Does a insert make sense for our needs?

[ColdInMissouri]

Hello members,

We have a masonry fireplace in our living room. The fireplace is located on an outside wall in the center of the room. The living room is is roughly 26' x 24' and has a 1.5 story ceiling. We presently heat with an outdoor wood furnace (we love that thing) and have propane for backup. The living room as you can imagine is very difficult to keep warm, however the bedrooms heat up nicely on this floor.

The fireplace is pretty useless so we are considering an insert. I have had three contractors say our fireplace is suitable for one.

Here is my question: If we have a insert that successfully heats the large living room, how will this effect the furnace and the heating in our bedrooms? I may be over thinking this but just want to be sure that the house as a whole stays heated. Make sense?

 

[NinjaTech]

It should as long as the thermostat for your outdoor wood furnace is not in the living room. If it is, you may need to relocate it to some place closer to the bedroom so its not affected by the heat from the insert as much.

 

[ColdInMissouri]

It should as long as the thermostat for your outdoor wood furnace is not in the living room. If it is, you may need to relocate it to some place closer to the bedroom so its not affected by the heat from the insert as much.

It is in the living room.

 

[F4jock]

Hello members,

We have a masonry fireplace in our living room. The fireplace is located on an outside wall in the center of the room. The living room is is roughly 26' x 24' and has a 1.5 story ceiling. We presently heat with an outdoor wood furnace (we love that thing) and have propane for backup. The living room as you can imagine is very difficult to keep warm, however the bedrooms heat up nicely on this floor.

The fireplace is pretty useless so we are considering an insert. I have had three contractors say our fireplace is suitable for one.

Here is my question: If we have a insert that successfully heats the large living room, how will this effect the furnace and the heating in our bedrooms? I may be over thinking this but just want to be sure that the house as a whole stays heated. Make sense?

Balanced properly you'll probably never need the propane. I have my Harman Accentra insert in an outside wall fireplace. Whole wall is stone. Keeps most of the house toasty as I want it. Biggest challenge is proper placement of the room temp sensor. Stove is a bear and easy to clean!

 

[bholler]

Balanced properly you'll probably never need the propane. I have my Harman Accentra insert in an outside wall fireplace. Whole wall is stone. Keeps most of the house toasty as I want it. Biggest challenge is proper placement of the room temp sensor. Stove is a bear and easy to clean!

Isnt that a pellet unit? Not that there is anything wrong with pelet but i believe the op is looking at wood inserts.

Here is my question: If we have a insert that successfully heats the large living room, how will this effect the furnace and the heating in our bedrooms? I may be over thinking this but just want to be sure that the house as a whole stays heated. Make sense?

Like the others said it depends on the location of your thermostat but if you get one make sure you put in a block off plate and insulate behind it

 

[ColdInMissouri]

Isnt that a pellet unit? Not that there is anything wrong with pelet but i believe the op is looking at wood inserts.




Like the others said it depends on the location of your thermostat but if you get one make sure you put in a block off plate and insulate behind it

Insulate behind the insert?

Looks like I will need to contact my electrician about moving the thermostat because it is indeed in the leaving room.

 

[F4jock]

Isnt that a pellet unit? Not that there is anything wrong with pelet but i believe the op is looking at wood inserts.




Like the others said it depends on the location of your thermostat but if you get one make sure you put in a block off plate and insulate behind it

Had the impression it was pellet. Stovepipe won't work that well with the creosote from.a woodburner.

 

[bholler]

Insulate behind the insert?

Yes the fire place is on an outside wall and that fire box will be cold and suck allot of the heat from the back of the insert some insulation behind it helps allot.

Stovepipe won't work that well with the creosote from.a woodburner.

What? Every freestanding stove made is hooked up with stove pipe and if used correctly works just fine. And there are allot more wood inserts out there than pellet ones and yes they work fine as well if installed and operated properly. Not sure what you are refering to at all?

 

[F4jock]

Yes the fire place is on an outside wall and that fire box will be cold and suck allot of the heat from the back of the insert some insulation behind it helps allot.




What? Every freestanding stove made is hooked up with stove pipe and if used correctly works just fine. And there are allot more wood inserts out there than pellet ones and yes they work fine as well if installed and operated properly. Not sure what you are refering to at all?

Had a woodburner once long ago. Pipe creosoted regularly. Had to take it down and clean it twice a season not to mention the chimney build up. Was also a volunteer fire lieut. In NJ. Saw too many chimney fires. Couldn't give me a woodstove, especially after experiencing the ease of using pellets and I have ten acres of free wood here, but that's a personal preference.

 

[bholler]

Your wood was not dry enough or you were not burning the stove properly. With good wood a good setup and proper burning practices there should be no need at all to clean more than once a year. I am a sweep so i see chimney fires to but most of them are due to poor burning practices. Like i said before i have nothing against pellets i have a pellet stove in my woodshop but i am not paying for them to heat my entire house personally

 

[F4jock]

Your wood was not dry enough or you were not burning the stove properly. With good wood a good setup and proper burning practices there should be no need at all to clean more than once a year. I am a sweep so i see chimney fires to but most of them are due to poor burning practices. Like i said before i have nothing against pellets i have a pellet stove in my woodshop but i am not paying for them to heat my entire house personally

No problem. Not into cutting, splitting abd stacking anymore either. As I said. Personal preference.

 

[bholler]

No problem. Not into cutting, splitting abd stacking anymore either. As I said. Personal preference.

I know and i would never tell you you are wrong for your choice but saying stove pipe does not work well on a wood stove is just wrong

 

[F4jock]

I know and i would never tell you you are wrong for your choice but saying stove pipe does not work well on a wood stove is just wrong

Let me ammendment that a bit then. Msy I say thay it works great except that I don't like the maintenance factor?

 

[bholler]

Honestly i have both types and pellet takes allot more maintenance. Wood takes way more work though