Hello everyone, very new to the fireplace game and I’m looking to see what the best route would be for me. I bought my first house in northeast Ohio. It’s a mid 70s 1800 sqft split level with a wood burning prefab fireplace. The house is all electric and I’m looking for something that will help cut the electric bill in the winter. Being a first time homeowner is a learning experience, but I do have a background in construction as I’m a residential electrician.
The unit I have is a preway b136 and it’s on the lowest level of the house, sharing a wall between my family room and attached garage. I’m not looking to cut corners and do garbage work, but I’m also not looking to take a second mortgage on my house just to heat it either. I’m slowly renovating the house room by room but the family room is way down on the list of priorities so I’m trying to avoid tearing out much brick/mantle/drywall but still looking to do something with this fireplace to heat the house.
I’ve been reading around this site periodically and I’ve seen a lot of the same brands mentioned, but I haven’t really heard anything on the buck stove brand. I first saw them at a local dealer and found they are prefab insert rated for preway (along with other prefab brands) but I’m not sure that would be the best route. The current firebox is small and tapered in the back so I’m finding I’m limited on what I could use as an insert. Please correct me if I’m wrong, I thought I read somewhere where I could remove the firebox and install an effecient fireplace and drop a liner in the existing 6” flue? My goal is to turn my electric heat on as little as possible so it would be a 24/7 burn.
The unit I have is a preway b136 and it’s on the lowest level of the house, sharing a wall between my family room and attached garage. I’m not looking to cut corners and do garbage work, but I’m also not looking to take a second mortgage on my house just to heat it either. I’m slowly renovating the house room by room but the family room is way down on the list of priorities so I’m trying to avoid tearing out much brick/mantle/drywall but still looking to do something with this fireplace to heat the house.
I’ve been reading around this site periodically and I’ve seen a lot of the same brands mentioned, but I haven’t really heard anything on the buck stove brand. I first saw them at a local dealer and found they are prefab insert rated for preway (along with other prefab brands) but I’m not sure that would be the best route. The current firebox is small and tapered in the back so I’m finding I’m limited on what I could use as an insert. Please correct me if I’m wrong, I thought I read somewhere where I could remove the firebox and install an effecient fireplace and drop a liner in the existing 6” flue? My goal is to turn my electric heat on as little as possible so it would be a 24/7 burn.
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