 2010 standards, it's not going to be efficient at burning any kind of fuel. Modern stoves reburn the byproducts of combustion and see a large increase in heat produced by the fuel.

 

[blades]

rather than pellets in a basket type of thing , use the compressed wood blocks. A plus on the blocks, the prices of them haven't been climbing like pellets. Be sure to read the label on them, additives like wax are not the kind to use.

 

[Squirreljester]

rather than pellets in a basket type of thing , use the compressed wood blocks. A plus on the blocks, the prices of them haven't been climbing like pellets. Be sure to read the label on them, additives like wax are not the kind to use.

I was reading about those compressed blocks, I'll have to look into those, thanks, and thanks for the heads up on the wax thing.

 

[weatherguy]

I was reading about those compressed blocks, I'll have to look into those, thanks, and thanks for the heads up on the wax thing.

Look into the north east Idaho logs and presto logs. Blades is right their price is steadier than pellets and the two I mentioned above are t he most compressed and burn a long time. I put 3 NEIL'S in my stove yesterday afternoon and there's still chunks in the stove when I just put a load in.