Fireplace insert - any advice?

[HogCommander]

I'm considering a wood-burning fireplace insert but would like advice from others who have gone this route.

For context, this will be for my living room (about 22 X 22 ft with 11 ft ceiling, lots of drafty windows). This room is an addition to the original construction...not part of original construction and HVAC calculus. On really cold nights, this room drops to below 60F.

The room has a large wood-burning fireplace which can keep the temp about 30-35F higher than outside temperature but sometimes this isn't enough.

Any advice from those who have converted to wood-burning inserts? Are they loud? Any regrets? What are the cons? Thanks in advance!!!

[tps7742]

I just used the search feature for “fire place insert” and there are several threads on this topic for reference. Good luck.

[HOOKNBULLET2]

We installed a Montpelier II Wood Insert by Vermont Castings last year. It was expensive.

It does a good job. But is definitely different.

The fire box is small. There is only room for small pieces of firewood.

The wood burn is substantially slower than an open fireplace.

The blower motor is not loud. The glass door does get soot on it quickly so you don’t have that picture perfect fire shown in the advertisements.

I don’t think it can outperform your current fireplaces heat output.

[Quackerbox]

We have been looking also. There are several manufactures, but pacific energy comes in at the top in most research. They are expensive from what Ive seen (2-3k and up) but the post above is the first time Ive read that they dont heat as well. Most say the complete opposite.

[Killer]

My experience with insert vs fireplace is the insert uses less wood and increases heat output at least 25 to 40%. I’ve had both in houses before. The insert with blower is the only way to go.

[Pineywoods]

I'm considering a wood-burning fireplace insert but would like advice from others who have gone this route.

For context, this will be for my living room (about 22 X 22 ft with 11 ft ceiling, lots of drafty windows). This room is an addition to the original construction...not part of original construction and HVAC calculus. On really cold nights, this room drops to below 60F.

The room has a large wood-burning fireplace which can keep the temp about 30-35F higher than outside temperature but sometimes this isn't enough.

Any advice from those who have converted to wood-burning inserts? Are they loud? Any regrets? What are the cons? Thanks in advance!!!

I have a woodburning insert with a blower and honestly I'd rather have an old wood burning stove. I think they put out more heat. The blower annoys me personally.

[Hills of Texas]

My experience with insert vs fireplace is the insert uses less wood and increases heat output at least 25 to 40%. I’ve had both in houses before. The insert with blower is the only way to go.

This is correct. I have an insert made by earth stove. It's awesome. Takes a minute to heat up but when it does it uses 1/3 the wood my pot belly stove does and it will run you out of the house with heat out put. Love ours and use it to keep the house nice and warm over extended cold spells.

[AntlerCollector]

I’ve always inserted firewood in mine. It’s seems to do the job.

[JhuntsAlot]

Just make sure to get one with the fan to push heat into the room.

I put one in my house when I took down our brick fireplace and moved it to a corner. The ones with a fan were more expensive and I went cheap. Regret that decision.

It still does pretty good on heating though.



J

[Paycheck]

Thinking about doing the same. I think if you are not standing in front of our insert the house is colder. I tried to test this with a thermometer in the far bedroom and the best I can tell is it is colder.

[Hills of Texas]

Just make sure to get one with the fan to push heat into the room.

I put one in my house when I took down our brick fireplace and moved it to a corner. The ones with a fan were more expensive and I went cheap. Regret that decision.

It still does pretty good on heating though.



J

The blower is a must have. Our house is 2000 square feet and with the blower on it heats up nice. After a bit I have to turn it down to the low setting.

[MarkV]

Dale is the guy to talk to about this, but we have an insert and its been fine. I do think the old school wood burning stove puts off more heat than any of them.

[HogHunter34]

I’ve always inserted firewood in mine. It’s seems to do the job.

There's one in every crowd

Anyone ever tried one of the spitfire heat exchanger style units with an inlet tube and mainfold design with the exit tubes blowing hot air? The concepts seems legit and should harvest more heat and displace it into the room over a traditional open fire place. They typically run < $1000

[bboswell]

Has the slab in this area already been poured?

[Clearfork51]

Consider using a ceiling fan to move warm air down in the room. Hot air rises so an 11’ ceiling would contain a lot of warm air. Run fan on lowest speed, moving air faster cools it. Reversing the fan to move air up should also help. I have an insert and it uses much less wood than a fireplace. Also have a free standing Earth stove in a converted garage. It is very efficient and you get heat from the stove pipe also. I keep it set low because it will heat rooms quickly. My insert is a Tremont but not sure they are still manufactured.