most efficient zero-clearance prefab fireplace?

[rorser]

To get back to your original question - do efficiency ratings mean anything? Well, I'm sure they mean something, but I think there are a ton of other considerations that probably outweigh them.

At any rate, if I were you I wouldn't give a lot of weight to efficiency ratings.
-Speak

Great advice Speak. Thank you. What you say certainly makes sense. I will give top priority to issues like reliability of the manufacturer, quietness of the fans, and the aesthetics. And, dry wood .

BTW, do you know why forum members keep mentioning "inserts" when I am building a new home? Are they not for inserting into an existing fireplace?

Thanks for simplifying the process,
Richard

 

[rorser]

Thanks. For now I have to get the dead trees down on my own property. The Sudden Oak Death has gotten me. But, I will try to dry it well.
more into the appearance and ambiance of the insert, vs. long burn time- correct? <<
That is right. Quiet fans, great view of fire and reliability/low maintenance are what are important to me.
Aren't inserts for inserting in existing fireplaces? I am building a new home.
Thanks for your help,
Richard

 

[rorser]

Your Kozy looks like quite a unit, and way more than I need. I will be getting two propane units for the Den and Bedroom, but I want a wood burner for the Living Room. I also have tons of fire wood on my 5 acres--always something falling down. Sounds like I need a small unit that will burn a small amount of wood hot enough to have an attractive flame. I certainly don't want to oversize the unit, or I will melt, and if, as you say, I damp it down, I won't get a dancing fire to watch. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Richard

 

[SpeakEasy]

To get back to your original question - do efficiency ratings mean anything? Well, I'm sure they mean something, but I think there are a ton of other considerations that probably outweigh them.

At any rate, if I were you I wouldn't give a lot of weight to efficiency ratings.
-Speak

Great advice Speak. Thank you. What you say certainly makes sense. I will give top priority to issues like reliability of the manufacturer, quietness of the fans, and the aesthetics. And, dry wood .

BTW, do you know why forum members keep mentioning "inserts" when I am building a new home? Are they not for inserting into an existing fireplace?

Thanks for simplifying the process,
Richard

You're welcome. Glad to be able to contribute.

Yes; an insert is a unit that is made to fit inside an existing fireplace opening.


Hey, here's another thought. My Fireplace Xtrordinaire is designed to operate with a screen instead of the glass doors during non-heating season. (My understanding is that you remove the glass doors and place a screen right on the pins in place of the doors.) Maybe the other manufacturers have a similar provision. For heating season this would be unthinkable, because your heated air would just go right up the chimney. But most of the time that would be OK in your situation. You'd be able to enjoy the ambience of a wood fire without the blast furnace effect.

-Speak

 

[daryl]

http://www.renaissancefireplaces.com/main.php?l=e&i=1&d=1&t=mainpages
This would be my fantasy Fireplace.

 

[rorser]

Hey, here's another thought. My Fireplace Xtrordinaire is designed to operate with a screen instead of the glass doors during non-heating season. (My understanding is that you remove the glass doors and place a screen right on the pins in place of the doors.) Maybe the other manufacturers have a similar provision. For heating season this would be unthinkable, because your heated air would just go right up the chimney. But most of the time that would be OK in your situation. You'd be able to enjoy the ambience of a wood fire without the blast furnace effect.

-Speak

Thanks for bringing up the screen possibility, because after you wrote I asked my wife about her fireplace ideas, and learned that she really wants a screen and to be able to HEAR the fire. So, now I have a criterion that will greatly reduce my brain-numbing number of choices. Thanks, R

 

[rorser]

http://www.renaissancefireplaces.com/main.php?l=e&i=1&d=1&t=mainpages
This would be my fantasy Fireplace.

Holy Cow! The videos are wonderful. This fireplace seems too good to be true. It has everything I'm looking for including: HUGE GLASS AREA, ABILITY TO USE IT WITH OR WITHOUT THE GLASS, BUILT-IN SCREEN, EFFICIENCY. Do you know anyone who has this unit? I sure would like to get some user comments. They have a dealer in my town.
Thanks for turning me onto this unit.
Gratefully,
Richard

 

[begreen]

The original question was for the most efficient unit. As far as I can tell, these fireplaces are not EPA certified and will not get the tax credit.

 

[LLigetfa]

As far as I can tell, these fireplaces are not EPA certified.

Would they even be allowed in California? I thought California had tougher rules than elsewhere.