Cold Start advice on Fireplace Stove Insert

Midniteoyl · Nov 8, 2013

Dont know if you have one, but they make stainless chimney liners just for this use - inserts in a large fireplace. The large open flues just dont work well with the inserts..

As for the draft inducers (the power option mentioned), I made my own once.. worked great until I found that getting a draft wasnt the only problem this 'new' install had... After the fire, I put in a proper Zero Clearance wood stove and 7" Excel insulated stainless pipe..

For starting, I use two pieces of wood with a firestarter in the middle and a another wood piece as a cap. Air is the outside air open full and door cracked about an inch. Once the starter burns out, the top piece is going fairly good so I drop it down in between the other two, place 2-3 more on top and close the door leaving the intake wide open. After about another 10-15 mins, I close the intake about 1/2 way and wait for the coals to form.

JRobyn · Nov 8, 2013

I had a propane lighter installed in our new fireplace (Heatilator pre-fab). The flue is 8" stainless and VERY tall (about 35ft). Our very experienced installer recommended always starting a fire by first lighting the propane for just a minute to create clean heat to start the draft and warm the flue, and THEN adding wood.

I know you said you did NOT have propane or natural gas service, but I wonder if it would be possible to easily install and route a lighter and line to a small exterior pad where you could connect it to a 20# propane tank that could be easily changed out? Even a small tank like this would supply a log lighter for a pretty good spell. If it got really heavy use, you could maybe use a 100# tank?

- Jay

Raspy · Nov 8, 2013

Inserts are not supposed to use the old masonry flue. It's most likely a 6" vent on the insert so it should get a 6" stainless pipe up through the top and a vent cap. This will definitely help with the draft. Of course a window must also be open to supply air and prevent a vacuum in the house.

ultrarunner · Nov 8, 2013

I don't know if there is a liner or not... home dates from 1977 and stove installed in the early 80's from the paperwork I received when I bought the place.

I'm 800 miles away in California and have been away for over a year.

Never had issues when it was being used daily... power was out for 9 days a few years back and the stove really came through when temps were below freezing outside.

Need to look into the log lighter from a propane bottle... seems like a good idea or buying the tenants a portable 1800w heater cube to preheat?

Danno1 · Nov 8, 2013

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You'd be hard pressed around here to find a landlord who would let tenants use a woodstove or a fireplace...

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ultrarunner · Nov 8, 2013

Funny you mention this...

Where I am in California wood burning is banned during the holidays and when it is really cold outside... I can't even give away split and seasoned oak and people pay to have it hauled away.

Washington State is very different... seems all my neighbors heat primarily with wood and I have plenty of woods on the property... mostly fir and cedars...

Power is also problematic... seems every couple of years a huge windstorm takes out the power... longest was only a couple of years ago and in January when it was the coldest...

Raspy · Nov 9, 2013

ultrarunner said:
Funny you mention this...

Where I am in California wood burning is banned during the holidays and when it is really cold outside... I can't even give away split and seasoned oak and people pay to have it hauled away.

Washington State is very different... seems all my neighbors heat primarily with wood and I have plenty of woods on the property... mostly fir and cedars...

Power is also problematic... seems every couple of years a huge windstorm takes out the power... longest was only a couple of years ago and in January when it was the coldest...

I'm also from the Bay Area and spend a lot of time there. The fireplaces there seem designed mainly for looks. In the Eichler homes all around the area, the fireplaces are so bad nobody uses them. I work on the heating systems and have come to recommend lighting the fireplace in the summer to cool the house by creating a draft! Sounds funny, but it makes more sense than using them in the winter and trying to get warm.

I also had a retrofit insert in a house in Turlock. It was installed without a liner but worked pretty well. Much better that a standard masonry fireplace. Now, in Northern Nevada, I have a wood stove that runs a lot. Every morning I light it with a propane torch. Instant fire! A large tip on a trigger ignited torch is comically effective. Blast! Lit.

It sounds like your renters only use the fireplace for ambience. They probably just don't know how to light it.

ultrarunner · Nov 9, 2013

They don't use the living room much except every other week for their Bible Study group

Will look into things indepth when I head North in a couple of weeks...

Having a new HVAC installed with high efficiency Heat Pump... the current system is about 20 years old and uses electric coils for heat.

I don't recommend being a long distance Landlord...

Would hate to sell the place but having to pay others for things I can easily do plus the high property taxes is taking a toll... 13k this year!

Makes California seem like a bargain with 9k property tax and Bay Area mild climate with no A/C and never using the gas furnace... except when company come calling around the Holidays...

charlz · Nov 9, 2013

Using a good amount of paper and a lot of small, dry, kindling and leaving the insert door cracked open a bit should develop a lot of heat pretty quick and get a strong draft going. On days when I don't get a good draft leaving a window cracked open helps a lot. Since it is not used very often it is out cold and they have plenty of time to pile crumpled paper and build up the kindling 'log cabin style' around and over it. Let it get going a bit and then close the door down leaving it open just a bit. Should see the draft from air rushing in around the door really fan the flames, if not there are draft issues.