New build-wood stove insert

[dr3131]

My wife and I are building a 2300 sq. ft. cottage at our lake and she is completely against a free standing stove and I think I have elected to go with an insert.

We don't live at lake but when we are up there we would probably use it primarily for heat.

I don't have any history of having a fireplace.

We like the sound of a fire rather than looking through glass.
We like burning wood rather than gas.
I like the efficiency aspect of a wood stove vs. a fireplace.

Questions
1. Most of the discussion on stove inserts speak about retrofitting one into an existing fireplace. Is it a big deal to just build it into a new build?

2. I like the concept of being able to burn without the door on. What options are there that of high quality?

3. I don't like the flush look and like the BK princess insert due to the glowing reviews but I must admit the glass seems to be very small for my taste.

4. What other options would people recommend?
-- Not flush
-- Large glass
-- Not as important but would be nice if it could burn without the door on it.

Thank you in advance

Mike

 

[bholler]

My wife and I are building a 2300 sq. ft. cottage at our lake and she is completely against a free standing stove and I think I have elected to go with an insert.

We don't live at lake but when we are up there we would probably use it primarily for heat.

I don't have any history of having a fireplace.

We like the sound of a fire rather than looking through glass.
We like burning wood rather than gas.
I like the efficiency aspect of a wood stove vs. a fireplace.

Questions
1. Most of the discussion on stove inserts speak about retrofitting one into an existing fireplace. Is it a big deal to just build it into a new build?

2. I like the concept of being able to burn without the door on. What options are there that of high quality?

3. I don't like the flush look and like the BK princess insert due to the glowing reviews but I must admit the glass seems to be very small for my taste.

4. What other options would people recommend?
-- Not flush
-- Large glass
-- Not as important but would be nice if it could burn without the door on it.

Thank you in advance

Mike

To use an insert you would need to build a conplete code compliant masonry fireplace to put it in. That is not very cost effective. What you want is a high efficiency prefab fireplace.

 

[jetsam]

1) Nobody does that because freestanding stoves are flat out better, and a masonry fireplace is expensive. Why pay a lot more for a worse heater? Inserts are popular because old houses already have the fireplace and chimney there. Good luck with the wife. Tell her we said you should put in a central freestander!

2) Anything that burns with the door off is basically an open fireplace in terms of heating efficiency- it will possibly be worse than no heat source when used that way. It's a 6" tube blasting warm air out of your house and giving back very little in return.

3) The PI is an amazing heater. I heat 2300sf with only wood and that stove. It is a little too small for the job in the dead of winter, but it does get it done. Mileage will vary with insulation and climate.

4) The Kuma Sequoia looks like an awesome larger insert to me, but I don't have any experience with it. Heard good stuff about it, but not too many owners frequent hearth. Any of the BK inserts are going to be excellent, also.

 

[bholler]

My wife and I are building a 2300 sq. ft. cottage at our lake and she is completely against a free standing stove and I think I have elected to go with an insert.

We don't live at lake but when we are up there we would probably use it primarily for heat.

I don't have any history of having a fireplace.

We like the sound of a fire rather than looking through glass.
We like burning wood rather than gas.
I like the efficiency aspect of a wood stove vs. a fireplace.

Questions
1. Most of the discussion on stove inserts speak about retrofitting one into an existing fireplace. Is it a big deal to just build it into a new build?

2. I like the concept of being able to burn without the door on. What options are there that of high quality?

3. I don't like the flush look and like the BK princess insert due to the glowing reviews but I must admit the glass seems to be very small for my taste.

4. What other options would people recommend?
-- Not flush
-- Large glass
-- Not as important but would be nice if it could burn without the door on it.

Thank you in advance

Mike

I am a little confused because the princess is not a flush insert at all anyway.

 

[jetsam]

I am a little confused because the princess is not a flush insert at all anyway.

He said he wants non-flush and large glass.

 

[bholler]

He said he wants non-flush and large glass.

Yes but he also said he didnt like the flush look of the princess.

It doesnt really matter much unless he is willing to spend 15 or 20 thousand to build a fireplace just to put 5000 more into an insert and liner.

 

[jetsam]

Yes but he also said he didnt like the flush look of the princess.

It doesnt really matter much unless he is willing to spend 15 or 20 thousand to build a fireplace just to put 5000 more into an insert and liner.

Agreed about the fireplace, but:



He doesn't want flush. He did like the princess except for the small glass.

The Princess is even less flush than you might expect from seeing it in a brochure, too.

 

[begreen]

The term "insert" is often misused in the fireplace industry. It sounds like a good quality, high-efficiency EPA zero-clearance fireplace is what you are looking for. It's not an insert, but some dealers call it that. There are many choices from several different manufacturers. RSF, Kozy, PE, Valcourt, FPX, Quadrafire, Heatilator, are some examples. Some models have very large viewing glass.

 

[bholler]

Agreed about the fireplace, but:

View attachment 230599

He doesn't want flush. He did like the princess except for the small glass.

The Princess is even less flush than you might expect from seeing it in a brochure, too.

View attachment 230600

Ahhh i see i misread it.


And yeah i know what they look like in person. To each their own but i really dislike the look personally

 

[jetsam]

Ahhh i see i misread it.


And yeah i know what they look like in person. To each their own but i really dislike the look personally

My wife called it "industrial" before the first winter. Now she loves it.

 

[bholler]

Industrial??? I dont see that at all. I just see a stove that goes against pretty much every proportion standard used.

 

[begreen]

Questions
1. Most of the discussion on stove inserts speak about retrofitting one into an existing fireplace. Is it a big deal to just build it into a new build?

2. I like the concept of being able to burn without the door on. What options are there that of high quality?

3. I don't like the flush look and like the BK princess insert due to the glowing reviews but I must admit the glass seems to be very small for my taste.

4. What other options would people recommend?
-- Not flush
-- Large glass
-- Not as important but would be nice if it could burn without the door on it.

1) For a ZC fireplace it is not a big deal for new construction.
2) Some ZC fireplaces allow burning with open doors. It is very inefficient and dirty, but possible with some units.
3) You would need to build a full masonry fireplace for the BK Princess insert. Now you are talking about a big deal and that is a stove that would not be practical to burn with the door open.

A good ZC fireplace will provide great heat, a clean burn and a large viewing glass. Do you want a traditional or contemporary look?

 

[barnaclebob]

I can still hear the pops from the fire in my Progress Hybrid. They are a bit muffled but you know a fire is making the noise. The light rumble from the flames is missing however.

I've loved fireplaces since I was a kid and can say that sitting in front of a wood stove with a good viewing glass is just as satisfying. The way the stove warms up the room means you get radiant heat from all sides which I think is the reason people say wood stove heat just feels better. I also think the wood stoves are more interesting to look at with how the flames dance around.

 

[jetsam]

3) You would need to build a full masonry fireplace for the BK Princess insert. Now you are talking about a big deal and that is a stove that would not be practical to burn with the door open.

The door does lift right off, but you can melt the bypass retainers and wind up needing a welder to fix the stove. I don't know, but I am guessing that BK takes an extremely close look at warranty claims on stoves with melted internal parts.

Unless the stove is specifically designed to burn with the door open, don't try it. (And if you want a warm house, don't try it either.)

 

[Threelittlefish]

I know you said no freestanding stove but here it is anyway. Jotul F500 and F600 have a screen available to burn with the door open or removed. Pretty stove too!

 

[joshuaboston]

Hi Mike,

I just signed a contract (about two weeks ago) to get a Lopi Large Hybrid wood insert installed... the price is not about $7,200.00 with tax.

This is a flush insert but I like the look. I also like flush since it takes up the least space and I don't have to worry about having a heath extended.

I don't understand the concept of wanting the door open, to me it leads to more pollution in the house also more prone to fires... will you have a metal curtain in front of your wood insert?

To me I wanted a LARGE GLASS DOOR (perhaps the most important factor to me), I want a extremely clean burn (hence the hybrid, I have a kid and I want a fire that produces low emissions) and just so happens the lopi insert is the cleanest in the world and I wanted a modern look and lastly I wanted a flush insert so the wood insert takes up as little as space as possible.

Good luck.

 

[begreen]

That same style is available from Travis in fireplace form in either contemporary or traditional style.
https://www.fireplacex.com/ProductGuide/ProductDetail.aspx?modelsku=98500105
https://www.fireplacex.com/ProductGuide/ProductDetail.aspx?modelsku=98500104
https://www.fireplacex.com/ProductGuide/ProductDetail.aspx?modelsku=98500113

 

[cjgoode]

I would really try and talk her into a free standing stove, an insert loses some of the benefits with no upside. You will not be removing it to build a fire. Our gas file place is not suitable for an insert, so I have both. A fireplace and a free standing wood stove. Wife was not happy because it throws off the symmetry of the room, oh well I wanted the heat from wood from our property. The gas fireplace can be turned on for ambiance, and the wood stove for the heat the sounds and burning wood. I would prefer a wood fire in the fire place but that takes time to build and we would not want to leave it burning when we went to bed. So gas it is, turn it on, turn it off. We went with an Osburn 2200, it by far has the largest glass bay window door we could find. You do lose some efficiency with the larger glass and bay window, I do not know why. Seeing the fire was by far more important then the absolute most efficient stove. If I was building new, I would do both a free standing and a real fire place, I think it has worked out real well.

 

[dr3131]

Thanks for the great feedback.

I am new to the fireplace/wood stove world.

After reviewing the comments above here is where I am at.

1. Installing a wood stove insert doesn't seem to be a viable option due to the cost and other factors.
2. Unless there is a strong push by wife burning with the door open doesn't seem like a good idea.

Two options at this point.
1. Zero clearance wood burning options. - Benefits- Wouldn't need to have masonry fireplace/chimney. more Efficient than traditional fireplace, takes up least amount of space, large glass

2. Free standing wood stove- Benefits- Most efficient, wouldn't need to have masonry chimney, Downside- smaller window, takes up more space in great room.

Does anyone have any photos or thoughts on "building" the free standing wood stove into the wall as much as possible?

Thanks again for the input.

 

[begreen]

The space taken up by a stove is not overbearing, especially in a large room. But an alcove could be built into a wall and as long as clearances are met, it would reduce the footprint in the room. Search on 'alcove' in this forum for some examples.

However, if the house will need some heat distribution to more closed off rooms then a good ZC fireplace that can be remotely ducted may have an advantage.