lOOKING AT WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE INSERTS.

   / lOOKING AT WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE INSERTS. #1  
D

donb2

Bronze Member
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Sep 25, 2011
Messages
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I'm looking at installing a wood burning insert in my existing brick fireplace. It's essentially a wood stove that fits into the fire place opening, so it kind of looks like a metal and glass front on the fire place, but has draft control features and heat distrubution blowers like a newer wood stove.
The two I've looked at so far are by "Napoleon" and "Monessen". Any thoughts, recommendations etc?
I'ts more for emergency use in the event my oil fired hot water system isn't working, than for normal use.

cost is around $2,000 plus $1,000 installation.

Thanks

Don
 
   / lOOKING AT WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE INSERTS. #2  
donb2 said:
I'm looking at installing a wood burning insert in my existing brick fireplace. It's essentially a wood stove that fits into the fire place opening, so it kind of looks like a metal and glass front on the fire place, but has draft control features and heat distrubution blowers like a newer wood stove.
The two I've looked at so far are by "Napoleon" and "Monessen". Any thoughts, recommendations etc?
I'ts more for emergency use in the event my oil fired hot water system isn't working, than for normal use.

cost is around $2,000 plus $1,000 installation.

Thanks

Don
Click to expand...

hmm, never seen one of those. Ive seen lots of propane/nat gas inserts for masonry fireplaces, but now wood.

Isn't a masonry fireplace already set to burn wood??? is this due to cracked flue or just to add the cleaner burning aspects??

thanks.
 
   / lOOKING AT WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE INSERTS. #3  
We have two wood burning inserts in our house. One is an Enviro and was there when we moved in. I have no idea how much it cost, but it does the job nicely. The only thing I don't like about that one is that you can not override the automatic blower. The stove has to be a certain temperature before the blower kicks on.

The other one we have is a quadra fire. That one is awesome. They are more pricey, but it is a big stove, and is very efficient.

That may have been no use since neither of those brands are what you are looking at, but, might be two others to check out.
 
   / lOOKING AT WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE INSERTS.
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Mainly because my wife wants it! After 42 years I know my priorities. However, it is also more controllable and certainly more efficient than an open front fireplace. In my opinion a fireplace just sucks too much heat up the chimney. with this the volume of gasses up the chimney can be better controlled.
 
   / lOOKING AT WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE INSERTS. #5  
donb2 said:
Mainly because my wife wants it! After 42 years I know my priorities. However, it is also more controllable and certainly more efficient than an open front fireplace. In my opinion a fireplace just sucks too much heat up the chimney. with this the volume of gasses up the chimney can be better controlled.
Click to expand...

You are right on all accounts there. I find them to be 100% worth the investment. We can heat our house beyond comfortable. Good luck!
 
   / lOOKING AT WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE INSERTS. #8  
donb2 said:
Mainly because my wife wants it! After 42 years I know my priorities. However, it is also more controllable and certainly more efficient than an open front fireplace. In my opinion a fireplace just sucks too much heat up the chimney. with this the volume of gasses up the chimney can be better controlled.
Click to expand...

Back when I had an as yet unexpoded fifth lumbar disc, I built hearths and chimneys, as well as many other brick, block, and stone structures. I never built a fireplace. I was so opposed to them that I would not take those jobs. They are a waste of wood and pull drafts into buildings.

I would however, build mock fireplaces around inserts, hooking the exhausts directly to a lined flue. Inserts were mostly pretty new back then, and I didn't like standard fireplace installations, as I didn't like having the whole preexisting fireplace firebox exposed to the smoke and possible tar buildups. That's why I preferred to connect the insert straight to the flue.

I've been away from that for over twenty five years (since before catalytic converters were code), so it could be a lot different now. I wish I had some pictures of the hearths I built, but my ex got off with the photo albums. I built some pretty tasty mock fireplaces of used red brick and basalt using inserts.
 
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   / lOOKING AT WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE INSERTS. #9  
There are a lot of really good inserts out there now. Vermont Castings is not one of them.. Just an FYI. :eek:
 
   / lOOKING AT WOOD BURNING FIREPLACE INSERTS. #10  
Criteria for an insert should be about the same as a stove - heavy cast, fire brick, airtight (outside air intake) and EPA certified.
 
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