Please Help - No Heat out of wood insert :(
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There are a lot of discrepancies in those numbers, and many don't jibe with real-world experience of users here.
In my experience, it's best to cry only once. Buy right the first time. Do your research, find a professional, someone you trust if you aren't doing it yourself and pay the man. I suggest you have the wrong stove for the application; bigger capacity is usually better. Being limited in size of opening seems you have decisions to make.
1. Find (google) an installer you can trust to re-install the unit adding block-off plate, full length, properly sized flue liner and insulate properly around stove. This may help a little but won't move the warm air around properly. You can figure an elegant solution to moving the air.
2. Get a consult from a reputable dealer for the stove brand you want. Likely they will try to sell you another stove which may be the best option. Make sure the stove has a blower if an insert.
3. Start over completely with a free standing stove set on the hearth, with flue liner, insulation, etc.
4. You can do nothing and keep what you have now.
When you have this issue resolved you'll love heating with wood if it is at the correct mc. Good luck.
1. Find (google) an installer you can trust to re-install the unit adding block-off plate, full length, properly sized flue liner and insulate properly around stove. This may help a little but won't move the warm air around properly. You can figure an elegant solution to moving the air.
2. Get a consult from a reputable dealer for the stove brand you want. Likely they will try to sell you another stove which may be the best option. Make sure the stove has a blower if an insert.
3. Start over completely with a free standing stove set on the hearth, with flue liner, insulation, etc.
4. You can do nothing and keep what you have now.
When you have this issue resolved you'll love heating with wood if it is at the correct mc. Good luck.
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
They line up a lot better with the experiences I have read than what manufacturers post. Many of the BTU and sq footage numbers (especially on the cheaper stoves) are very inflated compared to what users are getting.
Some are lower than what users will tell you they experience, additionally I know that the length of the burn is not part of these number. Just because you pump out 50k Btu, can you burn at that rate for 5 - 9 hours? Blaze King is the prime example of this, they can burn hotter than the EPA data and have long burns. But many manufacturers numbers are inflated. These numbers are more realistic on most stoves.
Hind sight: #1 rule of thumb regarding stoves - What ever mfg says btu wise buy one size larger at minimum. #2 small fires can be run in large stoves/ doesn't work the other way around. #3 99.9% of firewood dealers do not have dry ( moisture content less than 20%) wood, Just doesn't work for the business plan.
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
That's not true of all stoves.......
Blaze King and Buck both give very low BTU numbers (although, even their heated square footage depends on climate, and they don't tell you that).
Woodstock is very conservative in square footage, and gives pretty realistic BTU numbers.
I looked at Jotul at my local dealer, and they actually give heating zones based on climate. The square footage Jotul says a stove will heat is based on which climate zone you fall in. Even if their numbers are inflated, it is better than most stove manufacturers.
For the most part I agree with you, but a few manufacturers are at least somewhat more honest than the rest.
I think with most stoves when it says it will heat X to Y square footage......X is the drafty farmhouse in Maine, and Y is a well insulated home in Central Georgia. That's how I look at it.
Have you tried taking off the surround (assume you have a block off plate or insulation) to see if more air will move out? Use a fan to blow some cold air at the insert as a test?
Have you pressed Regency to see if it's possible to add the blower on to your CI1200 to make it a CI1250? Seems the only dimensional difference is the height??
It's discouraging, but it may be better to look at selling your "gently used as new" non blower model and getting something with a blower. Without a blower, I don't think you will ever get the true potential heat out of it.
Have you pressed Regency to see if it's possible to add the blower on to your CI1200 to make it a CI1250? Seems the only dimensional difference is the height??
It's discouraging, but it may be better to look at selling your "gently used as new" non blower model and getting something with a blower. Without a blower, I don't think you will ever get the true potential heat out of it.
smokedragon
Minister of Fire
Without a blower, I don't think you will ever get the true potential heat out of it.
Unfortunate, but true
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