Insert information requested

[Striped_zebra]

Any luck with this? I’m looking to find a wood insert that has an option to duct hot air to the other side of my chimney, not sure if it’s possible but my chimney is centrally located in a split level and the mid large level is often cold. The fireplace is on the lower level and if I could install a wood burning insert and blow into the mid level by creating a duct I think it would really help.

I saw you mention inserts have duct options. Can you point me in that direction?

 

[Striped_zebra]

I think what I’m considering is not allowed but I’m totally new to the fire place insert arena. I grew up with an open fireplace my whole life and my new house has an open fireplace.

Is it allowed to cut a hole in your chimney rear or side and run a single heat duct from the chimney box area to an adjacent room. I’m not sure how much ambient heated air is in the space after a wood burning insert is installed. My main living space is directly behind my fire place and chimney and that’s the reason I’m asking.

 

[begreen]

In a ZC installation, the chimney is boxed in what is called a chase. It would not be possible to cut a hole in a chimney pipe, but putting a vent grille on the chase is possible.

 

[Striped_zebra]

I’m not sure what a zero clearance vs a normal wood burning insert. I’m interested in installing a new wood burning insert. Just starting to research. Idk how hard or even feasible it is to cut through the rear brick fire wall to allow heat duct to go up to my living room. Directly behind this fireplace is my large living space and it’s always cold. HVAC forced air system. Worried installing a wood insert down here will never get heat up the stairs and into the living space

 

[begreen]

Ok, this looks like a masonry fireplace. The needs are quite different from the original poster. Moving this to its own thread. @Striped_zebra the chimney can not be tapped for heat into the other room here. And no insert has the ability to duct its heat to a remote space. What was confusing is the interchange of the word "insert" when meaning a ZC fireplace. That is not the case here.

An insert in the fireplace will greatly improve the heat output. An open fireplace only heats the immediate vicinity radiantly while burning. It actually ends up removing heat from the house.

 

[begreen]

If you can post a quick sketch or two of the floor plan(s) indicating the fireplace location, we may be able assist in helping solve the heating problem better.

 

[Striped_zebra]

If you can post a quick sketch or two of the floor plan(s) indicating the fireplace location, we may be able assist in helping solve the heating problem better.

Will do. I will have to post later today at home. Thanks for the help. I’ll try creating a new thread with my dilemma.

 

[begreen]

Stick with this thread so that information is not repeated.

 

[Striped_zebra]

Had a question. I see the Pacific energy FP30 has a heat distribution system advertised which looks like exactly what I’m interested in doing. Why would that not be allowed to go through a brick and mortar chimney sidewall to heat an adjacent room?

FP30 heat distribution

 

[begreen]

The FP30 is a standalone, ZC fireplace, not a fireplace insert.

 

[Striped_zebra]

If you can post a quick sketch or two of the floor plan(s) indicating the fireplace location, we may be able assist in helping solve the heating problem better.

Still need to do a sketch but wanted to add these two pictures and a question. I’m pretty set off getting a Lopi next gen hybrid which my local store sells. I’m really unsure if I should get the larger or medium version. The sales woman said a medium bc of concern of the fire room being way too hot

The fire place is a lower level of a split level house. The stairs are next to the hearth. The stairs go up to the open living area (biggest and coldest room). And then above the den is 3 bedrooms. The stairwell is open railing.

Here’s two pictures showing the fire place location and stairwell. The heat will need to basically do a U turn to get to the main living space. Anyone have experience moving heat in a manner like this? Recommendation on wood insert size?

 

[begreen]

The hot air will try to convect up the stairwell. It will make it up to the hallway at the top, but the 90º turn into the living area may block flow if there is a doorway to the entrance. It will take some experimenting to see if a fan in that doorway on the floor, pointing into the hallway can exchange enough heat to make a difference.

Unfortunately, USA tells us nothing about the regional climate that the house is in. That would help determine the insert size.

 

[Striped_zebra]

The hot air will try to convect up the stairwell. It will make it up to the hallway at the top, but the 90º turn into the living area may block flow if there is a doorway to the entrance. It will take some experimenting to see if a fan in that doorway on the floor, pointing into the hallway can exchange enough heat to make a difference.

Unfortunately, USA tells us nothing about the regional climate that the house is in. That would help determine the insert size.

Oh yeah woops it’s east coast Virginia. Also there is no doors in the living room area at the mid level up. Just open floor plan.