Is this insert any good, or stick with the stove

[s1120]

I also posted this on CBN, but I know there are a lot of people here that don't go to CBN, so I am posting it here also.

We are trying to decide weather to get a wood stove or a fireplace insert. We have been planing on going with a Hearthstone,soapstone stove, but are rethinking a stove, because of a new baby, and the room it takes up. Our fireplace dealer told us about a fireplace insert by a company named Bodart & Gonay . Anyone hear of this brand? Take a look at the web site. How does it look? Both the fireplace and stove put out the same BTU's. Does this mean the same heat will be produced? Thanks for any help, or insight.

 

[cowboydoc]

I'm not familiar with those. I do think a good, big insert will do the job of a stove though. I don't like the ones that are recessed though. I like one that sticks out of the hearth better. With these you get more of the heating effect of the stove plus you can put some water on to hydrate the house. Make sure you get a good blower as well.

The problem with alot of inserts is that they are too small. You can't load them up for the night or when you are gone. That is the problem we had at our other house. It worked great whenyou could keep wood to it but would not hold a fire for more than five hours, just wasn't big enough to put enough wood in or big enough pieces.

In our new house I put in the biggest one I could find. This one I'm really happy with. It has a 3.2 cubic foot firebox and rarely are we without a fire. It will keep a fire for 10 hours on low.

Stovesdirect.com and stovesunlimited.com had the best prices when I was looking. Here's the one that we purchased http://www.stovesdirect.com/stoves/osburnstoves/wood_inserts/2400i.html

Now with all of that said if I was just building a house I would put in a woodstove. You will get twice as much heat from a freestanding woodstove as you will an insert. The problem with the insert is that it is encased inside the fireplace. Alot of your heat is going to stay there. You have radiation from the front and with a blower you have that heat but it's nothing to the radiation of a freestanding woodstove where you get the heat from the complete stove.

 

[Rubintropfen]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ( You will get twice as much heat from a freestanding woodstove as you will an insert.))</font>

Agreed.

Also, you will find many stoves and furnaces BTU ratings are "input" ratings. In other words, that's how much fuel it can burn. When you apply the insert's 70% efficiency to the 50,000 BTU/hr rating you get a maximum of 35,000 BTU/hr of usable heat. And that probably requires the blower to be working (i.e. it is probably even less efficient in a power failure situation).

A friend of mine's wife got fed up with the wood and ashes in the house and so he installed an outdoor wood furnace.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I can only give you one side of this but here goes. I've never had a woodstove so can't speak to that option. I did, however, have a fireplace insert bearing the Earth Stove label. This particular insert was made in Andrews, Indiana by GEMCO (General Equipment Manufacturing Co.) over twenty years ago.

It was very well made and did a wonderful job producing heat for the house. I was a real novice not only to heating with wood but also to even having a fireplace. In spite of all of that I was able to heat 1100-1200 of 1400 sqft. very well with it (the fireplace was in one corner of the house and the BR in the opposite corner didn't stay real warm).

I kept fires going for over three weeks at a time with no problems whatsoever. I felt it did a fine job. Good luck with whatever you decide. I hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[PhilNH5]

I second Richards comments on the heat output. I have the Osburne 1600 insert ( A size smaller than Richard). I also had an Ashley freestanding wood stove on the lower floor. The insert needs the electric blower fan to get the heat into the room. The freestanding stove just radiated it into the room. But the freestanding takes up a lot more living space.

The insert will hold a fire overnight if you fill it and close down the damper. We keep ours burning from end of October until April.

Phil

 

[s1120]

I think maybe I misspoke. I am not talking about a insert that goes into a fireplace, I mean a whole fireplace assembly. I have nothing now, but a hole in the wall. Sorry if I did not make myself clear. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

In that case if you're looking to heat your house with it I'd put in a woodstove. If you're just putting it in for looks and to heat one room I'd go the fireplace route.

 

[fishman]

I've had both, and a well-constructed woodstove beats an insert in my opinion. Of course, here in the big state of Texas, too much heat is the issue. Most people here want the fire for looks but please, no heat. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

A free-standing stove with a blower all encased in a protective outer metal sheath works really great and doesn't get dangerously hot to the touch. Of course, they're not much to look at.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Paul,

I was under the impression you had an existing fireplace when I responded to your post. Since you don't and can do whatever you choose, I'd think whichever unit will go best with your style and decor would be the way to go. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I'd think you could get some pretty efficient outfits in either style now.

 

[s1120]

<font color="red"> I'd think whichever unit will go best with your style and decor would be the way to go </font>

Oh oh! That just opened up another can of worms. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif We have no idea what way, if any, we are going with decor. Never started with a clean slate before. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif