Looking to buy pellet insert For my 2600 Sq.Ft home

[Altemyheat]

Hi I am new to this site. Currently I have all electric home and am sick and tiered of paying six to seven hundred dollars a month. After, considering all the other options I have decided to go with pellet insert into my existing fireplace (Brick and Masonary). I mainly want to heat 2 floors of my home each floor is about 1228 Sq.ft. The fire place is on the first floor of my living room. I have no doubt it will have no problem for the first floor but I have some concern about heating the second floor (Since they are supposedly space heater and not designed to heat the whole house).

I went to dealer close by my area and the guy there suggested two models of QUADRA-FIRE brand.
1. Mt. Vernon Ae Insert: Up to 52460 BTU/HR Input with 47 lb hopper that heats up to 2900 Sq ft. with a price tag of $5233.00 installed
2. Classic Bay 1200i: up to 47300 BTU/HR Input with 75 lb hopper that heats up to 2600 Sq.ft with a price tag of $3604.00

I would really appreciate very much if you could give some guidance and input on this or any other brand that may be better as far as low maintenance and reliable.

 

[RhodyPelletRook]

Just installed the harman accentra 52i. Harman and Quad are owned by the same parent company. Sounds like your dealer carries quad. It'll take some time but I'd recommend searching for insert and seeing what people say. There really aren't that many compared to free standing. My father in law heated a inefficient layout w the old accentra insert from Harman. I think if you keep a strong insert well maintained and pumping good pellets you'll do well. Best of luck to you

 

[CygnusX1]

I'd go with a Enviro M55 or Harman Accentra.

 

[Lake Girl]

While figuring out what insert you want to try, start tightening up all the potential leak areas with insulation, doors and windows.

 

[tjnamtiw]

OK, you live in coal country. Are you aware that there is a whole new breed of energy efficient, beautiful, easy to maintain coal burning stoker free standing and fireplace inserts that will give you 2 to 3 times the heat that the largest pellet stove will give you? Also, are you aware that coal costs the same or less per ton than pellets but gives you 50% or more heat per pound?
I know this is a pellet forum but it is only common sense to make you aware of ALL your options as you TRY to heat your big home with a pellet insert and wonder why it doesn't do the job unless it's burning 4 bags a day. There have been so many posts on here this year complaining about heat output and pellet usage.
www.leisurelinestoves.com
www.keystoker.com
(broken link removed to http://readingstove.com/heating-stoves/coal-stoves/lehigh-stove.php)

 

[alternativeheat]

Hi I am new to this site. Currently I have all electric home and am sick and tiered of paying six to seven hundred dollars a month. After, considering all the other options I have decided to go with pellet insert into my existing fireplace (Brick and Masonary). I mainly want to heat 2 floors of my home each floor is about 1228 Sq.ft. The fire place is on the first floor of my living room. I have no doubt it will have no problem for the first floor but I have some concern about heating the second floor (Since they are supposedly space heater and not designed to heat the whole house).

I went to dealer close by my area and the guy there suggested two models of QUADRA-FIRE brand.
1. Mt. Vernon Ae Insert: Up to 52460 BTU/HR Input with 47 lb hopper that heats up to 2900 Sq ft. with a price tag of $5233.00 installed
2. Classic Bay 1200i: up to 47300 BTU/HR Input with 75 lb hopper that heats up to 2600 Sq.ft with a price tag of $3604.00

I would really appreciate very much if you could give some guidance and input on this or any other brand that may be better as far as low maintenance and reliable.

On a really cold night in Jan that 47 lb hopper might be a bit lean but the stove can output for sure.

The Harman Accentra P52i would be a good fit, beautiful insert slightly less BTU in but it outputs tremendous heat and has a slightly larger hopper. It has powerful twin convection blowers for a lot of push.

Coal is an option as another poster mentions. It's an old stand by, makes great heat. Todays stoves are different than years ago ( like I just took out !). More efficient, more hands off almost like a pellet stove. Pellets are kind of the Tickle Me Elmo of alternative heating now but coal if you have access is still there. Expect about 150- 200lb of ash for every ton of coal burned, if the new stoves are even remotely similar to my old coal burner in that respect..

 

[Phoenix Hatchling]

OK, you live in coal country. Are you aware that there is a whole new breed of energy efficient, beautiful, easy to maintain coal burning stoker free standing and fireplace inserts that will give you 2 to 3 times the heat that the largest pellet stove will give you? Also, are you aware that coal costs the same or less per ton than pellets but gives you 50% or more heat per pound?
I know this is a pellet forum but it is only common sense to make you aware of ALL your options as you TRY to heat your big home with a pellet insert and wonder why it doesn't do the job unless it's burning 4 bags a day. There have been so many posts on here this year complaining about heat output and pellet usage.
www.leisurelinestoves.com
www.keystoker.com
(broken link removed to http://readingstove.com/heating-stoves/coal-stoves/lehigh-stove.php)[/quote

I found this out after the fact as well and would have been interested in coal burning. I DID buy a Harman Accentra for a 2200 sq ft house and love it! For this and any size stove for that matter, air flow and ventilation are key. While we had the stove last year, the back side of the house stayed cool and I couldn't figure out how to bring warmth back there. This year we left the whole house AC fan on which circulated air to ALL rooms and everything was comfy, even with the much colder temps of this winter.

That said, I think the Harmans are much hardier workhorses, and you will never have burnpot issues or jams. They are a breeze to maintain monthly and weekly, with the only foible I can find being the fact that their blowers are not as quiet as Quads.

 

[Aquion]

I'm very happy with my Enviro M55 insert.

If I lived anywhere near Nazareth, I'd be at the Martin Guitar Factory all the time. I'm jealous!

 

[tjnamtiw]

. Expect about 150- 200lb of ash for every ton of coal burned, if the new stoves are even remotely similar to my old coal burner in that respect..

Yep, more ash than pellets but it can be put out with the trash or used in other ways. Just learn the proper way to handle it and it is not a dust/dirt problem as the 'old timers' remember. Really not an excuse to save a LOT of money on heat. The stoves are priced the same as pellet stoves and the stokers are almost hands-free and simple yet effective.