Getting the most out of an insert?

[rob bennett]

I am looking at a summit insert and I want to suck every btu I can out of it. I would like to put in a summit classic, but I can't get fit the pipe though my 29 inch lintel fireplace opening. Raising the lintel height it seems pretty much impossible to do safely or cost effectively. My wife will not let me run stove pipe infront of the mantle. RATS So the insert it is is if I want a Pacific Energy stove. I thought about the hearthstone stoves, but I don't think they will heat my 2000 foot house the way a summit will. Thats just what I have gathered from the forum. ANYWAY....

How can I best tap that heat that is going into the chimney heat sink in a safe and code approved way? Similar to a masonry furnace? Does anyone have examples of using brick and a wood stove to keep the heat from escaping so fast?
How much heat is actually absorbed by the brick?
What about adding another insert housing around the 1st housing?

This is probalby more theoretical then something I would actually do. But if it is worth while..

Rob

 

[begreen]

Given your location, I'd stop in at Tom's Oyen's shop in Bellingham and talk it over with him. You'll get some good advice.

http://www.chimneysweeponline.com

 

[tkirk22]

I'm considering building a metal stand that would hold some soapstone or granite a few inches above the insert. The thinking is that it will capture and store some heat before it gets to my insulated block off plate at the top of the firebox.

Any thoughts on that idea?

The fireplace brick does get warm and retain heat for several hours but mine is an interior fireplace not exterior.

If you upload a photo maybe some of the folks here can come up with a freestanding stove that fits. Is your fireplace interior or exterior?

 

[Corey]

Run a good blower. With air movement, the outer skin of the insert won't be hot enough to worry about radiating heat into the brick. With the top/center inner plates of my stove up to 800F, it's still easy to touch the brick surrounding my insert. That is, as long as you don't stick your hand in the 600F hot air blast for very long! You'll be heating the thermal mass in your house... walls, floors, furnishings, etc. All combined, they have much more mass than any few pieces of soapstone or brick you could drag in.

 

[JMF1]

I agree with cozy heat. I use an Avalon Olympic which has the "5 sided convection chamber" and my brick gets warm but not hot. Considering there's a steel box in there running at 600-700 drgrees, I'm confident most of the heat is being circulated into the room with the blower. I do believe that a good blower is key when using an insert, I built my own and it is much better than the OEM one.

 

[tkirk22]

I do believe that a good blower is key when using an insert, I built my own and it is much better than the OEM one.

I want to upgrade my blower. Mine is loud. Do you have any more info on what you used or some pics?

 

[rob bennett]

Im looking at the pe summit insert and I hear they have a good blower. Interior chimney. this is all good advice. I am going to visit the Tom who is just down the road from me soon. Perhaps he will be getting my "stimulus package" money!

 

[milner351]

I found a good replacement blower from a dealer on ebay - he did not have it listed, but when I inquired - he came up with one from stock that worked, it was a canadian brand, rotomb I think, the body was made from nice extruded aluminum - it was a solid piece - and moved a lot of air.

look on line for blowers - there's a lot of choices out there.