Hello from central Iowa

[mcbrat]

Hello All. a budy of mine sent me to this place....

I recently moved into a house on a couple of acres, and it has 2 fireplaces with Majestic Inserts. both have glass doors, and outside air intake, and a blower to pump heat out into the rooms...

House was built in '81 so that's how old the inserts are, but they are really clean. fireplaces were only used from '81 to '89 and just sparingly. have sat dormant since then. had everthing inspected, and all is good to go...

There was a lot of overgrowth of trees, and a hickory that needed to come down, so I have a good selection of wood that is now all split and stacked drying out....
Woods inlcude:
Hickory (pretty good sized, but had some spoongy rotten areas to get around)
Apple (3 reg, 3 crab)
Mulberry (3)
Box Elder (I was told... red stripes near bark, very white wood, fairly lightweight) (1)
Magnolia (1) (stinky to split)
Spreading Juniper (just the base trunk)
Oak (one large branch)

and I was able to get a small stack of wood for use this winter...

Any advice on the inserts?

The area behind my house has lots of gnarled up, busted, bent, twisted trees, so I'll have plenty more wood to access if needed, but I'm thinking it's going to take me a long time to get through all I have now...

Nice looking forums you have here!

 

[begreen]

Greetings. Our house had a Majestic insert of the same vintage when we moved in. I tried to make it work for one winter and then was glad to get rid of it. It was not a great heat producer and lacked a blower, so I had to jerry-rig one. It also ate a ton of wood.

In order to advise, we need to know a bit more about the house, the room, the fireplace(s) and their flues.

 

[mcbrat]

hmmm.
House is "modern design". in the shape of a "U", with all 3 sections independently "side" vaulted. one side 8', other like 14-15' with vertical skylights (haven't measured)
the extent of my knowledge on the flue is: I know how to open and close it.
triple walled pipe in chimney.
both fireplaces are the same, and have "gas light" for starting the wood...
both blowers work, but it's just now getting cold enough to want to burn, so should have my first fire soon

Fireplace 1 - mail level:
Master Bedroom. (left upright (pointing west) of "U")
Fireplace located on east wall.
High side of vault is north side of room. master bath on west end of room, but vault run entire length of the upright. (18'x40' external dim)

Fireplace 2 - basement level:
Family room. (north part of right upright of U.) 16x22 maybe
Fireplace on West wall, which is partially below ground
south wall of room is below ground.
North wall has sliders + 1 extra section. no other windows,
is walk out area towards gully/woods, so protected from most wind
East wall has opening to center section of basement (toy room), where open stairs to mail level are...)

 

[begreen]

Ok, sounds like these may be Majestic pre-fab fireplaces, not inserts. But I am not sure. A picture would help.

 

[mcbrat]

Ok, sounds like these may be Majestic pre-fab fireplaces, not inserts. But I am not sure. A picture would help.

They were listed as inserts on the home inspection, but you are correct. They are both Majestic heat-circulating fireplaces, with heat exchanger, and outside air kits installed. prefabbed. (I found books)