Hampton HI200?

[clearblue16]

I am looking for user reviews on this small insert....I plan on buying one but want to make sure it is an effective unit with the small firebox.....I burn hardwood, live in Seattle and have a 1200 square foot home....my masonary fireplace is smaller so this looks like a good fit....thoughts? Thanks

 

[burntime]

I know if you search the HI300 posts there is at least one guy with you insert that loves it! I have the larger and enjoy it. With your weather I would strongly suggest the 300 for the larger firebox to get overnight burn times, or a completely different company because the firebox makes a difference.

 

[stejus]

I almost went with the HI200 and glad I didn't. It's a great looking stove, but I have 2000 sqft to heat. When the real cold weather hits, like it has a couple of times this year, you will want a bigger stove. The other reason I went with the HI300 is for overnight long burns. I can load the stove at 8:00PM and there are coals in the stove at 6:00AM. I'm fairly sure you will not be able to achieve an overnight burn in the HI200.

Are you sure you can't squeeze in the HI300. Mine sticks out about an inch because I can't get it back any further. I am going fill the gap with something, either pre-fab or something else.

What is your room configuration? Wide open or several rooms seperated by walls?

 

[clearblue16]

thanks for the reply....it is an old coal burning fireplace that has been modified over the last 100 years....it is 27" tall, 24" wide(front) 21.5" wide (rear) and 16.5" deep.....also the hearth is flush with the floor....i know jotul uses what they call a "riser bar" that they sit the insert on to make it not flush with the hearth for clearance purposes...do all inserts have that option? my opening is plenty tall to just raise the insert up a bit! the house is 1150 square feet but in a long rectangular shape....i think it would work good for the front of the house where we hang out which is two open rooms and a bathroom, then a skinny kitchen corridor back to the master bath.....so basically about 600 feet max is where i am looking to have it warm! we have natural gas which we would still use a little!

 

[stejus]

Rule the HI300 out, it will not fit. Now, back to your HI200. The HI200 can sit on the floor of your fireplace. As long as you have 18" of hearth in front of the glass door, you will be ok. I don't know what you hearth extension is made of, but it has to be rated both R and H per Hampton's spec. If you are less than 18", you need to modify your hearth to get to the 18" clearance.

Now, if you have the clearances, what about the heat factor. You'll need to burn hot fires and have that blower going to generate heat. The HI200 sits flush to the fireplace opening so all of your heat is in the firebox. You will need to reload most likely ever 3 to 6 hours depending on how hard you're burning. If it gets near 0 degrees, you will need to kick on your gas heating system to keep up.

Your other option is to get a stove that sits outside the firebox. This would give you more heat than an insert. Have you looked into these?