Need some advice Lopi insert or Wood Furnace

[05ramctd]

Hello all, Got a question I have a ranch home with electric baseboard heat. I have a Jotul System 18 fireplace insert that was installed in the house in 1983. I burn alot of wood in a season and I would have to say that pushing the insert to produce more heat would only burn more wood. Was going to get a wood furnace the one in question was Drolet Heatmax. We stopped at a local business called Stoves and Stuff located outside Tamaqua Pa. While looking at the stoves and inserts we spoke with a salesperson that introduced us to a Lopi fireplace insert Hybrid.
My home is a ranch style house with the fireplace in the basement. I would have to say around 2000 sq ft.at the most. I have no duct work and no chimney on the "man side of the basement" where the wood furnace would go so that would have to be made and installed.

This is what I have now:

My stairs to my kitchen and living room are to the left of My St Bernard. Two air returns in this side of the basement. My chimney is 12 inch teracotta lined and about 24 feet high.

This is what we were shown:


This large 3 cubic foot insert features clean burning Hybrid-Fyre Technology. Hybrid Technology is a fusion of advanced secondary combustion with the addition of catalytic assist technology. Primary combustion burn occurs in the firebox with our secondary tubes re-burning gases before they leave the firebox, any remaining unburned gases then through a catalytic combustor leaving virtually no smoke to exit the appliance. The net result of this is a super clean burning insert, with emissions of just .58 grams per hour. Also with that reduction in emissions comes almost zero carbon mononxide. We are taking clean burning to an unmatched level of efficiency...

• Read more..
  . Our overall efficiency for this Large Flush Wood Hybrid-Fyre Insert is over 80%. What this means is more heat from less wood, and greater savings on your heating cost! This insert will heat up to 2,500 sq. feet, with up to 10 hour burn times and can accept 24" wood.

Now with GreenStart Option. GreenStart is a patent-pending ignition system for the modern wood burner; just load your wood and push a button! We've completely eliminated slow, cracked open door startups and laboring over fickle newspaper.
Click here to watch a (broken link removed to http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=34262040&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=1) video demonstration.

The Large Flush Wood Hybrid-Fyre Insert features a huge 319 sq. in. fire-viewing area, twin 90 CFM convection fans and has the option of adding the Revolutionary GreenStart Option. GreenStart is a patent-pending ignition system for the modern wood burner; just load your wood and push a button

Specs:
Heating Capacity Up to 2,500 Sq. Feet
Weight 530 Lbs.
Maximum Burn Time 12 Hours
Firebox Size 3.0 Cubic Feet
Maximum Log Size 24 "
Emissions 0.58 Grams Per Hour
Efficiency 80.3%
Construction 5/16" to 1/4" Steel Plate

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[PLAYS WITH FIRE]

How did the old Jotul do when pushing it? Were you comfortable with the heat? How are on wood supply(cut, split, stacked for 1 year)? I ask about the heat output cause the Jotul get hot and so does an EPA insert but the EPA insert will hold that heat longer on a single load, especially a hybrid. So, if not happy when feeding the Jotul like a locomotive, you may not be happy with anything as an insert. You can get crafty with fans pushing cold air to the warm but sometimes the location of burner is just a pain.

Since you in the basement, try blowing cold air down the stairs on an angle. This works awesome for me.

 

[begreen]

The Lopi should be a substantial improvement. I would go that route. Adding a new furnace in an unducted house is going to be expensive because of the additional costs for ducting and a new flue. And it will never provide you the pleasure of the great fire view that the Lopi will.

There are some tricks that can help distribute the heat better. Plays with Fire made a good suggestion for a simple option. To go into greater depth we need to know a bit more about the layout of the basement, stairway and main floor before making suggestions.

 

[05ramctd]

How did the old Jotul do when pushing it? Were you comfortable with the heat? How are on wood supply(cut, split, stacked for 1 year)? I ask about the heat output cause the Jotul get hot and so does an EPA insert but the EPA insert will hold that heat longer on a single load, especially a hybrid. So, if not happy when feeding the Jotul like a locomotive, you may not be happy with anything as an insert. You can get crafty with fans pushing cold air to the warm but sometimes the location of burner is just a pain.

Since you in the basement, try blowing cold air down the stairs on an angle. This works awesome for me.

Jotul did good but its starting to its age. Heat was good but when it got down to 10 degrees it needed help. got about 10 courd cut been sitting for almost a year.

 

[05ramctd]

thanks for your help...

 

[weatherguy]

That's a really nice unit, should heat your house no problem, trick might be to get the hot air moving where you want but a lot of us have that problem and its solvable. How big is the opening in your fireplace?

 

[sticks]

That System 18 is a fireplace not an insert. They sat those in place and then bricked around it. Doubt that you can remove it with out tearing down the brick.

 

[05ramctd]

Opening is about 28 inches, need to remove some brick.. checked today and there are cinderblock behing the brick. Looks like more fun but it should be worth it.
According to my neighbor when he installed it the unit is on legs and they did brick around it. The center flat stone is cut and can be pulled out to remove the stove. Just want to make shure the new unit will heat my house. With the wife and two kids they like to be warm. Thanks again for all your input. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[05ramctd]

The insert Is made by fireplace Xtrodinair not a Lopi but they are made by the same company correct?

 

[jeff_t]

The insert Is made by fireplace Xtrodinair not a Lopi but they are made by the same company correct?

Both are owned by Travis Industries.

I think I would be taking the Jotul out to see exactly what I was working with, before committing to buying anything. Or looking at other options.

 

[05ramctd]

thanks for the help