Enough stove for the job?

[loudog]

Hello all, I've been lurking for a few weeks and have found some great info...between this site and woodheat.org, I think my learning curve will be substantially shortened! But, I'm still clueless.

I've done a bunch of research and my wife and I've visited several local shops to check out wood inserts from Jotul, Lopi, Enviro, Regency/Hampton, Napolean, and PE. Between clearances and style, we're left deciding between the Enviro Venice 1200 and the Hampton HI300. Sadly, the Enviro 1700 is a 1/2" too deep for our fireplace, and I'm concerned about the (small) size of the 1200. Here is the skinny: our colonial house is laid out as shown below (built in 2002). 2,000 sqft total, with 256 of that being a bump-out room with 11 foot ceilings where we spend most of our time (room has a five foot opening to kitchen and rest of house). That room has a ceiling fan installed.

We currently heat with an oil furnace and are looking to make as big of a dent in that bill as possible...without overheating the bump-out room.

Bottom line, we like the styling of the Enviro 1200 best, but the Regency seems to be a better fit size-wise. Problem with the Regency is that the surround almost exactly mimics the style of our mantle...so it looks a little tacky and the selling shop told us a custom surround was essentially out of the question permit-wise.

So, the questions to the gurus: Is the Enviro big enough or should I only be thinking about the Regency? Will the the Enviro be able to pull an overnight burn? Considering the size of the Enviro firebox, I'm surprised they claim the numbers they do. Here are the stats on the stoves:

Enviro 1200 Venice:
Firebox: 1.85 cubic feet
Output: 67,000 BTU
Claimed heating area: up to 2,200 sqft
Efficiency: 83%

Regency 2400:
Firebox: 2.30 cubic feet
Output: 75,000 BTU
Claimed heating area: 2,000 sqft
Efficiency: 77%

Thanks for any help and advice!

Lou

Edited: Not considering the Regency 2400, it was meant to say Hampton HI300.

 

[pen]

Are you a 1/2 inch too short for the unit to physically fit in the fireplace? Or a 1/2 inch too short of clearance to combustibles?

Also, just because you have a fireplace, does not mean you absolutely need an insert. If the current fireplace is in good aesthetic shape, then have you thought about a freestanding wood stove in it? This may help in regards to the appearance issue you mentioned with the surround. A freestander in a fireplace will also do a better job of heating if the power is out and the blower can't be run (or if you are in the room and find a blower running constantly annoying)

Welcome to the site!

pen

 

[jeff_t]

Masonry fireplace, or prefab? What, exactly, are the dimensions?

 

[loudog]

Thanks for the welcome Pen. The 1700 is physically too large to fit, 1/2" too deep.

We thought about a free stander, but like the integrated look of the insert. As you may have gathered, aesthetics are important to us...as is function of course.

 

[begreen]

If the 1/2" too short dimension is depth, it can be made up with a 1/2" black filler piece around the perimeter of the surround. Looking head on at the insert it would be almost indiscernible.

 

[loudog]

Masonry fireplace, or prefab? What, exactly, are the dimensions?

Masonry. 27 1/2 tall by 35 wide by 17 1/2 deep.

 

[loudog]

If the 1/2" too short dimension is depth, it can be made up with a 1/2" black filler piece around the perimeter of the surround. Looking head on at the insert it would be almost indiscernible.

I like that idea...get something fabricated by a local sheet metal shop? Would that pass muster with most permit peeps?

 

[pen]

So long as it's non-combustible, and affixed in a fashion to match, it should be fine.

Not sure what the hearth is like, but you could even consider stone, tile or brick veneer.

pen

 

[begreen]

No need for a shop to fab. You might be able to use some 1/2" or 3/4" aluminum angle stock painted black and attached to the back edge of the surround.

 

[jeff_t]

According to your dimensions, you can fit an Osburn 2400, and dang near a PE Summit at 18' deep.

How about dimensions at the back of the fireplace? Flue size? Can you fit a liner?

 

[loudog]

According to your dimensions, you can fit an Osburn 2400, and dang near a PE Summit at 18' deep.

How about dimensions at the back of the fireplace? Flue size? Can you fit a liner?

27 1/2" wide at the back of the fireplace. As far as I know the chimney can fit a liner, but I guess I'm not sure. The PE summit was a contender until we checked the clearance to combustibles. No go. I'll check out the Osburn. Thanks!

 

[begreen]

A picture of the fireplace would help here, especially to see the nearby combustibles and come up with possible solutions.

 

[corey21]

Welcome.

Whatever you go with you should getting ahead on your wood supply.

 

[loudog]

Thanks for the welcome Corey. Below is a photo of the mantle.

The mantle is 8" from the opening on either side, can't recall the measurement to the top of the mantle.

So, I gather from the posts so far, that you'd recommend something bigger than the 1200?

 

[begreen]

I think you may have more stove choices with the addition of a simple mantle shield installed on the surround. Go bigger. I like the Enviro 1700 or maybe an Alderlea T5? The only issue I see will be convecting the heat out of this area to the rest of the house. The ceiling fan will help. So will a fan on the floor outside the room blowing cooler air from the rest of the house into this room.

 

[loudog]

I think you may have more stove choices with the addition of a simple mantle shield installed on the surround. Go bigger. I like the Enviro 1700 or maybe an Alderlea T5? The only issue I see will be convecting the heat out of this area to the rest of the house. The ceiling fan will help. So will a fan on the floor outside the room blowing cooler air from the rest of the house into this room.

Yeah, we're open to a mantle shield if necessary...the governing dimension seems to be the fireplace depth though. The Alderlea T5 requires 18 1/4" depth and we only have 17 1/2"...so without some renovation that's a no go.

We do expect it to be kinda troublesome to get the hot air out of the room...and for that reason are wondering if we should go with something a bit smaller since we spend most of our time in that room. But, the way the house is setup, we could put some fire-safe vents between the bump-out room and the second story without much trouble. That and some fans blowing the cold air in might do the trick.

I like the idea of big...just need the styling to work too. If we didn't care about looks we'd just get a hyper-flamed pellet stove

Edit: If anyone has any suggestions of inserts that might work and are of a similar style to the Enviro or Hampton/Regency HI3000, please let me know. I think I've exhausted the popular/respected brands...but I'm a complete newb, so there's a good chance I haven't.

 

[loudog]

According to your dimensions, you can fit an Osburn 2400, and dang near a PE Summit at 18' deep.

How about dimensions at the back of the fireplace? Flue size? Can you fit a liner?

Seems like the 2400 may do with a mantle shield. Hmmm...I'll try to find a local shop to check it out. Thanks.

Edit: Vetoed by the wife on account of styling. She really likes the more modern looking stoves with the flush door...I agree considering the styling of our house.

 

[BrotherBart]

With that nice deep hearth that fireplace just screams for a nice free standing soapstone or cast iron stove rear vented.

 

[loudog]

With that nice deep hearth that fireplace just screams for a nice free standing soapstone or cast iron stove rear vented.

Certainly not against the idea. Maybe that would makes things easier. Rear-vented means the pipe exits through the current fireplace? With a free standing, is it common to use a plate to cover the fireplace opening or just leave it open? It'd be nice if we could throw some matching brick in there to make everything look cohesive (under the free-standing plan).

 

[begreen]

Freestanding is worth exploring as an option with a mantel shield if the stove mfg will allow it. I'm not at my desk right now to check dimensions, but the Hearthstone Clydesdale and Jotul C550 inserts have the option of adjusting the depth of the stove that sits in the fireplace.

 

[loudog]

Freestanding is worth exploring as an option with a mantel shield if the stove mfg will allow it. I'm not at my desk right now to check dimensions, but the Hearthstone Clydesdale and Jotul C550 inserts have the option of adjusting the depth of the stove that sits in the fireplace.

Nice! Good looking and fits our fireplace. I like it...

 

[begreen]

Which one?

 

[loudog]

Which one?

Oops, The Clydesdale. There are a couple local dealers around me too, I'll try to see one up close in the next day or two.

 

[loudog]

With that nice deep hearth that fireplace just screams for a nice free standing soapstone or cast iron stove rear vented.

Actually, it is possible the photo is deceiving, the hearth is 24 inches wide outside of the fireplace. I just checked the Jotul F55 out and it requires a 40" hearth. Similar issue with Enviro. So unless we put the freestander in the fireplace, it seems most wouldn't meet the specs.

 

[loudog]

Should I be concerned about over-heating the bump-out room with a larger stove...or is that unlikely?