Greenhorn looking for advice on fireplace insert

[Grisu]

We never had a fireplace in our home or heated with wood before. The fireplace in our new house looks great but given the tax credit and the almost 2 cords of wood left by the previous owner we would like to actually get something useful out of it. We have a split-level ranch with about 1400 sqft upper level living space. The fireplace is pretty centrally located in the living room of the house but the floorplan is not really open. However, I would not mind supplementing some other heat to the bedrooms in the back. From our needs and the fireplace dimensions I figured a medium size insert should work well for us. I was reading as much as possible in this great resource here but some questions remain. I would greatly appreciate some input before “taking the plunge”. After visiting some local dealers we have to decide between the following inserts (prices all inclusive):

Regency I2400 ~$3300
Enviro Venice 1700 ~$3700
Jotul C450 Kennebec ~$3850
PE Super ~$3450

1. The Regency was my early favorite due to the great reviews it gets and the low price. However, after visiting the dealer I am not so sure anymore. Apparently, a sub was in the showroom and could not really help with any question - very disappointing. In addition, they charge the lowest amount for installation by quite a bit and (but?) are the only ones having time slots open within four weeks. I have the feeling I am asking for trouble here. Finally, when looking at the unit I noticed that the door was not closed fully flush between gasket and front wall. The salesperson could close it after really pushing the handle with the effect that my wife could not get it open again. I have never seen the door as a weak point of the I2400 here; anyone else having that experience or was that just that particular unit? Does that correct itself after some use?

2. I could not find many reviews about the Enviro Venice 1700. Anyone here who could give some more insight?

3. Any reason the Jotul would be worth more than the other inserts? I like its looks a bit better but not for several hundred dollars.

4. The PE Super seems to be well liked. Anyone willing to elaborate on its pros and cons especially compared with the other models?

5. One appeal of having an insert is the ability to have some heat when the power goes out which of course also means the blower will not work. How much heat do you get from any of those models without the blower? Will the living area stay warm?

6. Our chimney is only about 13 ft tall since the fireplace is on the upper level and we have a low-rise roof. Do you think it will generate enough draft for the insert? We will certainly get a full liner. A little test fire in our fireplace seemed to draft ok although I needed to leave the glass doors open to give it enough air or it would start smoldering.

7. Finally, what distinguishes a good installation job from a bad one? What are the points worth asking beforehand? I could think of checking whether the chimney will be swept before putting the liner in and asking for a block-off plate. What other potential “shortcuts” of a not so reputable dealer should I be looking out for?

Thanks for taking your time helping out a total newbie. I really appreciate it.
(Below should be a picture of our current fireplace.)

 

[begreen]

The Jotul is more expensive in part because of the cast iron surround. It is a good unit and works reasonably well during power outages. This is a reason why I also like PE inserts. They are designed to perform well convectively when the power is out. The PE insert also has a unique baffle system that gets high marks for simplicity and low maintenance.

http://www.chimneysweeponline.com/hosummitblower.htm

 

[FyreBug]

Hello Grisu, have you considered the Osburn Line? It has the best warranty in the business (lifetime glass & tubes as well), C-Cast baffle, door overlay, 5/16" construction etc...

The Osburn model 2200 has the bay window look to view more of the fire - do a search for model 1800 & 2200 on this site to see what the users think about it. And they are typically less than the other brands you mentioned. The 2200 price starts about $2,500. You could also look at model 2000 for about $2,000. You can see them here... http://www.osburn-mfg.com/products.aspx?CategoId=7 They are available at your local dealer or on some e-tailer site such as Woodland Direct or Dynamite Buys.

5. The heat you will get from any insert without blower depends on how much the insert extend out of the hearth (some are ajustable) and most of the heat you will get is radiant heat - which can be quite a bit depending on how much glass area the insert has. If this is a concern you can also purchase one of the small induction fan.

6. Your chimney should be adequate although an extra length might help. Definitely use a liner.

7. Finally, what distinguishes a good installation job from a bad one? Installing an insert is not that complicated. Many people do it themselves. I think you are right, get the chimney swept and make sure the installer recommends a liner. You may want to ask the installer if they are NFI certified and how many installs they have done. References are always a good idea.

Finally, make sure that whatever model you choose it will fit in your fireplace. If you provide your dimensions on this forum many folks here including myself will be more than glad to help.

 

[krex1010]

I don't think you will be disappointed with any products from regency, jotul and pacific energy. I am not familiar with the other brand. I have the pe pacific insert which is about identical to the super, this is my first season with it I have had it going quite a bit and so far I am very impressed. Blowers definitely help get the heat out of inserts but we still get good heat even with it off, but i definitely would recommend a blower. As for the install, this is where you need to do your homework to be sure no corners are cut and everything is done safely. Make sure that the contractor is using a quality stainless liner, I know there are some cheap liners out there that do not hold up. I believe insulating the liner is almost always a good idea for safety and performance, although some here that say there are situations where that is debatable. Ask if there will be block off plate installed in the damper area, alot of shops do not do this without being asked and it seems that it greatly increases performance of a stove. All in all be sure you do everything you can to do it right from the beginning, don't cut corners where safety is concerned, if money is an issue then save until you can afford to do it right, you don't want to compromise your safety or performance to save a couple hundred bucks. And two cords of wood is a good start but keep adding to that pile! You will likely burn quite a bit more than two cords a year

 

[Grisu]

Thanks for the great answers so far. The info about the air flow in the PE Super is very helpful. Being able to get good heat out of it without the blower is certainly a big plus.
I had looked into the Osburn models but the closest dealer is at least 1.5 hrs from here; just not feasible IMHO.
Good points about the installation such as NFI certification and quality liner. References would be great but I do not know anyone with an insert. I could ask the dealer but who is going to give you the address of an unhappy customer?!
The fireplace dimensions are:
Width front: ~35’’
Width back: ~24’’
Depth: ~23’’
Height opening: ~27’’
All of the inserts should fit, I think.

Thanks for all your comments, I appreciate it.

 

[krex1010]

One other thing, I noticed you mentioned about whether the crew installing will sweep your chimney, in my experience a stove shop will likely ask you to have this done prior to the install and many stove shops do not offer this service(at least in my area)