It's Done....

[lostDuck]

Well,
I have to give everyone on Hearth.com a big thanks as I would not be sitting next to my new fireplace insert today without everyone's input.

I got my new Drolet 1800i fireplace insert installed today and I am amazed at the difference in house temp already.

I though I would recap my experience for other newcomers.

1) Find dry wood (20% moisture content)
2) Find dry wood not seasoned wood
3) No one sells good dry wood cheap. Buy a moisture meter to confirm good dry wood. Split wood before measuring with a meter.
4) I waited on buying an insert until steps 1-3 were done
5) Ask a lot of questions on Hearth.com installing a wood stove is not as hard as it sounds.
6) There is no one perfect stove that everyone will agree on and for every stove someone will have had an issue with it.
7) Read the manual before you buy the stove or insert. Measure 3 times to make sure it will fit and that you have all of the minimum requirements met.
8) Micore is hard to find but worth it if you need a near to the floor hearth.
9) Installing a new flue and insert is a dirty dusty job. Have plenty of face and hand protection.


With that said here is what I used for my install.
1) Fireplace Insert - Drolet 1800i (bought online)
2) Liner - Magnaflex InsulFlex Insulated 6" liner (bought online)
3) Hearth - 1" of Micore + 1/2" Durock + Slate.

From to now


Now time for a libation and to watch the secondaries!

 

[BrotherBart]

Congrats on a job well done. Libate away.

 

[Kevin Dolan]

Well,
I have to give everyone on Hearth.com a big thanks as I would not be sitting next to my new fireplace insert today without everyone's input.

I got my new Drolet 1800i fireplace insert installed today and I am amazed at the difference in house temp already.

I though I would recap my experience for other newcomers.

1) Find dry wood (20% moisture content)
2) Find dry wood not seasoned wood
3) No one sells good dry wood cheap. Buy a moisture meter to confirm good dry wood. Split wood before measuring with a meter.
4) I waited on buying an insert until steps 1-3 were done
5) Ask a lot of questions on Hearth.com installing a wood stove is not as hard as it sounds.
6) There is no one perfect stove that everyone will agree on and for every stove someone will have had an issue with it.
7) Read the manual before you buy the stove or insert. Measure 3 times to make sure it will fit and that you have all of the minimum requirements met.
8) Micore is hard to find but worth it if you need a near to the floor hearth.
9) Installing a new flue and insert is a dirty dusty job. Have plenty of face and hand protection.


With that said here is what I used for my install.
1) Fireplace Insert - Drolet 1800i (bought online)
2) Liner - Magnaflex InsulFlex Insulated 6" liner (bought online)
3) Hearth - 1" of Micore + 1/2" Durock + Slate.

From to now
View attachment 125377 View attachment 125380 View attachment 125381

Now time for a libation and to watch the secondaries!

I love your comments on dry wood, I was with a farmer today who has a combination oil/ wood furnace and he was saying that the wood he just go out of the bush in the last few weeks does not burn too well in his furnace. Really nice ash and maple. He asked me how long I aged my wood before burning and I told him usually two years he thought it would be punky by then- that was when we had a few libations of the liquid sort. Some people don't get how seasoned wood burns so much cleaner and better. I told him I prefer to drink water than burn it,lol

 

[weatherguy]

Nice summary and good advice, I assume you made a block off plate with the micor?

 

[branchburner]

"Find dry wood not seasoned wood ... No one sells good dry wood cheap."

Sad but true... the word "seasoned" has virtually no meaning in the firewood trade, other than assuring you the tree wasn't cut down yesterday.

The rest of your post was a very good summary, as well.

 

[Adamkyr]

Well,
I have to give everyone on Hearth.com a big thanks as I would not be sitting next to my new fireplace insert today without everyone's input.

I got my new Drolet 1800i fireplace insert installed today and I am amazed at the difference in house temp already.

I though I would recap my experience for other newcomers.

1) Find dry wood (20% moisture content)
2) Find dry wood not seasoned wood
3) No one sells good dry wood cheap. Buy a moisture meter to confirm good dry wood. Split wood before measuring with a meter.
4) I waited on buying an insert until steps 1-3 were done
5) Ask a lot of questions on Hearth.com installing a wood stove is not as hard as it sounds.
6) There is no one perfect stove that everyone will agree on and for every stove someone will have had an issue with it.
7) Read the manual before you buy the stove or insert. Measure 3 times to make sure it will fit and that you have all of the minimum requirements met.
8) Micore is hard to find but worth it if you need a near to the floor hearth.
9) Installing a new flue and insert is a dirty dusty job. Have plenty of face and hand protection.


With that said here is what I used for my install.
1) Fireplace Insert - Drolet 1800i (bought online)
2) Liner - Magnaflex InsulFlex Insulated 6" liner (bought online)
3) Hearth - 1" of Micore + 1/2" Durock + Slate.

From to now
View attachment 125377 View attachment 125380 View attachment 125381

Now time for a libation and to watch the secondaries!

Glad you got it all done - though I must say you are crazier than I am for going up on the roof to do an install in the weather we have been experiencing around here lately!

Enjoy the warmth!

 

[lostDuck]

Weatherguy...the Micore was used for the hearth to give me the R value that i needed. The block off plate has Roxul stuffed up above it.

Adamkry... Warmth outweighed risk... At least the flu waited until after the flue install...

 

[Jags]

Nice job. Did you do a block off plate?

 

[lostDuck]

Jags... Yup i did a block off plate and stuffed Roxul above. It works great just like everyone said. The only downside to the stove so far is that the room is too hot!

 

[Matt93eg]

Well now, that looks awfully identical to what I have installed behind me burning wood. I guess it looks the same because its the same stove. I hope you enjoy your 1800i, my Wife and I are enjoying our so far.

I installed insert first week after Thanksgiving. Only issue is I noticed last night that the baffle has a crack right down the center of it from front to back. I am going to talk to Drolet about getting this warranted.

 

[isipwater]

Looks good!