Fireplace wood burning insert really works ?

[Dima]

Hi guys,

I have a fireplace that is currently requires small fixes, however another option is to install a wood buning insert in to it to heat up the house. SO my question is, would insert really heat up the whole house or just the room its in,
I have apx 2500sqf 2-storey house, so thermostat is located in the same room as fireplace, so if insert starts working, thermostat wont turn on, so the second floor will be cold. WOuld the insert make enough heat for it too ?

Thank you!

 

[begreen]

Greetings. Wood stoves and inserts are area heaters. If the area where the stove is located is an open floor plan with a large open staircase then hot air will convect upstairs too. How well this works depends on other factors like house insulation, glass exposure, ceiling height, stove size, wood species and wood dryness.

Is this a masonry or a zero-clearance (metal) fireplace? How large?

 

[Fastdonzi]

I have Heated 2000sf 2 story for 15 yrs 100% with an insert. a ceiling fan does wonders to move heat around.... I have 12' ceilings in the main part. No Gas, No Electric..... 100% Wood

 

[Omaha419]

I'll be watching this thread. I intend on doing the same.

 

[BrotherBart]

I heated this place 100% for 21 years with a pre-EPA insert. 2,500 sq. ft. center hall colonial but it isn't in Canada. But on below zero nights it kept the joint warm. My current stove is inside that same fireplace and even though it isn't an insert it gets'er done.

 

[msjones2452]

As a new wood burner, I can say that my new(er) insert has done a commendable job of keeping my roughly 2200 sqft two story home very comfortable. I do have to admit that we haven't had any seriously cold spells since installation (a few weeks so far of 30 and below nights w/40's/50's during the day.) and it does take the insert blower and one small fan to move the warmth upstairs. I load twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening before bed. Obviously, the room the stove's in is warmer than the rest of the house but the whole house is comfortable. What I think I like the most about heating w/wood is that it's not just the air that gets heated like with a forced air furnace. The radiant heat permeates through the walls/floors/ceilings/furniture/etc. That is nice because as the fire starts dying down the house radiates that heat back. So, unlike forced air heat in which the house immediately begins feeling colder as soon as the furnace shuts off, wood heat maintains living comfort for some time after the fire dies down.

All that being said, there is CONSIDERABLY more work involved in heating with wood. There is also a requirement for some real estate to store all of that wood. As begreen said, there are many factors that will determine how well a wood burning insert/stove will work in your home.

Good luck in your research and decision making process. You've definitely started off on the right foot by joining this forum. There are many VERY experienced and knowledgeable people here that are willing to help.

 

[Dmitry]

it's not just the air that gets heated like with a forced air furnace. The radiant heat permeates through the walls/floors/ceilings/furniture/etc. That is nice because as the fire starts dying down the house radiates that heat back. So, unlike forced air heat in which the house immediately begins feeling colder as soon as the furnace shuts off, wood heat maintains living comfort for some time after the fire dies down.

I was just talking to my wife about it . The house that was heated with my wood insert holds heat much longer vs heated with forced air furnace.
I think that the fact that insert being installed in interior masonry fireplace helps to keep house warmer as well.
I was somewhat regretting getting insert instead of free standing stove at first , but now I can feel the heat radiating from stone that surrounds it.
It takes longer to feel the heat, but after couple hours it really works.

 

[Dima]

Greetings. Wood stoves and inserts are area heaters. If the area where the stove is located is an open floor plan with a large open staircase then hot air will convect upstairs too. How well this works depends on other factors like house insulation, glass exposure, ceiling height, stove size, wood species and wood dryness.

Is this a masonry or a zero-clearance (metal) fireplace? How large?

masonry

 

[Starstuff]

I bought a poorly insulated 1600sq ft, split level open floor plan home with a large, interior masonry chimney in the center of the living room (thankfully, house has new efficient windows). I have heated 100% with a wood insert for the last two years. We had an uncharacteristically nasty winter last year, but I was able to keep the upper two levels easily into the low/mid 70s even on the coldest of nights. As others have said, burning with wood is a lot of work and a moderate-to-heavy time commitment to building up a wood supply and maintaining the stove when burning.

So yes, you can heat your home under the right conditions and if you're willing to put in the time. It is totally worth it to me, but it does require that you absorb it into your lifestyle.

 

[Dima]

I noticed the inserts can be wood or pillet burning. THe question is can I use pillet in the wood burning or opposite ?

 

[begreen]

They make pellet baskets for wood burners. A decent one is ok for steady low heat. An alternative would be highly compressed wood logs or bricks. You can not burn wood splits in a pellet stove.

The question is what will fit and what is the budget. Is there a particular style desired like contemporary or traditional?

 

[Ashful]

What type of central heating? Might not be so difficult to zone off second floor. I save thousands per year by keeping stoves running 24/7, but they're not heating my whole house. Eleven zones on my heating system make that easy to balance.

 

[Dmitry]

, so if insert starts working, thermostat wont turn on, so the second floor will be cold. WOuld the insert make enough heat for it too ?

One of the options is to move thermostat or change it to wireless, so you can place it on a second floor and close vents on a first one manually

 

[Trogdor]

One of the options is to move thermostat or change it to wireless

I second the wireless option if you happen to get yourself an insert.

We swapped our thermostat to an Ecobee, and this gadget has been ideal for us in our similar situation as it comes with a remote temp/humidity sensor. We keep our bedrooms around 17.5*C at night, irregardless of how much heat is pumping out of the insert.

 

[Ashful]

Getting back to the original question, yes, you can carry the majority (sometimes all) of the heating requirement for a 2500 sf house from one stove. Stove and chimney location, floor plan, insulation, and your tolerance for variation of temperature across the house will dictate how successful you are in that endeavor. Many of us do as you're already thinking, use the stove to pump as many BTUs into the house as is practical, and use the central heating to carry the balance. You can figure on an average stove running 3-4 cords per year, depending on your dedication to loading. A cord of wood will generally replace a 275 gallon tank of oil, all things considered.

 

[Pat32rf]

You WILL get a lot more useable heat out of your fireplace if you put an insert in it. Most fireplaces loose over half their heat up the chimney. An airtight insert prevents that. If you can get free wood from any source it will be cheaper than pellets....if you have any friends out in the country they might even consider buying and sharing a load of logs with you...

 

[Dima]

Attached is the picture of my current fireplace, I just oredered a small insert unit like that
http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI1250.aspx

I know it wont heat up the whole house but I like it. I think even a big unit wont do it for my house looking at my room locations. The unit should be setup in couple of weeks, so will keep you posted.

There is also another bigger unit similar like that http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI2600.aspx
but the guys told me he just had 6 calls with last installs people has to clear the glass every time they use it, so he did not suggest it.

 

[kennyp2339]

There is also another bigger unit similar like that http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI2600.aspx
but the guys told me he just had 6 calls with last installs people has to clear the glass every time they use it, so he did not suggest it.

Perhaps the people aren't burning seasoned wood, or burning the stove to low, I wouldn't base the size unit to dirty glass, especially if its a regency, they do make pretty decent products.
Do more research, some people like flush mounted inserts, others like some stove to hang out of the fireplace incase the power goes out, they get some useable heat still.

 

[davidmsem]

Hi guys,

I have a fireplace that is currently requires small fixes, however another option is to install a wood buning insert in to it to heat up the house. SO my question is, would insert really heat up the whole house or just the room its in,
I have apx 2500sqf 2-storey house, so thermostat is located in the same room as fireplace, so if insert starts working, thermostat wont turn on, so the second floor will be cold. WOuld the insert make enough heat for it too ?

Thank you!

I have a 9 room colonial and switched to an insert last year. I'm amazed how much heat does get upstairs by using a 6" in-line duct fan. In the attic, I've connected a ceiling vent from an upstairs room to a ceiling vent downstairs where the insert is. I drop cold air from the second floor to the first. This evening the first floor heated area was 83 and the upstairs 71. It is in the 40s outside so the temps inside are warmer than normal.

We walk around in underwear a lot in the winter now.

Upstairs is where the bedrooms are so we are content with the coolness for sleeping

Don't get a cheap fan....Can Fan Maxx is what I used.

 

[davidmsem]

Attached is the picture of my current fireplace, I just oredered a small insert unit like that
http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI1250.aspx

I know it wont heat up the whole house but I like it. I think even a big unit wont do it for my house looking at my room locations. The unit should be setup in couple of weeks, so will keep you posted.

There is also another bigger unit similar like that http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI2600.aspx
but the guys told me he just had 6 calls with last installs people has to clear the glass every time they use it, so he did not suggest it.

I have the Regency 3100i and it is a BEAST. Love it. Far exceeds my expectations.

Perhaps the people aren't burning seasoned wood, or burning the stove to low, I wouldn't base the size unit to dirty glass, especially if its a regency, they do make pretty decent products.
Do more research, some people like flush mounted inserts, others like some stove to hang out of the fireplace incase the power goes out, they get some useable heat still.

Love Love Love my Regency 3100i.

 

[Dmitry]

but the guys told me he just had 6 calls with last installs people has to clear the glass every time they use it, so he did not suggest it.

I'm sorry for being rude, but this is just a stupid suggestion. He's got no experience or trying to sell unwanted inventory. I can assure you that people who just got their stoves installed have no idea what the seasoned wood is and how to burn it. I remember myself year ago and my glass was so black you couldn't see trough. Seasoned wood and right burning technique are going to take care of everything in most cases.

Dimas, Call and cancel your order, dude. Do more research. Ask people here on forum, not the salesman in a store. I bet you are going to regret getting insert this small. Get the biggest you can put in your fireplace. I have 3 cu ft flush insert and I wish the firebox was bigger. The wood is not going to be an ideal in shape and size, you going to load it west/east, since it's a flush insert, so even less wood in your stove.
Don't worry, you goanna find a way to distribute the heat.
It's a big long term investment and you can't trade it like a car, so, do it right.

 

[Ashful]

.
It's a big long term investment and you can't trade it like a car, so, do it right.

Excellent post, and I agree with everything you said, except this last sentence. I'm on stoves number four and five, in my fifth year of burning stoves. Excepting death, nothing is permanent.

 

[JR4AL]

Back to the original question....If your thermostat is in the same room as the fireplace (soon to be insert) maybe you could try and turn your thermostat to "Fan On" and circulate the warm air from the insert throughout your house? Assuming your air return is close to your thermostat maybe it is close enough to get that warm air from the insert moving throughout your home with the flip of a switch! Hope this helps!

 

[firefighterjake]

Excellent post, and I agree with everything you said, except this last sentence. I'm on stoves number four and five, in my fifth year of burning stoves. Excepting death, nothing is permanent.

Taxes?

 

[Ashful]

Taxes?

Not even taxes... ask the Romans.