QuadraFire 2700i Insert - Does anyone have one?

[ourhouse]

I am looking at installing a QuadraFire 2700i Insert into my small, zero clearance fireplace. Does anyone have any first hand knowledge of how well these work or don't work? Or if you have any suggestions or comments they would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

How well they work dependes alot on the chimney, the 2700i is a quality unit that is on the small side. It will usually heat 600 square feet with a 3-4 hour burn time. You can get more or less then that depending on your structure quality and celing hights.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

This was a good thread that talked about it. Also search for 2700i in this forum.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/1267/

 

[ourhouse]

The deler we are deling with says we need a liner in our chimney. I have been burning wood in our fire place all the time. I am not sure why? We just got the house and I can't stand paying the gas man.

 

[ourhouse]

The local dealer gave us a price of 3300.00 installed with the blower and chimney liner.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

Lots of reasons, but listen to your dealer. The small heat loss that the insert will have in not enough to move that big flue in your fireplace. You need to reduce it to the approiate size of the appliance. It will make the stove operate how it was intended to operate. There has been lots of discussion in this forum reguarding draft. I would also recomend searching "draft" in this forum. Here is a recent thread about principles of draft
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/1329/

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

That seems a little steep, but not to far off. Get a competing bid from a dedicated sweep, and get a bid on the insert all by itself.

 

[ourhouse]

I'm also thinking about a wood stove in the basement. But I have to go out the basement and up 2 floors with class 1 pipe. I think the price of a stove and the pipe will be a lot more.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

you would be correct there, a lot of times basemenst installs can be very expensive with all the class a pipe needed for a install. And make shure you dont have major negative pressures issues in your basement. If you do, the fireplace will be hard to start and can smoke in adverse conditions. ie, windy days or relativly warm humid conditions.

 

[ourhouse]

How do I check that?

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

a lot depends on the house design, a ranch with a basement will have less of a problem then a 2 story with a basement. How much stuff is vented from the basement? what supplies the basement with air? you house is a big chimney, the attic is positive pressured and the basement is negative (generly speaking). So the basement sucks in air and the attic exausts the house. This upward flow of air creats negative pressure in the basement. So you have to equalize the basement to make it more neutral. I dont know how you check it.

 

[ourhouse]

Thanks for the info.

 

[MountainStoveGuy]

Not a problem, hope that helped. Maybe a few others will chime in, there are some very good chimney guys/gals on this forum.