We are renovating an old house with a fireplace, and I want to get a wood burning insert for heating back up and ambiance. I got one quote that recommended a large Lopi NexGen Hybrid. The first floor location of the fireplace is only about 600 square feet, so I'm worried about overheating the area. The company said it is easy to control heat output by just not adding a lot of wood. Is this true? What are other questions I should be asking about this installation, and should I get a second quote? I don't know anything about fireplaces!
Wood burning insert - where to start?
- Thread starter LynneMcK
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Yes, you can limit the heating by limiting the fuel load size and by not reloading the stove if the room is warm enough. How open is the fireplace room to the rest of the house? Is there an open stairwell in the room?
Definitely visit more stores and get more quotes. Ask if the chimney will be completely cleaned first and whether the liner will be insulated.
Definitely visit more stores and get more quotes. Ask if the chimney will be completely cleaned first and whether the liner will be insulated.
Thanks. Yes there is an open stairwell but otherwise the space is small. Are there recent articles here that compare the various manufacturers? Pros and cons? My main hope is that the insert works hassle-free for a long time!
That’s still a decent sized area. I had a buck 80 in a room half that size with 2 doorways to the rest of the house. Yes on the milder days it would be overly warm in there but on colder days it was ok. I think you’ll be ok. Especially if you have an opening or 2 for the hot air to flow to the 2nd floor. If not maybe a blaze king insert would be a better option so you can adjust thermostat To heating needs
Some of the heat will go upstairs which should reduce concerns about overheating. The Lopi is a good looking and operating insert. It's a hybrid which means it has both secondary tube burning and a catalyst. If hassle-free burning is the primary goal, perhaps a simpler, non-cat would be better.
Oh, I didn't know there was a thermostat option - will check that out!
That depends on the insert. Some Drolet and Osburn non-cat inserts qualify.
Ctwoodtick
Minister of Fire
As mentioned above, 600 sq ft is not a small area. I have a good size insert in a 300sq ft sun room and it works well for the space. There are two door ways off it and rest of house gets heated. You’ll figure out how much wood to put in to not overheat space. You’re location is a bit colder than mine as well:
I did miss the ambiance backup part. So maybe a lopi hybrid wouldn’t be a bad choice. The flush hybrids are nice choices and offer a large viewing area. Could always get the medium flush hybrid.
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