Lopi 1750i vs freedom insert

[NHWOODISGOOD]

Hi All, New Member Here From NH. I'm Going Out This Weekend To Buy An Insert To Put In The Brick Fireplace In The Home I Just Bought. I'm Thinking Either A Lopi 1750I Or Maybe A Freedom. The Decision Isn't Based On Aesthetics, Only Performance. So Can Anyone Comment On How These Two Might Compare? They Will Be Heating A 1900+ SqFt Cape That Is 26 Years Old. I Am Mostly Concerned With Whether The 1750I Will Do An Adequate Job Of Heating The Home, And If It Will Easily Go Through The Night And Have Enough Left in The Morning For An Easy Restart. If Either One Of Those Is Iffy I Might Lean Towards The Freedom With It's Bigger Firebox. So Is The 1750I Enough Stove For Me, Or Should I Spend The Extra $650 For The Freedom? Thanks

 

[pen]

I can't comment on the stove, but just wanted to make sure that unless there is a liner in the chimney already to connect to the new insert, you are going to need to add one.

Welcome to the site!

 

[webby3650]

I install both pretty often and used a Freedom for a few years in my 2200 square foot house. I would steer toward the Freedom. You will appreciate the bigger firebox.

 

[webby3650]

One benefit of the 1750 is that it sticks out farther out of the opening. So It can be cooked on if that maters to you.
Make sure you have enough hearth for either one you choose, as well as a stainless steel liner attached to the stove.

 

[BrotherBart]

So I can be cooked on if that maters to you.

I bet that leaves a mark.

 

[Oldhippie]

Hi All, New Member Here From NH. I'm Going Out This Weekend To Buy An Insert To Put In The Brick Fireplace In The Home I Just Bought. I'm Thinking Either A Lopi 1750I Or Maybe A Freedom. The Decision Isn't Based On Aesthetics, Only Performance. So Can Anyone Comment On How These Two Might Compare? They Will Be Heating A 1900+ SqFt Cape That Is 26 Years Old. I Am Mostly Concerned With Whether The 1750I Will Do An Adequate Job Of Heating The Home, And If It Will Easily Go Through The Night And Have Enough Left in The Morning For An Easy Restart. If Either One Of Those Is Iffy I Might Lean Towards The Freedom With It's Bigger Firebox. So Is The 1750I Enough Stove For Me, Or Should I Spend The Extra $650 For The Freedom? Thanks

Just like motorcycles... "there's no replacement for displacement"

Welcome to the forum. Pics, or it didn't happen when you get it installed.

 

[webby3650]

I bet that leaves a mark.

Dang I phones!

 

[NHWOODISGOOD]

I install both pretty often and used a Freedom for a few years in my 2200 square foot house. I would steer toward the Freedom. You will appreciate the bigger firebox.

Just like motorcycles... "there's no replacement for displacement"

Welcome to the forum. Pics, or it didn't happen when you get it installed.

ya, I was already pretty sure that I would appreciate the bigger firebox, now I just need to convince my girlfriend that we need it lol.

One benefit of the 1750 is that it sticks out farther out of the opening. So I can be cooked on if that maters to you.
Make sure you have enough hearth for either one you choose, as well as a stainless steel liner attached to the stove.

ive had two different Lopi dealers give me a quote of $650 for delivery/install and $550-$650 for the liner. my hearth goes out 16" beyond the face of the fireplace. so it would go 6" beyond the 1750i and 9" beyond the freedom. is that enough?

 

[NHWOODISGOOD]

ya I saw that the lopi booklet I have says you should have 16" of hearth beyond the front of the insert, but I wasn't sure if that was just a recommendation or if that's some kind of law or something? is that mandatory? and who is going to enforce it?

 

[Dave A.]

That's a requirement for proper installation. If a dealer or certified sweep installs it, he will require it. If a permit is obtained, the inspector will almost surely require it be installed to mfr specs. If there were a fire caused by let's an ember starting it, and it was not installed properly, the insurance co might deny the claim.

 

[NHWOODISGOOD]

so I need to either extend the hearth or I can only install a flush mount insert? which the fireplace probably isn't deep enough to fit a flush mount....the freedom definitely wont fit flush

 

[webby3650]

Is it a raised hearth? Either way a row of tile out front is all it would take.

 

[NHWOODISGOOD]

Yes It's Raised 10", Does That Make A Difference?

 

[NHWOODISGOOD]

so does it make a difference that its raised? and would it be a good option to use more brick to extend it if it needs to be extended?

 

[weatherguy]

Can he just put one of those black plates in front? Would that meet code?

 

[begreen]

It looks like you would do ok with ember protection only for the lower extension. A basic hearth extension board would do this, but a nice tile border would look sharper.

 

[NHWOODISGOOD]

It looks like you would do ok with ember protection only for the lower extension. A basic hearth extension board would do this, but a nice tile border would look sharper.

do you mean a tile border down on the floor surrounding the brick hearth? do you think that would look better than putting another row of bricks in front to extend the hearth 8"? with adding bricks I would be worried that the new bricks would be a different color than the old ones and look funny. which would be an easier install?

 

[begreen]

Yes, down at the floor level. It will be less intrusive into the room.

 

[NHWOODISGOOD]

Yes, down at the floor level. It will be less intrusive into the room.

ok thanks i'll look into that. we are leaving to go to the stove store in a few.

 

[NHWOODISGOOD]

we ordered the freedom insert today, will hopefully be installed in about two weeks. we have some black marble tile leftover from our last house so I think I will try and figure out how to put that around the border of the hearth, ive never done tile before but I think im willing to give it a shot.

 

[NHWOODISGOOD]

 

[jaychino415]

View attachment 116428 View attachment 116429

Thanks for sharing your pics. The install looks great. How do you like the freedom insert so far?

 

[jaychino415]

Dang I phones!

I hear ya.

 

[brakatak]

I had same problem with hearth extender. Instead of messing with my wood floors. I got this extender to put on floor in front of hearth. It passed with local building inspector.

 

[wenger7446]

Do you also install a liner and block off plate? How do you like the stove so far?