Hey everybody, first a little background. I live in Southwest Va. in a doublewide, or mobile home, or whatever you want to call it. It is 28' by 56' with three bedrooms. The floorplan has the kitchen, living room and dining room open. The existing pre-fab fireplace is in the living room. Last year I wanted to buy an insert but couldn't talk the wife into it, although I did talk her into taking the gas logs out and burning wood in the fireplace. This didn't do well at all. Had to keep the fire roaring to feel anything at all. Well she went up to her brothers for a birtday party and saw his freestanding Buck stove. After all the questions to him it seems their electricity bill went from 280.00 to 60.00 . Now I have her on board for an insert, tried to talk her into letting me tear out the fireplace and put in a freestanding unit but the best I could do was an insert. I sent an e-mail to Buck and they recommended a Model 18 insert. I'll have measurements later but it seems so small. Any other inserts that will fit the bill besides the Buck? Oh yeah they recommended the Buck because it was approved for a prefab fireplace and a mobile home. As far as the pipes they are double walled Iknow I'll have to get home and dig out the paperwork to see more info on them. Usually this being such a rural area Buck is the standard. Just wondering on more options?
Insert advice?
- Thread starter RazrRebel
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The first thing we will need to confirm that the fireplace is approved for an insert. Can you look for the make and model and post it here? If it is approved, we'll l need the fireplace opening dimensions and depth.
I'll post the dimensions as soon as I can get my son to measure for me. I am at work right now, how do I find out if it is approved or not. I don't remember reading anything in the paperwork on an insert. I can basically tell you it has the prefab panels and surrounded behind theby metal. It also has a fan built in. I'll get pics up tonight.
RazrRebel said:
Is this originally a gas fireplace or is it a wood burning fireplace you inserted gas logs into? Hopefully wood burning, gas fireplaces can't be converted to woodburning.
Allright the fireplace is a Vexar, the model is C36EMW-RB . It is rated as a fire or gas unit both. I read the whole owners manual and it said nothing about an insert. You can find the manual online by googling the name vexar with the model#, then go to the fireplaces and choose the model. I can't see why I couldn't slide one in. It also has the measurements there too. Just needing a little help choosing. Also when you see the diagram you'll see how the masonry refractory panels fit in there.
I looked up the manual and it said "only to add a wood burning insert into this fireplace if the insert has been tested and improved with this fireplace", so I would take this as a yes, but you need to look up insert manuals and find out if they have your fireplace listed as approved.
Okay I can go with that. Still don't know where I missed it in the owners manual. Who makes a small insert besides Buck? The Buck model 18 is 1.3 cubic ft.
I can't check dimensions right now, but the Lopi Answer and Country Striker S160 are small inserts. What are the dimensions of the fireplace opening and what is its depth?
I'll try to check in a minute, I looked at both. The Lopi looks doable but would have to stick out some. The Striker looks way to big. Also my fireplace is not square, it angles back from 36" to 18" at the back. If I remember correctly the height is 18". I could probably let it stick out some as long as it doesn't go out past the hearth. I'll post a pic tonight of the actual fireplace.
You're going to need additional floor protection in front of the insert, keep that in mind.
IMHO, a free standing stove would be your best bet. You could always have the wife sign in and talk to us ;-)
Welcome to the forums !
IMHO, a free standing stove would be your best bet. You could always have the wife sign in and talk to us ;-)
Welcome to the forums !
The Pacific Energy Vista should fit, although I don't have the dimensions at the moment. It's a great little heater, very easy to use, and rugged. You will be filling it every 4 to 6 hours, though, but that's the case with any small insert.
You need to measure and post your opening height and firebox depth. At 18 inches height, you're not going to find much that's going to fit. PE Vista is 19 7/8in. Lopi Answer/1250 is 20in. Regency I1200 is 19in. Enviro 1200 is 19 1/16in. The Enviro has a removable flue collar that connects to the inside of the stove. This makes installation in low height fireplaces very easy. Not sure about the Striker. Buck 18 is 17 3/4in. That might make it.
Minimum FP opening for a Striker is 19.5" x 25.5". If we can see a picture perhaps we can see some trim that can be removed to increase height? Otherwise tear the sucker out and get some real heat in there.
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