Pellet insert, Wood burning insert or both?

[relocatedsoutherncharm]

I'll admit it, I'm pretty much clueless and have learned the little I do know about what I'll be asking from reading on this site...so please have patience with me.

We have a 2200 sq. foot raised ranch home with 3 fireplaces - 2 upstairs and 1 downstairs. We selected the house when we moved from the south because of the fireplaces and they do keep us warm in the winter (it also turns out we actually burn less oil than our native neighbors because of them.) Our house is heated by oil and is hot water baseboard - water is on demand. This year I am determined to install inserts. I was thinking we should do all three, but I've been told it would be overkill for the size house we have. 1 fireplace in the kitchen and 1 in the open living/dining area. Both of those area's also on their own heating zones. Also have central AC upstairs so will be able to run the "fan" to circulate the air, as we do year round anyway (1500 sq. ft upstairs). Downstairs on it's own heating zone, again has a fireplace that gives tremendous heat, no central ac -hence no fan.

The open area living/dining fireplace and the downstairs fireplace are center chimneys. Kitchen chimney is outside wall.

I was thinking of putting a pellet stove in the kitchen fireplace because it will be cleaner and installing a wood burning insert into the upstairs fireplace. Would it be better to have a wood stove insert downstairs, with a blower (obviously) and leaving the upstairs living area fireplace alone for this year? I really want to leave at least one of those 3 fireplaces open, even if only with an insert that has an open box (I saw one in Maine at a B&B.

Hoping I'm making some kind of sense...

 

[CantAfford$5Oil]

I really want to leave at least one of those 3 fireplaces open

Hoping I'm making some kind of sense...

I'm new at this too, so I hope I make sense as well... The one thing I have been told repeatedly in my research is that if I end up not putting an insert into my open downstairs fireplace, that I should consider it a big hole in my wall even with the damper closed, and at the very least to make sure it is sealed for the season somehow with more than just the regular damper closed.

If you are just concerned about having an open fireplace for future resale and do not intend to make fires in it, then seal it up from as many areas as possible - look into sealing the damper airtight, maybe installing an extra damper at the top, and possibly putting some type of decorative panel either in front of or inside of the fireplace to help block the air a third way. A future owner could easily unseal the lower damper and remove the decorative panel. If you want the option of an occasional fireplace fire then adding the top damper and the outside decorative panel might help in between uses.

From the way oil is going, I will never look at an open fireplace in the same romantic way again! At least not when I'm paying the bill to heat the space...on vacation maybe, but not in my home anymore!! If I were buying a house today, I'd much rather see an insert than an open fireplace.

We are in CT, and have a small raised ranch. Yours sounds huge, and beautiful! Good Luck!

 

[relocatedsoutherncharm]

I called the B&B;and it turns out they have a very old Ashley wood burning insert. It does not have a door on it. That fireplace heated up a pretty large area. I can't find anything like it...bummer, I sure did like it. I agree with you, basically waste not - want not. And for sure - can't afford $5.00 oil

Now I just have to identify what we'll put in these fireplaces that will not cost us both legs and an arm.

 

[CantAfford$5Oil]

I really, really, really hate to take a chunk of "it-took-us-absolutely-forever-to-save" savings out of the bank to do this project, but if I don't give the stove guy the arms and legs, the oil man cometh for the first born son!

I figure I will be spending several thousand more for oil this year, so even if the oil bill after the insert or stove is the same as last year, at least I've taken the monetary difference it would have gone up and invested it in something for the house instead of sending it up the oil burner flue. Does that logic make sense? I keep trying to make myself feel better about spending the money against my will, but I guess at this point it's going to get spent and I just need to decide who I want to spend it with - oil company no extra benefit, or stove shop, at least we'll get some enjoyment out of the fireplace again - we wouldn't dare use it as an open fireplace this year sucking $5/gallon heated air up the chimney!!

Am I figuring this logically? Thanks!

And Welcome to the Northeast! It must be quite a shock to move up here and be faced with oil bills like this!! Good Luck!

 

[begreen]

I can appreciate being careful with hard earned savings, but figure it this way. Inflation is already taking money out of the bank for you automatically. At least if you spend it on a safe way to reduce your heating bill, you are way ahead. Another good investment is anything you can do this summer to tighten up the house and reduce heat loss.

 

[BrotherBart]

For keeping a functional fireplace available while being able to seal it against monster heat loss when not in use, get ya one of these things:

(broken link removed to http://www.chimneyballoon.us/chimneyballoon.html)

Personally I would get the insert for the upstairs fireplace first. Wood burning is a life style as much as it is a heating method so start with one and see how it fits in with YOUR lifestyle. If it works out for you then you could add the pellet stove in the kitchen. With the pellet stove you would have something that you could turn on when you need it and off when you don't. Handy in a kitchen if you cook very much because you won't always need supplemental heat there.

Finding and buying a pellet stove in the Northeast this year will be like trying to find a new high mileage car on a lot somewhere. Not likely because of the demand right now. And pellet fuel is going to be the same way this coming winter. One thing you can bet on is that manufacturers are going to over react to the current rush and overproduce next season. They just can't seem to help themselves.