Insert Hunting... I finally bagged one.

[kd460]

OK, now I'm all giddy, I gotta go pee! After surfing the net, calling the dealers, stopping by every fireplace shop I could find, I bought my insert about 5 minutes ago. Drum roll please... Pacific Energy, Pacific model. Can be seen here (second item down):

(broken link removed)

Just happened to call a couple of dealers today before I head out of town for the weekend. First one was $700 more than the second dealer I called. Guess who got the sale? Nice guy to talk to, I played dumb and he gave it to me straight. Made me feel real comfortable. Had a very fair price, and did not try to make up the money on the liner either. The first guy wanted 60% more for the exact same liner.

Hopefully my willingness to work with him helped (I am sure it didn't hurt). He has the item in stock, but I told him I could not come and get it for another week. He said he would hold it for me, I gave him a credit card number as good faith, but told him I would pay cash upon pick up. I also offered that if he was to "lose" a sale if someone wanted that insert, he could go ahead and sell it, just guarantee me that price and we can reschedule pick up. He did say that was not necessary, but, I'm sure it "kept the faith" and made him comfortable as well.

Well, I'm excited, I have a feeling there is gonna be a spring price increase, so I am glad I struck a deal. He had no problem mentioning that he can provide all the install support I need as well. Husband and wife outfit, in business for 25 years, that tells me allot. Kind of funny, I could over hear the conversations with him and his wife while they were working out a price, he was giving her crap and she was giving it back. She was working out pricing, and he was checking stock and availability, they were bickering back and forth (nice bickering), he was getting frustrated trying to find the info, while she was doing what she had to do, he needed her help, etc. She put him in his place. Kind of reminds of home, my kind of people.

So, I plan on picking it up next weekend unless he has to sell it. No problem on my end, I am in no hurry. Although it will be nice to have it physically in my possession, then I can start to plan the install.

It's gonna be tight, but based on the numbers, it will fit. The insert also has a feature where I can install the continuous flu pipe and collar by reaching in from the inside of the firebox, so hopefully that will help. I will have about 4 inches of room on each side of the insert to get my hands up in there, and about 4-5 inches at the top of the insert for room, once I get past the opening (opening is 21 high, but once I get past the opening of the fireplace it is higher inside). I tried my best to get the largest insert I could that would fit (based on the suggestions here), it is a mid range in size insert rated to "2000 sq. ft, 34,000 EPA BTU tested rating with 72,000 for seasoned hardwood" . I hope the size does not come back to bite me on the install!

Finally, I liked how the price included the surround, and the blower. They do charge extra for the door, but that was priced fair as well. I also liked how it would be a simple swap if I want to change the door style (upgrade) later on down the road.

I will post info on how many stitches and how many curse words when I do get around to the install. I hope my cousin (former installer) is up to it. Kevin

 

[Mo Heat]

Care to share how much you agreed to pay? Stove, liner, etc.?

How big is your hearth room? House? What type layout? That's still a pretty big stove. And it's steel, so it heats up fast and transfers a lot of heat. Nothing looks very big when you put it next to the PE Summit.

 

[Todd]

Congrats,
Keep us posted on how everything goes. Post some pictures.

 

[kd460]

Sorry folks, been gone on a weekend of firewood gathering up at the property. Dropped 13 mature poplars, 1 medium sized oak, and a couple smaller oaks. The smaller oaks were dead, and I hauled a pick up truck load of that stuff home. Got all the poplar cut up in 18 inch lengths and stacked, brush all piled up. Left the oak uncut, don't want to cut that up till I plan on taking it home. Wouldn't want to make it easy for someone to just grab and go. Someone did beat me to the blow down cherry.

As far as the insert, I paid within $20 of what you see advertised on the internet. Not sure if it's OK to post prices here. The liner kit was about $30 more than you see advertised on ebay for the cheapest 6" liner kit that I have see on ebay.

This fireplace is in a 15 x 20 family room, with a 12 foot wide opening to the rest of the house. The ceiling is a cathedral but only 10 1/2 foot tall. The room is at the back end of the house, it is a colanial style with all bedrooms up stairs. I plan on a ceiling fan in the hearth room, and one at the top of "corridor" for the stairway leading up stairs (to pull warm air up). I will probably need a regular floor fan directing warm air towards that staircase, but the distance is not that great for the heat to travel to the stairway. I will give it my best shot. I even thought about making a circuit that will turn the furnace blower on for a few mintutes every half hour or every hour. Have not given that much thought yet, but it is a very do-able, fairly simple circuit. Just have not sat down to figure it out yet. The house is 1800 sq ft with plans to add a little more in a few years. This is a link to my original "insert" post:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/1267/

I initially found and liked the Country Flame, but the price was way up there. That is when I started my search for a more reasonable unit. I was gonna settle on something smaller, but went with the mid sized unit as it still would fit and people here suggested I go as big as I can fit in there. I hope I did OK. I plan on picking up the insert this saturday, not sure when I'll get around to the install.

 

[velvetfoot]

That's looks like my old quad! I bet you can load it from front to back too.
Will you have to extend the hearth?

 

[kd460]

I have to double check the numbers, but it sticks out about 5 to 6 inches. I had the numbers in front of me few days ago. Looks Like I need to add one row of 4 inch tiles (which I have left over) so no problems there. Just need to trim a little carpet, add the durock, fill the joint, and thinset the tiles down. Wait a day, grout, and done!

Still plan on picking up the insert saturday if all goes well. Yes, if I understand it correctly, it is a front to back loader. Is there any benifit to this?

 

[velvetfoot]

I liked it. I think you can pack the entire box with wood and not have to worry about it falling out.