Insert Recommendation

[georgiaboy38]

HI new to this forum and hope someone can give me a little advice. I know this topic was covered at one point or something similar so sorry for re-hashing it.

We use to have a Black Bart 3200 insert in the fireplace of the house I grew up in. My mother renovated the house in 2007 and replaced the insert with gas burning logs, which work, but don't near as god as that fireplace with blower. We are talking about replacing the logs and going back to wood. She wants a regular fireplace without insert, but I would feel more comfortable if she put an insert in instead. She said the fireplace was used as a regular fireplace right after I was born and converted to an insert a few years later. I just don't like the wide openness of the fireplace and would like the protection of the insert if that makes since.

Would someone recommend a decent insert with blower to use? I will post a link to the picture of the insert we use to have and even a link to a manual if that will help. I know black bart is no longer in business so anything similar would be great.

(broken link removed to http://www.wood-stove.org/images/black-bart-wood-stove.jpg)
(broken link removed)

 

[mustash29]

http://www.quadrafire.com/

My parents live in south central PA and absolutely love their 5100 insert. It burns very long & hot with good hardwoods like oak and various fruit woods. It is mounted in a huge brick hearth that is spans the corner of a 15 x 45 basement room. It throws good heat shortly after lighting it but after that hearth heats up it radiates well long after the fire is out. They're heating a 2100 sqft brick ranch (2700 if you include the unfinished basement area) exclusively with the Quad. They only run the oil while showering. His wood is extremely dry, He burns 4-5 cord per year, at his best he had 35 cord on hand.

 

[mustash29]

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/dads-wood.102975/#post-1327758

 

[gzecc]

. "I just don't like the wide openness of the fireplace and would like the protection of the insert if that makes since."
Never heard this one before. Please explain.

 

[mustash29]

I think he is talking about the fact that an open fireplace is leaky, inefficient, spark & fire hazard, etc.

An insert heats better, with less wood and is much safer. The only drawback to an insert is loosing that "open burning" ambiance.

 

[Jags]

Moving to the hearth room.

 

[Grisu]

Welcome to the forum! Could you please give us some more info?

What's your budget? What is the primary goal of the insert: supplemental heat, primary heat, occasional ambiance? If for heating: how much space do you want to heat? Does your Mom have dry wood with a moisture content of less than 20%? What are the dimensions of the fireplace? Could you post a picture?