Prefab must go....new help deciding on ZC now

[Egghead]

After doing my fair share of searching, I've decided that the best route for us is to rip out our existing prefab and install a high-eff ZC fireplace (I know that freestanding would be better but it's not conducive for our application). I've looked at a lot of these ZC's and wanted to see if anyone had any experiences on the following.....
Valcourt LaFayette
FPX 36 Elite
KozyHeat Z42
Napoleon NZ3000
Enerzone 2.5ZC

I like the idea of being able to use the forced air option to push heat to a different part of the house- not sure we'd do it but like having that option if needed.
Based on experiences, can anyone rate these in order? Are there others that should be considered?
Thanks!

 

[wood4heat]

You may want to look at the Bis line now carried by lennox.. I own a Bis ultra and couldn't be happier with the performance. They have several models available with the option of ducting heated air to other areas of the house.

 

[begreen]

You are looking at a good group. The only complaint I've heard was about the NZ3000 doors sagging due to weak hinges.

 

[Egghead]

I have heard the same complaints about the double doors.

 

[WISCO]

I have the NZ3000 and also the NZ 26 in my basement. Both are rated for about 2000-3000 sf house. We just built new and moved in last Feb. so we haven't used them real long. I used the NZ 26 in the basement for heat during construction though, so it has a season and a half under its belt. I also looked at a lennox model and the cozy heat. After looking into them a lot, it appeared that napoleon built a much better more sturdy product. I don't know if that is true, but looking at the specs it appeared that way. I decided on the napoleon products because I got a deal on them both and figured the quality was better and like the looks a lot better, especially the NZ3000.

The NZ26 performed as expected. I can quickly light a fire and start heating the basement in a few minutes. It is easy to get a clean hot burn and maintain a fire with out much fuss at all. It can even keep a decent bed of coals overnight despite the small size. I do not have an OAK on this which would make it even better for heating. but the installers decided on their own to leave it off. I did have to replace the handle 2 times because it would not latch. They accused us of over firing the unit, but that never happened. All in all, I'm pretty happy with it and it can maintain the temp in my whole 2 story 3000 SF house from the basement. It its real cold and windy it has trouble, but it works really well for heating up the tile floor in the kitchen. It has a built in fan that moves some air, but not much and makes a lot of noise. I definitely would not use it if it was in our living room. It almost seems to be engineered for high noise low air movement. The glass does blacken up but no more than I expected and it burns off the next time a hot fire is burning.

The NZ3000 is a different story. I have an OAK on this. It is installed in the vaulted ceiling living room with a gravity vent through the back wall to the dining/kitchen area. I could not keep a fire going in this unit without the doors open. I was told I was not getting it hot enough despite following Napoleons instructions on start ups. I used good dry oak, lots of kindling and got roaring fires going only to have them snuff out within seconds of closing the doors. The installer came out and tried and was met with the same results. He called the rep and trouble shot the whole thing and could not figure out the issue other than the obvious lack of air once the doors shut. He just unhooked the air control so that it was on full wide open all the time without the outside air kit hooked up. This allowed fires to burn with the doors shut but still required lots of tinkering the keep the fire going. The napoleon rep finally came out and they hooked the air control back up. They used my driest wood, oak and basswood, and lit a fire. He said we didn't get it hot enough to close the doors, but the installer backed me up and said we did. After leaving the door cracked for 45 minutes and continually adding wood he closed the doors and fire fire burnt fine for the next hour. He said thats all that needed to be done and left. An hour later the fire was out after I left to run some errands. Pretty sickening that the fire requires a 45 minute start up time. During that time it wastes a lot of wood and is a fire hazard as logs can roll out with the doors are open. After that, too keep a decent fire going it needs lots of attention and the air control seems to have no real effect.

With the help of this forum we did find the problem and solution. I believe it is spelled out in "nz3000 regrets concerns". The air intake has a ridiculously small slot to allow air through. There are 2 plates that can be removed and modified using a grinder to open those restriction points. I have not done this on mine as the dealer strongly opposed it, but from the other owners opinion it fixes the problem entirely. It even helps keep the glass clean.

From my experience I have a pretty sour taste in my mouth from napoleon, but the 3000 looks real nice and with the modification will work great. It is a larger fire box and takes some time to pre-heat, but with adequate air control will probably work perfectly. The secondary burn tubes light off nicely and look very pretty and get every ounce of heat out of a log keeping your chimney clean. I have had no problems with the doors sagging. I think that is on the larger 6000 unit in the heavy wrought iron option. I would begrudgingly recommend it if you have the ability to alter that air intake. Also this unit is picky on wood. It requires 100% well seasoned wood, 1 punky or damp piece and the fire will die quickly. This may be the case with all EPA certified units though.

 

[Dieselhead]

The 3000 does have a learning curve to get a cold stove going. Once that's out of the way it does a good job heating and is low maintenance. Mine does 2400sqft open floor plan fine. Saggy doors were on the 6000 and that design has been remedied. I'm going to try the mod to the air control some warmer day coming up. This is my 4th season with the stove and really my only complaint echoes the one above about the air control not exactly working as one would think it should.
Dang sexy hunk of steel though!

 

[Egghead]

I am leaning towards the Kozy- called a dealer this afternoon and it was abotu $500 less than the Lafayette that I looked at, plus it's got a bigger firebox. One question I didn't think to ask him was if the Kozy came with the blower or not. Their website is a little misleading on whether it does or not. Anyone know for sure?

 

[RockyMtnHigh]

Montecito Estate by Lennox, BAD BOY fireplace.

I have no complaint with the Valcourt FP10, which works great and is a good price competitor. I would also be happy to suggest the Quadrafire 7100 as a middle of the line, well performing fireplace. FPX, I haven't touched one in almost a decade but they were always very solid performers. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the products you are looking at when it comes down to it. Just choose your bells and whistles and decide what you really want.

 

[xtrordinair]

we have a fpx and a z42 hooked up on opposite walls in our showroom the fpx out performs the z42 hands down.Not that the z42 is a bad choice but it doesnt compare with the fpx .

 

[Egghead]

we have a fpx and a z42 hooked up on opposite walls in our showroom the fpx out performs the z42 hands down.Not that the z42 is a bad choice but it doesnt compare with the fpx .

Which FPX?

 

[xtrordinair]

the 44 ,but before you say its a bigger unit here is why i say it out perfoms the z42.Both units loaded with the same quantity of wood on a day thats 20 degrees or less outside.The room they are in has no ceiling or insulation basically open rafters.with the z42 lit it barely heats the room at all .Where the difference comes is with the fpx lit and using its positive pressure blower system pushing that cold air out and replacing it with hot air.The units are not running at the same time so the difference is obvious.If i was putting a unit in my home it would be the fpx, ive seen hundreds of stoves ,units in operation over the 22 years ive been installing and i know its a quality piece.We do sell more z42 units ,only because of the price difference,and the fact most people dont do much research .i have no vested interest in selling or pushing travis products,i am a blaze king lover myself, but if i was choosing between the two its the fpx .

 

[Egghead]

the 44 ,but before you say its a bigger unit here is why i say it out perfoms the z42.Both units loaded with the same quantity of wood on a day thats 20 degrees or less outside.The room they are in has no ceiling or insulation basically open rafters.with the z42 lit it barely heats the room at all .Where the difference comes is with the fpx lit and using its positive pressure blower system pushing that cold air out and replacing it with hot air.The units are not running at the same time so the difference is obvious.If i was putting a unit in my home it would be the fpx, ive seen hundreds of stoves ,units in operation over the 22 years ive been installing and i know its a quality piece.We do sell more z42 units ,only because of the price difference,and the fact most people dont do much research .i have no vested interest in selling or pushing travis products,i am a blaze king lover myself, but if i was choosing between the two its the fpx .

How much more are they typically than the Z42? I called one shop and he gave me a price of roughly $2700 for the Z42. One thing I didn't ask him- mainly because I thought it was standard- is if the Z42 comes with the blower or not. All of the units that I've read about mention a blower but from what I've read, it almost seems like the blower is an option.

 

[xtrordinair]

blower is a option only

 

[xtrordinair]

about another grand but you get the blower included