Found an insert, anyone ever used these?

[WASTATE]

Acquired this fireplace insert for free, thinking I'll clean it up a bit and slide it in the ole fireplace. It has a built in fan and some pipes in it to conduct heat I assume. Does anyone know anything about these models? I dont know much about it, it has some insulation on the back of it thinking of replacing that first before using it

View attachment 307277

 

[Brushwacker]

I have an insert that looks like a double wall wood stove squeezed down to fit a fire place.
With that I have replaced an heatalator insert that ate wood like a dragon. I used to burn several hundred gallons of propane + 6ish cords or so of wood a year. Now my gas furnace hasn't even worked for near 10 years and I burn about 4 to 5 cord a year and use other heat sources but a little in the coldest weather in my bathroom and kitchen which are on the opposite side of the house as the fireplace. I knew I was loosing some heat up the chimney but I didn't realize it was that great of amount until making the switch. I don't think what you have looks built for that kind of efficiency but I could be wrong and it might still do better then what u were using.

 

[Sal C]

When I want too burn less wood I throw a tire in her.

 

[WASTATE]

Sounds like low approval, I'll give it a shot anyhow. As it is I have a ton of wood and 2 fireplaces that dont put out hardly any heat and are a pain to get a fire going even. So I'll see how it works, if not then it can go to the dump.

Brushwacker, not sure what you mean. Is it that this model looks like the heatalator you used to have?

 

[ss~zoso~ss]

You'll basically still have a 'fireplace' not a stove, the piping and vents / fan just circulates some heat from the fire.

You will still have significant drafting up through the chimney, but if you like having fires in your fireplace, this is the next best thing second to a wood stove insert

 

[Brushwacker]

Sounds like low approval, I'll give it a shot anyhow. As it is I have a ton of wood and 2 fireplaces that dont put out hardly any heat and are a pain to get a fire going even. So I'll see how it works, if not then it can go to the dump.

Brushwacker, not sure what you mean. Is it that this model looks like the heatalator you used to have?

You'll basically still have a 'fireplace' not a stove, the piping and vents / fan just circulates some heat from the fire.

You will still have significant drafting up through the chimney, but if you like having fires in your fireplace, this is the next best thing second to a wood stove insert

Like he said but the wood stove insert I believe will be way more efficient and is what I would want if you aim to save money with wood heat utilizing a fireplace. Google wood stove inserts and you should see the differences.
If your having trouble starting fires, could it be you have tall trees close by creating a down draft ? The wind travels downward after it goes over tree tops.

 

[WASTATE]

yea I know what wood stove inserts are, and stand alone wood stoves. I was just calling this an insert for lack of a better term. Interesting idea on the downdrafts, in fact I do live next to a bunch of really tall trees. That is a possibility

 

[RPrice]

You'll basically still have a 'fireplace' not a stove, the piping and vents / fan just circulates some heat from the fire.

You will still have significant drafting up through the chimney, but if you like having fires in your fireplace, this is the next best thing second to a wood stove insert

+1, That is a fireplace, not a stove. They basically don't work for actually heating a house, not without a large fire going 24/7, which will burn a lot of wood.

I had a friend who had a very similar unit installed in his new home. He ended up buying a real wood stove insert. He could have saved money by just having a free standing wood stove installed when he first built the house!

I would sell it, and get a wood stove insert.

Good luck with your decision!!

 

[stihlaficionado]

Acquired this fireplace insert for free, thinking I'll clean it up a bit and slide it in the ole fireplace. It has a built in fan and some pipes in it to conduct heat I assume. Does anyone know anything about these models? I dont know much about it, it has some insulation on the back of it thinking of replacing that first before using it

View attachment 307277

Sorta looks like our old Preway ...when we pulled out our model it was built like a tank & weighed as much too. We chucked it over the 2nd story deck & it barely dented the plating

 

[Brushwacker]

yea I know what wood stove inserts are, and stand alone wood stoves. I was just calling this an insert for lack of a better term. Interesting idea on the downdrafts, in fact I do live next to a bunch of really tall trees. That is a possibility

I cut a tree near the north end of my house that gave me a problem when the wind came from the north, problem solved. I think the only way around that would be if it were practical to have a chimney higher then the tree.