Greetings! After much deliberation a couple months ago, we eventually decided that it was best to wait on spending thousands on doing anything to our beloved fireplace. But then, we went to get the flue cleaned, and the chimney sweep discovered issues with cracked chimney tiles, mortar and sealant. Said we would need to repair in order to safely use the fireplace, and quoted in the neighborhood of $4k. If we have to spend money anyway, we figure why not spend a bit more and do an insert afterall. So, because we're working with different people than we were a couple months back, we're looking at different insert options, and I have some questions on which I'm hoping we might get input.
We like the look of the Pacific Energy Alderlea T5, but as we understand, it has a small viewing window, and seeing the fire is important to us. Would it be possible for my wife to cook on the part of this insert that juts out into the room in the case of a power outage?
That took us to looking at the Blaze King Ashford 25. This has a larger viewing window, and seems to also have longer burn times, which is a priority. However, the aesthetics otherwise seem not as great, and whatever we get will admittedly spend most of the year sans fire.
EDIT: Also curious about the Vermont Castings Montpelier. Does anyone know anything about a 3" extension option I read about elsewhere? Looks to have a decently sized window, and certainly looks nicer than the Ashford 25.
Are there any other significant factors to compare among these options? Are there other inserts people might recommend that could do a good job balancing aesthetics of the stove itself with large viewing area, and the potential to hold a pot for cooking?
A photo of the current fireplace with measurements is attached, however the chimney sweep says our firebox is bigger than the brick opening, and we can remove the arch to fit a larger insert.
Thank you.
We like the look of the Pacific Energy Alderlea T5, but as we understand, it has a small viewing window, and seeing the fire is important to us. Would it be possible for my wife to cook on the part of this insert that juts out into the room in the case of a power outage?
That took us to looking at the Blaze King Ashford 25. This has a larger viewing window, and seems to also have longer burn times, which is a priority. However, the aesthetics otherwise seem not as great, and whatever we get will admittedly spend most of the year sans fire.
EDIT: Also curious about the Vermont Castings Montpelier. Does anyone know anything about a 3" extension option I read about elsewhere? Looks to have a decently sized window, and certainly looks nicer than the Ashford 25.
Are there any other significant factors to compare among these options? Are there other inserts people might recommend that could do a good job balancing aesthetics of the stove itself with large viewing area, and the potential to hold a pot for cooking?
A photo of the current fireplace with measurements is attached, however the chimney sweep says our firebox is bigger than the brick opening, and we can remove the arch to fit a larger insert.
Thank you.
Attachments
Last edited:
