Overkill?

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Tegbert

Feeling the Heat
Sep 15, 2016
409
Arlington Wa
Recently we had a lopi rockport installed in our home in a prior location where there was a stove when we moved in. We also have a brick masonry or whatever fireplace located in the next room over. The wife now wants to use that fireplace as more of an ambiance thing and to have more heat in there. As it is that room which is adjacent to the stove room can be 5 and sometimes 10 degrees cooler. We have a box fan in the hall which does a great job of keeping the bedroom side of the house toasty. When the fan was over by the family room it didn't have much effect on that side. Rec room is constantly 10-15 cooler but I understand it is difficult to get heat to travel in there.

A little info.

House is 1899 square feet. Built in 1974. 8 foot ceilings. Has newer double pane windows and slider. Issues are the finished rec room (old garage) needs a little sealing up but doesn't seem to bad but we also have a heat pump water heater and it cools both that room and sometimes the family room when it's running. Fireplace does not have a damper but looks as though as it did at one time. I know this is a big heat loss. Original plan was to install a block off but now she wants a fire there too.

Options are
Install a damper and run it open. Not sure how that would work and probably would still be cooler in there
Block off fireplace. But she wants a fire in there.
So that won't work.
Electric fireplace and block off. She is ok with that but if we loose power we only have the stove which might be ok if the flue is blocked off that room might be warmer.
Wood insert. I like this idea mainly cause we have the wood already it wouldn't be hard and I don't think it will be used like the stove is just mainly ambiance and of course heat especially if the power is out

Questions
Would it be overkill to have an insert installed only 30ft away from our current stove?

What size insert would you go with? I originally was thinking a small flush insert. I know flush isn't preferred as to get heat out but I don't think it will be an issue since the other stove isn't that far away. And I want modifications to be minimal.

Dimensions of the current fireplace

Opening
~36" wide
~24" tall
~19" depth on top
~22" depth on bottom
~30" wide in the back
~4.5" damper height (hard to measure)

~20" from opening to bottom of the mantle
16" to edge of hearth- another reason for a flush insert I don't want to modify this if I don't have to.

Dealer is suggesting a lopi small flush hybrid.
Open to suggestions but it has to have a view of the fire and decent burn times. Thanks for the help.

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[Hearth.com] Overkill?


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The small flush hybrid is very small. Very small..
You can fit just about any insert in that space. I don't think it's crazy at all.
 
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I'd go for something in the medium size range. Are you working with All Season's? Ask them about putting in the Lopi Revere or Pacific Energy Super insert. You'll need protection at the floor level, but that can be a simple hearth extension board.
 
T5 insert
 
Since you can never have too many wood burning appliances, I'd suggest an insert like my Hampton 300i. Might need a little more ember protection in front. The flames look quite nice and it kicks out heat if you want it too.
 
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I'd go for something in the medium size range. Are you working with All Season's? Ask them about putting in the Lopi Revere or Pacific Energy Super insert. You'll need protection at the floor level, but that can be a simple hearth extension board.

I originally worked with All seasons with our stove. I am having second thoughts about using them again though. Don't get me wrong extremely nice people and seem to know what they are talking about but I am not too keen on the fact that they contract their installs out and they don't deal with warranty issues themselves the contractor does. Again the contractor seemed to know what he was doing too but waiting 2-3 weeks for them to come back out seems kinda long to me. Might still go and check it out there.

I can deal with another extension board already had to get one for the stove too.


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The Jotul's look very nice and do a decent job putting out heat. A little bit of coin though. I would agree the T5 Classic is a nice looking stove as well.
 
Questions
Would it be overkill to have an insert installed only 30ft away from our current stove?

Absolutely not.

We have two wood stoves, and our house is smaller than yours.
 
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Recently we had a lopi rockport installed in our home in a prior location where there was a stove when we moved in. We also have a brick masonry or whatever fireplace located in the next room over. The wife now wants to use that fireplace as more of an ambiance thing and to have more heat in there. As it is that room which is adjacent to the stove room can be 5 and sometimes 10 degrees cooler. We have a box fan in the hall which does a great job of keeping the bedroom side of the house toasty. When the fan was over by the family room it didn't have much effect on that side. Rec room is constantly 10-15 cooler but I understand it is difficult to get heat to travel in there.

A little info.

House is 1899 square feet. Built in 1974. 8 foot ceilings. Has newer double pane windows and slider. Issues are the finished rec room (old garage) needs a little sealing up but doesn't seem to bad but we also have a heat pump water heater and it cools both that room and sometimes the family room when it's running. Fireplace does not have a damper but looks as though as it did at one time. I know this is a big heat loss. Original plan was to install a block off but now she wants a fire there too.

Options are
Install a damper and run it open. Not sure how that would work and probably would still be cooler in there
Block off fireplace. But she wants a fire in there.
So that won't work.
Electric fireplace and block off. She is ok with that but if we loose power we only have the stove which might be ok if the flue is blocked off that room might be warmer.
Wood insert. I like this idea mainly cause we have the wood already it wouldn't be hard and I don't think it will be used like the stove is just mainly ambiance and of course heat especially if the power is out

Questions
Would it be overkill to have an insert installed only 30ft away from our current stove?

What size insert would you go with? I originally was thinking a small flush insert. I know flush isn't preferred as to get heat out but I don't think it will be an issue since the other stove isn't that far away. And I want modifications to be minimal.

Dimensions of the current fireplace

Opening
~36" wide
~24" tall
~19" depth on top
~22" depth on bottom
~30" wide in the back
~4.5" damper height (hard to measure)

~20" from opening to bottom of the mantle
16" to edge of hearth- another reason for a flush insert I don't want to modify this if I don't have to.

Dealer is suggesting a lopi small flush hybrid.
Open to suggestions but it has to have a view of the fire and decent burn times. Thanks for the help.

View attachment 193500View attachment 193501View attachment 193502
View attachment 193503


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If it were me, I'd put an insert in. Which one depends on what you want from it. If you are budget conscious, and don't mind a bit sticking out, I'll vouch for SBI products, Drolet 1800 would be an example. If other things outweigh cost effective function, you might consider a cat insert, or a flush insert, or both.
 
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If it were me, I'd put an insert in. Which one depends on what you want from it. If you are budget conscious, and don't mind a bit sticking out, I'll vouch for SBI products, Drolet 1800 would be an example. If other things outweigh cost effective function, you might consider a cat insert, or a flush insert, or both.

Interesting. I can get an 1800 for $1400 delivered through Costco with surround and liner. That seems to be a good deal. Although i still would need to make a block off and the liner isn't insulated and would need a hearth extension but that's do able. Would have to check my measurements again though as it is close on height I think.

Too bad I can't see it in person. I personally think it would look good there but of course the final say is the boss.


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(broken link removed to https://www.myfireplaceproducts.com/Catalog.aspx?Type=Stoves&SubType=STOVE&Cat=EBOIS&Lang=EN)

Check out the website at the link. I bought the equivalent of the Drolet 1800 last year from this site, I believe it is the retail direct of SBI. I think I paid about $900, but it didn't come with the surround, which was $100 extra. Shipped free right to my door, lift gate included. Have had one warranty claim (baffle cracked), they took care of it, no problems, again shipped free right to my door. I ordered an insulation kit from Woodland Direct, put it in myself.

Tip: They have great deals if you can be patient. They call them deals of the month and they rotate what's on sale. The month after I bought mine, the Drolet 1800 trio that you are looking at was $1200 and change (November 2015).

It's a bit utilitarian looking, but the glass stays completely clear for a wonderful display of the fire, and you don't even see the stove.
 
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Any particular reason or is that what you have and works for you?


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I have a Summit. If they had a T6 insert, I would probably have it. I just think it is a beautiful insert, and PE's perform well. It is a medium sized firebox.
 
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