Newbie looking for some in-depth advice on choosing an insert

[GooseChaser]

A friend of mine is a member on here and suggested I give the site a look. I've been lurking around the site for a while, but thought I might make a post to get some opinions. But first a little background....

I am currently 30 years old and have been in my house almost 4 years now. I have "been around" wood stoves my whole life, as my Mom has a large insert at her house, while my Dad has a free standing stove in his house. I thought I knew a fair amount about them until I got on here and discovered I don't even know half of the tip of the iceberg.

One thing I do know for sure is that I want an insert to help heat my house. I am not looking to rely on it for heat alone, but anything to help keep my new heat pump from running would be great. The house is a 1450 square foot ranch style house that was built in the early 70s. The insulation is fair. We just recently replaced the original windows with newer ones. The room in which the stove will be in is about 250 square feet, almost like an addition off the end of the house.

I remember very well how hot my Mom's house would get running that monster insert. It would run you out of the house in a very short amount of time. I do not want that. I understand that the layout of my house makes this difficult, but that's where you smart people come into play. I have been looking at a few different options on different stove choices as well as ways to move air around my house, along with burning smaller/larger fires, etc.

As far as stove choices, the girlfriend and I visited a few stores and have looked at a few brochures. So far our favorite for looks is the Enerzone Solution. With the decor of my room, a classic style stove fits best and the solution is right there with what I am looking for.

Another option I have been considering is the Blaze King Ashford 25. Blaze King was suggested by my friend that is on this forum because of the ability to regulate the heat output, which is a big factor for me. The look of it is good, so long as I can get it in the flat/matte black look. I called a dealer and they were unsure if that was available.

The other options we found that we liked the looks of are the Lopi Answer, TImberwolfe Economizer, Napolean Oakdale 1101, and Regency I2400.

Now as I stated earlier, I'm not going to turn my heat pump off and rely totally on the stove, but the less the pump runs the better. Also, I would like to be able to sit in the stove room without having to open the windows. I have the ability to run my central air fan to circulate the heat, so if I were to not go with the BK, I feel like I could still use the room. I have also seen the fans that go in the corner of the doorways to circulate air.

Some more info on my side. I have access to an almost endless supply of wood, so coming across oak, cherry, and other hardwoods shouldn't be an issue. I like the idea of being able to load the stove and leave for the day and keeping the house warm, same for the night too. I guess basically it goes back to wanting a good addition to help heat the house and lower the electricity bill.

Edit: I forgot to mention I don't know much about cat vs not cat stoves and how that plays into daily loading, heat output, etc. If anybody wishes to enlighten me, that would be great.

Holy long first post.

 

[bholler]

What type and size fireplace do you have

 

[GooseChaser]

Here is a picture of the current fireplace and the dimensions.

 

[Eclipse2380]

Have the Ashford 25 here , not used to heat the whole house ( house is 4400 sq ft with the finished attic included) that said usually run it about half way open and get some nice heat headed up the stairs, keeping about half the house warm and decent burn times of about 8-10 hours with the fan on. As far as looks I don't think it can be beat

 

[weatherguy]

You have a good sized fireplace, the ashford would be a good choice and give you long burns while your away. You could also do a rear vent free stander too.

 

[blacktail]

I think the Lopi Answer is too small for you. My Republic is the same box. It works fine for me, but my house is smaller (1155sf) and in a milder climate. I'm guessing my house is better insulated too.
The Napoleon and Enerzone 1.8 aren't much bigger than the Answer.

 

[jetsam]

If the paint job is more important than the stove, save time and abandon hope now...

 

[GooseChaser]

Have the Ashford 25 here , not used to heat the whole house ( house is 4400 sq ft with the finished attic included) that said usually run it about half way open and get some nice heat headed up the stairs, keeping about half the house warm and decent burn times of about 8-10 hours with the fan on. As far as looks I don't think it can be beat

That looks nice. Sounds like it would be a good fit for my size house.

I think the Lopi Answer is too small for you. My Republic is the same box. It works fine for me, but my house is smaller (1155sf) and in a milder climate. I'm guessing my house is better insulated too.
The Napoleon and Enerzone 1.8 aren't much bigger than the Answer.

Would an Enerzone 2.3 be overkill? 2.3 cubic foot firebox, max output of 75,000 BTU.

If the paint job is more important than the stove, save time and abandon hope now...

If I am going to spend 5 grand on something that I will look at every day for a long time, I want it to look right. Not going to buy something that looks "alright".

 

[bholler]

That looks nice. Sounds like it would be a good fit for my size house.



Would an Enerzone 2.3 be overkill? 2.3 cubic foot firebox, max output of 75,000 BTU.



If I am going to spend 5 grand on something that I will look at every day for a long time, I want it to look right. Not going to buy something that looks "alright".

I agree with you on the aestetics point. I would not choose looks over function but there are lots of stoves out there that give you both looks and performance.

 

[Dix]

If I am going to spend 5 grand on something that I will look at every day for a long time, I want it to look right. Not going to buy something that looks "alright".

I doubt 5 grand is the final bill.... unless you're not telling us something

Welcome to the forums !!

A floor plan layout is going to help ( FYI, I'm the floor plan Gal ! )

I'd consider a free stander in that FP, for sure !

Get on that firewood, you're going to need it!!

 

[Woody Stover]

If you wanna go cat, and have a sweet-looking rig sitting in front of that fireplace, get the rear-venting Woodstock Keystone.
Then again, if you wanna adhere to the KISS principle as far as maintenance and upkeep costs, get a non-cat. But most of them top-vent so you have to look at a connector pipe, and the few rear-vents (Jotul, e.g.) might roast you.
But the Keystone will look great, not roast you out, run on a short stack with no problems, has a grated ash-handling system, clean window, quality construction, and so on. You can thank me later, like I thanked begreen for suggesting this stove to me, many moons ago.
BTW, did I mention that I am a Ws fanboy?

 

[bholler]

If you wanna go cat, and have a sweet-looking rig sitting in front of that fireplace, get the rear-venting Woodstock Keystone.
Then again, if you wanna adhere to the KISS principle as far as maintenance and upkeep costs, get a non-cat. But most of them top-vent so you have to look at a connector pipe, and the few rear-vents (Jotul, e.g.) might roast you.
But the Keystone will look great, not roast you out, run on a short stack with no problems, has a grated ash-handling system, clean window, quality construction, and so on. You can thank me later, like I thanked begreen for suggesting this stove to me, many moons ago.
BTW, did I mention that I am a Ws fanboy?

You do realize he is asking about inserts right?

 

[Rickb]

I cant believe they don't offer inserts yet....

 

[GooseChaser]

I agree with you on the aestetics point. I would not choose looks over function but there are lots of stoves out there that give you both looks and performance.

I've seen quite a few of your posts concerning different stoves and what they are best suited for, and would like to ask your opinion. For a stove to use in my den to heat the whole house, but still keep that room comfortable, would I be better off with a BK Ashford or the Enerzone Solution 2.3? Not taking your word as Gospel, just like to ask someone who has experience with many different options.

I doubt 5 grand is the final bill.... unless you're not telling us something

Welcome to the forums !!

A floor plan layout is going to help ( FYI, I'm the floor plan Gal ! )

I'd consider a free stander in that FP, for sure !

Get on that firewood, you're going to need it!!

How detailed of a plan? A rough sketch on a piece of paper with room dimensions suffice? I bought the house with a Hearthstone in front of it and don't care for that look. An insert is what I am after.

If you wanna go cat, and have a sweet-looking rig sitting in front of that fireplace, get the rear-venting Woodstock Keystone.
Then again, if you wanna adhere to the KISS principle as far as maintenance and upkeep costs, get a non-cat. But most of them top-vent so you have to look at a connector pipe, and the few rear-vents (Jotul, e.g.) might roast you.
But the Keystone will look great, not roast you out, run on a short stack with no problems, has a grated ash-handling system, clean window, quality construction, and so on. You can thank me later, like I thanked begreen for suggesting this stove to me, many moons ago.
BTW, did I mention that I am a Ws fanboy?

I like the idea of the KISS principle. I'm not quite as hard core about wood-stoving as most on here. Looking for an insert to help heat the house that looks good.

 

[Dix]

How detailed of a plan? A rough sketch on a piece of paper with room dimensions suffice? I bought the house with a Hearthstone in front of it and don't care for that look. An insert is what I am after.

Rough is fine.

Open up your mind. If I had to do it all over again, 10 years later, the PE insert would have been an Englander 30 in the middle of the house, instead of an insert at the end of the house. Live & learn

 

[bholler]

I've seen quite a few of your posts concerning different stoves and what they are best suited for, and would like to ask your opinion. For a stove to use in my den to heat the whole house, but still keep that room comfortable, would I be better off with a BK Ashford or the Enerzone Solution 2.3? Not taking your word as Gospel, just like to ask someone who has experience with many different options.



How detailed of a plan? A rough sketch on a piece of paper with room dimensions suffice? I bought the house with a Hearthstone in front of it and don't care for that look. An insert is what I am after.



I like the idea of the KISS principle. I'm not quite as hard core about wood-stoving as most on here. Looking for an insert to help heat the house that looks good.

I know nothing about the enerzone. But I will say heating the whole house from a somewhat remote 250 sqft room without overheating that room is going to be tougg

 

[Rickb]

I agree... I heat my main floor 1200sqft from my 750sqft finished basement with the help of a ducted fan and even then the main floor would be cold with out he furnace assisting once the sun goes down once in a while. And that's with a cat stove on low..

 

[Woody Stover]

You do realize he is asking about inserts right?

Well, now I do. I didn't read carefully enough, then I saw the pic of the hearth. There's a ton of room there. A rear-vent stove with a tee is going to be a breeze to brush the chimney. I don't like blower noise, either. I'd be inclined to weigh all the options, if he's new to burning wood. Lots to consider.

I bought the house with a Hearthstone in front of it and don't care for that look. An insert is what I am after.

OK, you know what looks good to you. If you keep the hearth clear you can curl up and take a nap there on a cold winter day.

I know nothing about the enerzone. But I will say heating the whole house from a somewhat remote 250 sqft room without overheating that room is going to be tougg

It's another SBI stove, like an Osburn 2000, Drolet Escape or other skins they put on that box.
Goose, you can blow a small fan on the floor outside the door, into the stove room on low to enhance the convection loop out of the room.

 

[bholler]

Well, now I do. I didn't read carefully enough, then I saw the pic of the hearth. There's a ton of room there. A rear-vent stove with a tee is going to be a breeze to brush the chimney. I don't like blower noise, either. I'd be inclined to weigh all the options, if he's new to burning wood. Lots of things to consider.
OK, you know what looks good to you. If you keep the hearth clear you can take a nap there on a cold winter day.
It's another SBI stove, like an Osburn 2000, Drolet Escape or other skins they put on.
Goose, you can blow a small fan on the floor outside the door, into the stove room on low to enhance the convection loop out of the room.

To be clear a rear vent stove with a tee infront of a fireplace is way harder to clean than an insert. And yes it is a big hearth extension. But nowhere near large enough for a stove unless it is on slab an extension would need to be added.

 

[Woody Stover]

To be clear a rear vent stove with a tee infront of a fireplace is way harder to clean than an insert. And yes it is a big hearth extension. But nowhere near large enough for a stove unless it is on slab an extension would need to be added.

Well, I just know it is easy for me, putting a plastic bag on the bottom of the tee and brushing from the top. With the Buck 91 I had to make sure to get the crap off the top rear of the box. To be fair, I haven't cleaned all that many different stoves.
The Keystone needs about 19" of hearth..looks like he may have that. Front clearance, not sure. If you measured down from the bottom edge of the stove, you might have the 8" but I don't know if that's legit, or if you have to come straight out. I doubt that's on a slab..

 

[GooseChaser]

Rough is fine.

Open up your mind. If I had to do it all over again, 10 years later, the PE insert would have been an Englander 30 in the middle of the house, instead of an insert at the end of the house. Live & learn

I will work on that this afternoon!

Oh and if I had to do over, I would just build my own house so I could have it exactly the way I want it. If only I had known...

I know nothing about the enerzone. But I will say heating the whole house from a somewhat remote 250 sqft room without overheating that room is going to be tougg

The more I research and think about it, the more I am realizing this. I understand the room will probably be warmer than the rest. I guess it will just take some time to figure out how to spread the heat around, be it running my central air fan, installing some duct work from the fireplace room t the other end of the house etc.

I agree... I heat my main floor 1200sqft from my 750sqft finished basement with the help of a ducted fan and even then the main floor would be cold with out he furnace assisting once the sun goes down once in a while. And that's with a cat stove on low..

I don't mind if my heat has to come on occasionally. If you turn the cat stove up a little will it heat enough to keep the furnace off?

 

[SculptureOfSound]

I'm heating 1650sf (well only heating about 1550 as one room is closed off) from the far end of a 260sf room with 3.5 external walls. Our house is a long ranch.

The key for me was a 200 (it might be 300) cfm fan, one of those carpet drying style fans. I think I got it at Walmart for $50, so not a commercial one by any means. I have it on top of a bookshelf halfway in the room pointing towards the rest of the house. For me blowing the hot air out worked better than cold air in. About 77 in stove room, 73-74 in central living space and then 66-68 in the bedrooms at the end of the house farthest from the insert.

And this is all with a relatively small flush insert, the VC Montpelier.

 

[Woody Stover]

Our house is a long ranch.

That's about what my BIL's 1500 sq.ft. house is; Kitchen/dining at one end, hallway with two bedrooms off it (they're closed most of the time,) and the stove/living room with a lot of windows at the other end, with my old Fireview in it. A 10" fan on the floor in the hallway, blowing into the stove room, distributes the heat pretty well. Several degrees difference end to end, of course.. the stove room is always cozy because you feel the radiation in addition to room air temp.

I guess it will just take some time to figure out how to spread the heat around, be it running my central air fan, installing some duct work from the fireplace room t the other end of the house etc.

If you read up on that, you'll see mixed results using this approach; Many times, the heat is just absorbed by the duct work, with no real benefit.

I don't mind if my heat has to come on occasionally. If you turn the cat stove up a little will it heat enough to keep the furnace off?

Any stove will help, and yes you can turn a cat stove up for more heat. It's just hard to say which insert will heat better, burn longer, etc, and the random BTU numbers you see listed on mfgr. websites can't really be relied on for comparing different stoves.

 

[Rickb]

I don't mind if my heat has to come on occasionally. If you turn the cat stove up a little will it heat enough to keep the furnace off?

Yes but then the lower area would be 75+ and too warm. And thats with a lot of air movement. I try to keep it at 71F then the main floor stays around 68F with the central heat kicking on once in a while.

But again this is a good sized room. 250sqft would heat up a lot more then mine.

 

[LoveToBurn]

My 2 cents - Stay away from the Regency if you are planning on a lot of burning. After 10 years of heavy burning, the baffles and tubes are totally disintegrated as the pic will show. Regency says I "did not maintain" so the 'lifetime warranty' was denied. Regardless of the warranty, the stove will not take the abuse of being the main heat source.