I see a few people on here putting a freestanding stove in the fireplace opening . Is there an advantage to this? I'm sure gaining an ash drawer would be a bonus . I have an open fireplace myself and am looking to get some real heat out of it . It seems to be on the small side 25" tall 30" wide in the front, 25" at the back and 22" deep. Any ideas on what to do with it ?
Insert or freestanding
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a good reason to put a free standing stove in would be if you desired any heat from your wood-burning.
I had a pre-EPA insert in my fireplace for 21 years. Replaced with a large free standing stove half in and half out of the fireplace. The insert was better at getting the heat out into the living space due to the blower. Insert blowers can be cleaned/serviced/replaced from the front. With a free standing stove it is trapped behind the stove. I have an expensive blower attached to the back of my stove that went South the second season and has been dead back there since 2006. I compensate with Eco Fans on the stovetop and small personal fans on the hearth blowing air into the fireplace. But there isn't any comparison with what the blower on the old insert could move out into the living space.
That is not fair at all inserts work very well also. And if the freestander is back in the firebox an insert will do a better job at getting the heat out of the firebox because of the convective jacket.
jatoxico
Minister of Fire
Although in general I believe having more sides to radiate off of with a freestander is better, BB makes a good point and should consider the room and house layout. As an owner of a flush insert I can say the blowers are critical in getting heat out of it.
If you have room in front for floor protection and can maintain clearances I think I'd go freestander (think they're cheaper too). At the very least get an insert that projects onto the hearth if possible.
If you have room in front for floor protection and can maintain clearances I think I'd go freestander (think they're cheaper too). At the very least get an insert that projects onto the hearth if possible.
I personally like the appearance of a freestander and contemplated it but decided not to go that route due to it taking up too much space in the living room. Of the two inserts I have owned; the one without a blower put out more heat due to the design so they definitely are not one in the same. The stove with the blower was flush and though I got longer burn times due to the size, it put out little heat without the blower running. That is a personal preference and for me I do not like the noise of a blower.
Poindexter
Minister of Fire
One of the happiest sounds I have heard as a homeowner was the fire box of my old heatilator ZC hitting the ground when i dropped it off my second floor deck to make way for a freestander.
If your BTU needs are moderate, and the install is truly plug and play, a decent quality insert with easily replaceable fans is possibly the economical choice.
If you are going to be in the same house long enough, a freestander will be more efficient from day one.
If your BTU needs are moderate, and the install is truly plug and play, a decent quality insert with easily replaceable fans is possibly the economical choice.
If you are going to be in the same house long enough, a freestander will be more efficient from day one.
One downside, not covered that I saw, is, in our case, the switch to a wood stove was directly related to a 8 day power outage in January of '09. An insert, without power, does very poorly at getting the heat out. But we also, like the "look" of the retrofit I guess you would call it. In our case we effectively built a fire place to put our stove in... LOL
Good point, Dakotas dad , my fireplace is only 26" tall and 25" wide , so I believe I will be putting an insert in , still planning this project . Thanks
Smoked
Feeling the Heat
Unless you can extent the hearth out front the freestander will be a problem with that H measurement. Interior vs exterior masonry is also a factor in how much you get out of hearth mounted stoves with no blowers.
While I would love a free stander, I only have space for an insert. My insert does an amazing job of heating our 1,700 sf house even in the coldest of nights. I remember one night a few years ago it was -25 with the wind chill- literally the coldest day of my life- We kept the living room at 80 and the rest of the house warm. Get an insert if that's what fits. You won't be disappointed.
I had a free standing that needed to be replace. We went with an insert because my wife liked the look better. I miss the free standing and will probably have another at some point. The insert does heat well and looks good, but is dependent on the blower to get the heat out. I personally don't like the blower noise.
Ashful
Minister of Fire
I prefer the radiant heat of a free stander....
Me too, but any heat radiated off the sides, back, and top of a freestander in a fireplace is just soaked up by the masonry. If that’s exterior-tied masonry, it does a better job of heating your back yard, than your living room. I lived with this situation for several years, when I had my Jotuls.
I have free-standers in two of my fireplaces, and had an insert in one of them previously. Both work, but I think the freestanders look nicer. Also, most inserts are smaller, and I was looking for a large firebox.
However, claiming inserts move heat into the living space better is a half-truth, as there are plenty of stoves with convective jackets and blowers. I can’t see any insert doing a better job than the two stoves I own now, both cast-clad steel fire boxes with convective jacket all ‘round, and dual blowers that can move some serious air.
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