Will This Heat Our Home?

[longislandcamper]

We are currently in contract for this home. There is a fireplace in the family room which is in the top right corner. This is a ranch house with a large attic over the entire structure and there is also a full basement.

We’d like to get an insert for that room and I’m sure that room will be real toasty. How do you think it would perform for the rest of the house? Do you think we’d have to get a unit for the master bedroom in the bottom left of the picture?

 

[Whitenuckler]

View attachment 339675
We are currently in contract for this home. There is a fireplace in the family room which is in the top right corner. This is a ranch house with a large attic over the entire structure and there is also a full basement.

We’d like to get an insert for that room and I’m sure that room will be real toasty. How do you think it would perform for the rest of the house? Do you think we’d have to get a unit for the master bedroom in the bottom left of the picture?

I like your house design. I like one main floor, and a basement too. My garage is detached with a workshop add-on. You seem to have left yourself a nice spot in the garage. Inserts are meant to go into masonry fireplaces as more of a retrofit. You would be looking at a wood stove/fireplace I believe on a new build. Your house is closed up with walls, so the heat will not leave the room easily. You could also bake yourself out with too much heat. What will be you main heating and cooling system (s) ?

 

[kborndale]

Wood burning fires are not allowed in bedrooms.

 

[qwee]

I would think it wouldn't be so good for the rest of the house. Because the family room is off from the main part of the house. Possible to have 2 stoves? - maybe the insert and a free stander? or one stove centrally located? The living room (by the staircase) looks to be in the center. Any chance for a free-stander in that location? I guess it depends on how much you want to heat your house with wood - all or partial.

Their is a closet(?) on the other side of the staircase - maybe that could be turned into a nook for a stove. That is even a more central spot.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Wood burning fires are not allowed in bedrooms.

I found this when I searched wood fireplace in bedroom
Quote
The National Fire Protection Association standard 211 (adopted by the Ontario Building Code via express reference) requires that all solid-fuel burning fireplaces installed in places under 14.5 cubic meters be certified for installation in enclosed spaces or alcoves.

I'm not sure what this means in practice, the OP's local authority and building codes and insurance could be asked I guess, or just look at
gas as an option.

 

[kborndale]

I don't know the exact code I just remember it being said here that stoves are not allowed in bedrooms. I certainly would not want to deal with the mess in my bedroom.

 

[Whitenuckler]

I don't know the exact code I just remember it being said here that stoves are not allowed in bedrooms. I certainly would not want to deal with the mess in my bedroom.

I wouldn't want one I don't think even if it were allowed as well. A gas fireplace would be good even if the power went out. Plus you have control over the heat. Ya the dirt,bugs?,soot and smoke would make some people un-happy. Maybe if you had a one room chalet that would have a bedroom in the loft.

 

[begreen]

The floorplan is not great for convecting wood stove or insert heat. An insert in the family room will mostly just heat that room. The family room is a separate wing. A stove in the living room would work better.

 

[Whitenuckler]

The floorplan is not great for convecting wood stove or insert heat. An insert in the family room will mostly just heat that room. The family room is a separate wing. A stove in the living room would work better.

Good idea. Looks like no doors, and lots of wide halls. Much better for wood there. The window commands the best spot, but could go out the roof if placed on the wall or other corner.

 

[bholler]

I found this when I searched wood fireplace in bedroom
Quote
The National Fire Protection Association standard 211 (adopted by the Ontario Building Code via express reference) requires that all solid-fuel burning fireplaces installed in places under 14.5 cubic meters be certified for installation in enclosed spaces or alcoves.

I'm not sure what this means in practice, the OP's local authority and building codes and insurance could be asked I guess, or just look at
gas as an option.

They aren't in Canada though. Its not allowed in the states

 

[Ctwoodtick]

Just as well- a wood insert in a bedroom wood get really uncomfortable really quickly.

 

[Turbo89]

The floorplan is not great for convecting wood stove or insert heat. An insert in the family room will mostly just heat that room. The family room is a separate wing. A stove in the living room would work better.

This x2! I had a similarly laid out home with a gas stove on the living room. That would hear most of the house through early winter, the extremes of the home seemed to be about 10degrees less than the living room, which was pretty nice.