Tips to increase heat output from stove set in fireplace

[Wescustogo]

Here's my setup, smaller Hearthstone set inside the fireplace. Cold air intake because of tight house and a blower.

It doesn't seem to be heating the first floor very well, maybe 500sq feet. I have a fan to help move the air around but it doesn't get up to 70 in here, despite it definitely being enough to heat this place.

I think the heat might be getting trapped inside the fireplace and was wondering what I can do to encourage it besides a fan?

 

[EbS-P]

Do you have an insulated blockoff plate? I’m assuming this is an exterior chimney?

My blower does a good job and it doesn’t have to run very high it just help the natural convection.

 

[kennyp2339]

Kicking the stove out beyond the FP would be another option, unfortunately trying to send solid heat from a radiant source without convective jacket & blower stuck in a masonry hole is tough. I've seen lots of people here recently make the same mistake as yourself, inserts which are more $$ are designed for this application, a few freestanding stoves are also made to work under these circumstances.

 

[Wescustogo]

Do you have an insulated blockoff plate? I’m assuming this is an exterior chimney?

My blower does a good job and it doesn’t have to run very high it just help the natural convection.

Not sure about the blockoff plate, and yes exterior chimney. Actually, I think I might take a look at the blower because I don't think its moving as much air as it should.

 

[EbS-P]

Not sure about the blockoff plate, and yes exterior chimney. Actually, I think I might take a look at the blower because I don't think its moving as much air as it should.

Look up when you are back there. You really really need a blockoff plate. It increased the heat output by 30 percent for my stove.

 

[Wescustogo]

Look up when you are back there. You really really need a blockoff plate. It increased the heat output by 30 percent for my stove.

Looks pretty well sealed off. Think it's just the inherent problem of the stove being set so far into the fireplace that's causing my issue.

 

[EbS-P]

View attachment 306474
Looks pretty well sealed off. Think it's just the inherent problem of the stove being set so far into the fireplace that's causing my issue.

Probably several of the issues already listed. Mine does a decent job. Have you checked the moisture content of your wood?

 

[Queequeg From Rokovoko]

Small fans. Get some of the ones from an old tower type computer. They are relatively quiet and move copious amonts of air. Look at some Vornados too. One at the bottom of that stove blowing towrds the back would give you much more heat off that box.

 

[EbS-P]

I have the 10 in version I think. Really quite. It just study in the floor behind the stove and blows up. If run higher than setting 2 on a med low burn it will cool the stove enough that the furthest back log will turn to charcoal.
AC Infinity AIRBLAZE T14, Universal Fireplace Blower Fan Kit 14" with Temperature and Speed Controller, for Lennox, Hearth Glo, Majestic, Rotom https://a.co/d/49jyheY

 

[Corey]

Here's my setup, smaller Hearthstone set inside the fireplace. Cold air intake because of tight house and a blower.

It doesn't seem to be heating the first floor very well, maybe 500sq feet. ...

View attachment 306444

Not sure how to parse that sentence...

...not heating the first floor very well (but heating the second floor fine?) - then you'd probably need to look at ways to stop the heat from rising so much.

...not heating the first floor very well (and not heating any other floors at all?) - yes, then you might need to look at ways to get more out of the stove.

Some possibilities already mentioned. Though with the stove relatively open like that, any heat getting trapped is just warming the rock, which should radiate into the room anyway.

What is your flue/chimney like? Surprisingly, I think I gained more heat output from my stove by insulating the flue. I wasn't expecting it at first, but looking back at it, there are three main ways heat gets out of the stove. It comes into the room from the 'box', it leaks out of the flue (and in my case was essentially wasted in the exterior flue chase), or it comes out of the top cap which drives draft and perpetuates the process. A well insulated flue means you need to put less heat up the flue to get the same draft, so that is heat which can come out of the box and into the room.

Your stove glass looks a bit frosty, but I don't see any heavy black / sooty parts, so seems like you are getting a nice, hot, clean burn.

 

[begreen]

View attachment 306474
Looks pretty well sealed off. Think it's just the inherent problem of the stove being set so far into the fireplace that's causing my issue.

It's hard to see from the tiny picture. Does the block off plate meet the edges of the fireplace and seal off the area completely?

 

[Queequeg From Rokovoko]

Here's my setup, smaller Hearthstone set inside the fireplace. Cold air intake because of tight house and a blower.

It doesn't seem to be heating the first floor very well, maybe 500sq feet. I have a fan to help move the air around but it doesn't get up to 70 in here, despite it definitely being enough to heat this place.

I think the heat might be getting trapped inside the fireplace and was wondering what I can do to encourage it besides a fan?

View attachment 306444

Put your fan on the floor beneath the stove blowing to the back of the fire place. I will take weeks to get those rocks heated up, but once they are you could go a day with that heat sink.

 

[Wescustogo]

Hello again.

I did a deep clean on the stove, found the baffle disintegrating and tons of ash build up. Now it's heating the whole place up to 72 and cruising on one log every 3 hours or so.

Back in business!

 

[KDubU]

Hello again.

I did a deep clean on the stove, found the baffle disintegrating and tons of ash build up. Now it's heating the whole place up to 72 and cruising on one log every 3 hours or so.

Back in business!

Good to hear! Glad it worked out.

 

[TomMcDonald]

What is the baffle made from?

 

[Wescustogo]

What is the baffle made from?

Not sure I think ceramic? Very light and feels flimsy. Installation was very easy - two bolts and the top lifts off.

 

[sean_999]

Hello again.

I did a deep clean on the stove, found the baffle disintegrating and tons of ash build up. Now it's heating the whole place up to 72 and cruising on one log every 3 hours or so.

Back in business!

Good to hear -- it's a drag when things don't work right, great when you fix things.

So, is it reasonable to conclude from these setups that Wescustogo and EbS-P have, that a free-standing stove sitting well inside a fireplace can do OK at heating? I'm thinking of doing something similar (a Morso 7110 half-way into a fireplace), simply because my living room isn't big enough to have a stove fully outside the fireplace.

 

[Wescustogo]

Good to hear -- it's a drag when things don't work right, great when you fix things.

So, is it reasonable to conclude from these setups that Wescustogo and EbS-P have, that a free-standing stove sitting well inside a fireplace can do OK at heating? I'm thinking of doing something similar (a Morso 7110 half-way into a fireplace), simply because my living room isn't big enough to have a stove fully outside the fireplace.

If I were to do it again I would NOT set it so far recessed. Halfway in will be fine but mine is completely within the fireplace. At 40k btu's it feels like half that even though it's running better, and takes at least an hour before things start heating up.

 

[sean_999]

If I were to do it again I would NOT set it so far recessed. Halfway in will be fine but mine is completely within the fireplace. At 40k btu's it feels like half that even though it's running better, and takes at least an hour before things start heating up.

In your photo, I see a small-ish table-top fan sitting near the stove, on a box of firewood (I think). Other folks seem to be using a smaller blower or fan behind the stove. Have you tried that? (Sorry if I missed it.) Years ago I saved a couple of cooling fans from old "tower" desktop PCs, which someone here mentioned using behind a stove. I may try that, *if*/when I get a stove.

 

[Wescustogo]

In your photo, I see a small-ish table-top fan sitting near the stove, on a box of firewood (I think). Other folks seem to be using a smaller blower or fan behind the stove. Have you tried that? (Sorry if I missed it.) Years ago I saved a couple of cooling fans from old "tower" desktop PCs, which someone here mentioned using behind a stove. I may try that, *if*/when I get a stove.

Yes I use that fan, its on the ground a little ways in front of the stove blow air at and under it to help the blowers. The stove has an outside air kit so there isn't air drawn into it to help with circulation. That's my guess at least.