Thoughts on fireplace conversion to wood insert

[mcollect]

You will love the 550. We have a similar home to yours and last year we never turned on the infloor heat on the main floor, only in the basement! We installed an extra ceiling fan in the adjacent room running in reverse and the air circulated throughout the whole floor. The Jotul works like a dream; after a rather steep learning curve. Last year our wood was not completely dry so we would bring inside a large supply of re split wood and let it sit in the heated rooms for a week to dry. That made all the difference. This year we had 6 cords split and stacked by New Years, not soon enough but better then previous year. Good luck, start small fires when you can open the windows.

 

[begreen]

Congratulations. That'll keep you warm.

Follow the manual for the break in fires. Small ones first, with each new fire taking the stove about 100 degrees hotter. If this is a painted model, open up every window in the house, it's going to stink and smoke a bit as the paint bakes in. The smoke and smell should go away once the stove has been run at working temp of about 500 for an hour or so. Note, it's good to do the break-in sequence again for 2-3 fires after the stove has been idle during the summer.

 

[yanksforever]

I bought the Jotul Kennebec 450 and I love it. In my personel opinion I think it is one of the best looking and well made stove inserts
that there is. Get a brochure on the one you are looking at and check the clearance dimensions. Good luck on your choice!

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

edit, sometimes i'm going too fast...nevermind

 

[karl]

Make sure they install a liner and make sure they hook it to the stove. It's going to be a tight fit getting it in your fireplace and I would hate to see them take short cuts. Also, make sure they put a block off plate in.

 

[kksalm]

Well I thought I'd pipe up and say you all are on the same track allright. But... I'm wondering about the fireplace we're talking about being "above a cold garage". Is it supported by masonry as well? Our forum brothers over in "The Boiler Room" might have a different take on the matter. I personally have a fireplace like the above mentioned supported by a 6X4X6 hunk of concrete, insides unknown. possibly 5 cubic yards worth at 2 tons a yard. I can't get my wife to let me do a little demolition to heat up all that mass and kill our utility bill. I'd be hauling my firewood into the basement instead of tracking through her nice hardwood floors. I'd have some kind of masonry channel loop going through the living room fireplace so I agree, it wouldn't be much to look at. I'm trying to come up with a masonry insert for the fireplace we do have to heat the mass surrounding our fireplace and the mass above via a secondary burn method but a good airtight after market steel door with a window costs as much as a good wood stove.
Best regards from Kenai, Alaska.
















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