Stoves vs Insert

[jimmiller2]

I am considering the building of a small house/cabin that has in the center a block/brick hollow column with a inside dimension of
about 3 by 6 feet. It will contain my heating system consisting of a lower insert-type wood stove and stainless steel flue pipe and
a few feet above that a heat pump airhandler and coil. What would be a good choice for the wood burning part that would approach
the efficiency of a good free-standing stove? It will be an "insert" in name only. The heat-pump part will be totally independant of
the wood burning system except I may design so the fan can distribute the wood heat.

Thanks
Jim Miller

 

[begreen]

I'm not sure I follow the design. Are you looking for a free-standing stove that is set in a block alcove or a ZC fireplace that uses the block column as the chase? And why so massive a column in a small place? If I was going to take up that amount of space I would be putting in a masonry heater and a high-efficiency mini-split heat pump system. Then you could have a centrally located free-standing stove, no ductwork and a much more efficient system.

FWIW, I have some concerns with putting an airhandler in the block column. On being that it will expose the a/h to unnecessary heat. Another being that the return must be at least 10 ft away from the stove.

 

[jimmiller2]

Begreen

I will be using the block structure for roof support and like the idea of a massive looking central
fireplace even though it is more looks than function. It will be about 16 feet tall and the coil/airhandler
could be a few feet above the stove and near only the double wall SS flue pipe. It would be on a
metal shelf and could even have insulation board between it and the stove below. I never considered
the heatpump air intake being close to stove. The whole design is still being considered. If I always
have the heatpump turned off when using wood will the location of the air-input to the airhandler
matter other than to have it as far as possible from the output side.
As to inserts I have read how inefficient fireplaces were in relation to stoves but thought that
there should be some that were really stoves in the shape of a insert that came close to
free-standing efficiency. One that stuck out 6-8 inches from the block/brick wall with fan
powered heat vents would work fine and maybe be more efficient.

Thanks
Jim Miller

 

[eclecticcottage]

The big difference is surface area. A stove has all sides exposed to radiate heat, but an insert is just the face and maybe a bit of a "bump out" (stove like part that extends past the masonry) to radiate heat into the room.

 

[Defiant]

eclec x 2