Wanting an insert but getting lost with all the info/options

[Xer0]

I have a fire place that I have been wanting to get a insert for. It is 24 in tall x 36 in wide x 17 inches deep. My house is 1700sf, I don't think I will be using it for all my heating needs. But hope it helps cut the oil bill. Any info or suggestions would be great. Thanks

 

[BruceNorEast]

Welcome Xer0,

You'll probably want to download the PDF brochures for some inserts, paying particular attention to the dimensions of each to help narrow it down.

My guess is that it's possible for you to be happy with an insert for your home, but you may want to provide some more details to help the good people here understand your particulars (open floor plan? Layout compact or spread out with long narrow hallways? Outside or inside chimney? Insulation? Basement install? Some idea of your budget and likes etc).

FYI I put a stove in front of my fireplace, I'm happy with it so far:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/hearthstone-phoenix-installed.131158/

I'm hoping to cut my oil bill in half and think that should be a reasonable goal for you, provided you intend to run the stove a lot in the cold weather, instead of leaning on your furnace (maybe use a programmable thermometer to keep the temps from dropping too low, like 55F, most days. And only lean on the furnace on days you can't run the stove but need to heat for others?).

 

[begreen]

You have some nice options. The best selection though will depend on your budget, aesthetic choices and the area being heated. Is this room open to the rest of the house or does it have just a single door way?

 

[Xer0]

I have a ranch style house that was built in the 70s. The living room that has the fire place has two doors. One opens in to a open concept dinning room/kitchen. The other door way opens into a hallway that leads from the kitchen to a bonus room. Also in the living room is the stair case to the second floor hall way that leads to them3 bedrooms.

The fire place is on an exterior wall with a outside chimney. As far as budget , I want a mid to high range stove. I want to get a good stove that I won't have issues with and will be cost effective to heat. I was looking at blaze king princess cuz of the long burn, but can't find a supplier and is it worth the price tag? Any other surgestions?

 

[mstoelton]

OK your choices are going to be somewhat limited because your fireplace is not very tall. The limitation is not in being able to fit the insert into the fireplace but in being able to connect the flue pipe to the insert. 24" is somewhat short and is only an inch above minimum size for the BK princess. If you are doing the install yourself, you may find it difficult to make the flue attachment. You may have to connect the flue pipe "blindly" behind the lintel.

Also the BK princess is a catalytic stove. It will have good long burn time, but this comes with extra maintenance of the catalyst, and the cat may need to be replaced periodically. Lots of folks like the Princess.

You might want to consider a non-cat insert to reduce maintenance but this will mean somewhat shorter burn times. Pacific Energy Summit insert seems to be popular on the forum, and will likely fit. I have 2 Clydedale inserts and they will definitely fit. I really like the Clydesdale because it is lined with soapstone. The soapstone really evens out the heating cycle because the stone heats up slower and then releases heat for a long time after the fire burns out. It is also available in some attractive porcelain colors. There are many options out there as you can see.

 

[begreen]

A BK insert or the Hearthstone Clydesdale are two good options. Another to consider would be the Enviro Kodiak (or fancier Boston or Venice) 1700 insert.

 

[Grisu]

Besides the low height of your fireplace the shallow depth will be almost your bigger problem. The Enviro 1700 insert for example has a depth of 17.75" and the face plate may not be quite flush with the outside of the fireplace. The BK Princess is shallow but height could pose a problem. The Regency i2400 may just fit with a minimum depth of 17". The depth of the Osburn 2000 can be adjusted and should work. The Quadrafire 4100i works depth-wise but will be a close fit for the height. An easy fit should be the Lopi Republic 1750, and the Napoleon 1402 looks also like it would work ok.

Make sure to get an insulated 6" stainless liner for your exterior chimney and the install of a block-off plate is highly recommended to keep the heat in the house:
https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/make-a-damper-sealing-block-off-plate/

Did you already get some dry wood?

 

[Woody Stover]

Besides the low height of your fireplace the shallow depth will be almost your bigger problem. The Enviro 1700 insert for example has a depth of 17.75" and the face plate may not be quite flush with the outside of the fireplace.

I'd have to check to make sure but I think that's about all I had with the Buck 91 (more height though.) I had to shave a little off some bricks, as the back of the fireplace sloped in. But the Buck is designed to protrude from the fireplace opening a good 6" or more. If Xer0 is OK with that, it might expand his options...

 

[Xer0]

I just re took measuments. The depth measurement was taken at the top. The top is slanted in some and measures the 17 and at 4 inches down goes out to 18" while the bottom measures 21 inches. Didn't relize the difference at first.

 

[TwoDogNight]

What is the width at the back of the firebox?

_______
/#######\
/########\
/#########\
|#########|
----#########---------- well, this isn't working well, but you get the idea, my firebox is wider front than rear, and the encroaching side width is turning out to be a bigger issue than anticipated, does yours angle as well affecting width/depth of stove

you have 36" of width in the front, and 17" of depth at the top of the opening and 21" of depth at the bottom of the opening, but is the back width less than the front?

I am dealing with that problem for an insert right now...

Mine is 36" width at opening, 19 5/8" width at back, 20 1/2" depth to back wall middle measure from bottom, 4" straight back depth before sides angle, 19" depth to back wall measured from top, 15" back wall height before taper, 26 1/4" height at opening, 0" height of hearth extension, 20" depth of hearth

LOVE that Hearthstone Phoenix install @BruceNorEast, how does it perform? Rear flue doesn't lead to smoke escape?

edit: And I just measured...CANT DO THE PHOENIX either...Bruce's arched firebox left clearance for the stovepipe...I don't have it. This is sooooo aggravating! I hope the OP will have better luck.

 

[BruceNorEast]

Mine is 36" width at opening, 19 5/8" width at back, 20 1/2" depth to back wall middle measure from bottom, 4" straight back depth before sides angle, 19" depth to back wall measured from top, 15" back wall height before taper, 26 1/4" height at opening, 0" height of hearth extension, 20" depth of hearth

LOVE that Hearthstone Phoenix install @BruceNorEast, how does it perform? Rear flue doesn't lead to smoke escape?

edit: And I just measured...CANT DO THE PHOENIX either...Bruce's arched firebox left clearance for the stovepipe...I don't have it. This is sooooo aggravating! I hope the OP will have better luck.

TwoDogNight, the outlet from the stove is 45 degrees and measures about 27 and 1/2 inches at the top. I think you could ovalize it a bit, to gain some but my 45 pipe has extra ribbing support to allow it to rotate at the high end (which is kind of silly actually) so mine would be tough to ovalize and stay sealed but maybe a 45 without the unnecessary rotating ability would work?

There is some smoke when I reload if I don't give it a couple of seconds with the door just slightly open, but I'm getting used to minimizing it I think.

So far we are very happy with it, but this is our first season so we won't really know until January/February, when old man winter has done his darnedest.

Keep the faith, you'll figure it out and be burning soon enough. If not this season then next.
Good luck to you!

 

[weatherguy]

You should be able to cut about 75% off your oil bill with a good stove. I wouldn't let the extra maintenance of a cat stove discourage you, it takes all of 10 minutes to change it out every few years. I would try to get the stove with the biggest firebox that you can fit into your fireplace.

 

[TwoDogNight]

Chimney sweep left a Napolean brochure when he was here a month or so ago and it was lost in a pile. I was focused on PE, Regency, Jotul, Quadrature, Enviro, and Hearthstone. 1402 looks like it would work, will have to measure. I had never heard of Napolean. Worthy choice? Good build quality?

 

[Lockpicker]

Do yourself a favor and read the reviews on this site and also look at threads that pertain to the models your looking at. This site is really an invaluable asset. That's what I did and it probably saved me some headaches. I had my mind set on jotul 550. But after researching it on this site and elsewhere I ended up with an enviro Kodiak 1700 and think I made the right choice for an insert. Which by the way would just about fit your fireplace with maybe having to fill in a one inch gap between the surround and brick. Good luck, with all the choices out there it can be confusing as well as frustrating.

 

[Ashful]

You should be able to cut about 75% off your oil bill with a good stove. I wouldn't let the extra maintenance of a cat stove discourage you, it takes all of 10 minutes to change it out every few years. I would try to get the stove with the biggest firebox that you can fit into your fireplace.

I have taken at least $3500 off my oil bill, and I'm only burning about half of each season. Many here have no oil/gas bill, excepting vacation time away from home.

And yes, cat stoves are superior on performance, with their only detriments being vastly overstated by the manufacturers of non-cat stoves.

 

[Xer0]

Life got in the way, but I got some measurements hopefully these makes sense to some one and they can offer some more ideas for a great stove