insert vs stove

[stevohut]

Is it better to buy a wood stove or convert my fireplace with an insert to make it a stove? Could I put a stove infront of my fireplace and use the chiminey from the fireplace and just block the fireplace off with a false wall? I read the stove should be placed in an area where you spend the most time in. For me that would be upstairs. Wouldn't it make more sense to put it downstairs that way it would heat my cold basement then rise upstairs to heat the rest of the house? THNX

steve

 

[howellhandmade]

Lots of people install a wood stove in front of the fireplace. Maybe Shari will post a pic of hers, I think it's like that. You get more heat in the room, but lose floor space. Depends on how your living room is laid out and how you use it. Also depends on your fireplace surround and hearth; by code you need a certain distance from flammable materials, certain R value under the unit, etc. Just for heating, you're right, a stove in the basement would do the most good, or can do if it works for your house, but having a fire in the living room is also good. With my family, the fire is an important social focus point -- we tend to gather around the fire, and share the responsibility of tending it. If it were tucked away in the basement it would just be my job to feed it and nobody would think about it or appreciate the work. If I had to put a wood burner in the basement I'd go whole hog and tie a wood burning furnace into the duct work and have done with it.

Jack

 

[Cambium]

Is it better to buy a wood stove or convert my fireplace with an insert to make it a stove? Could I put a stove infront of my fireplace and use the chiminey from the fireplace and just block the fireplace off with a false wall? I read the stove should be placed in an area where you spend the most time in. For me that would be upstairs. Wouldn't it make more sense to put it downstairs that way it would heat my cold basement then rise upstairs to heat the rest of the house? THNX

steve

Cost wise - Stove
Heat Distribution - Both
Space Saving - Insert

You can always get a stove with a blower option and it will do the same job as an insert. The only reason you would get the insert is if you 1. Dont Have The Room For A Stove. & 2. Have The Money. Its a few thousand in my area compared to a few hundred for a stove.

 

[Wife'nHubby]

Couple of opinions for you -

Option 1: Freestanding wood stove in the basement: cement walls/floor act as a heat sink stealing precious heat you want upstairs

Option 2: Wood stove in main living area using existing fireplace/chimney: That's what we did. We installed an insulated liner, removed the fireplace block off plate and use a ceiling fan to circulate the heat. You DO need something to circulate the heat and a ceiling fan is MUCH quieter than any on-stove fan/blower system. On the coldest days we also use a small fan set in the hallway directing cold air toward the stove (this keeps the toilet seat warm also! ). Here's a picture of our stove shortly after install when we still need to finish up some stone work:

Be aware, US stove installations require a minimum of 18" non-combustible front clearance - along with side & top clearances specific to the stove you install. This 18" front clearance requirement will mean your existing fireplace hearth will have to be extended. Our hearth is a raised hearth so we are installing a tile extension at floor level as our stove (Jotul Oslo) only requires ember protection on that front clearance.

Here are lots more photos, courtesy of the ********** website: http://www.**********/gallery/pics/woodcoal/


Option 3: Forced air wood burning furnace or an OWB (lots of OWB owners here on AS) - also a good choice for central heat. Anything to keep the gas/propane/oil man away from the door!

Shari

 

[Cambium]

I had the option of installing in basement but thank God I didnt. I would hate to go down there to check the stove and refill every few hours!

Put it in main living area.

 

[Smokinjo]

We installed an insert with double blower in the main living area. We also ran a stainless insulated liner all the way up chimney 24 feet (2story home). This unit heats our 2900 sqft home during the winter. It slides into the fireplace area and no mods were needed. It takes 20 inch logs and runs a long time. Total cost with liner and all was about $2800. Utility bills are now $140 a month in the winter vs $400-$500. 2 years and it has paid for itself.

 

[Wife'nHubby]

SJ posted utility costs vs installation cost - I don't think I've ever posted ours here.

Stove/installation/6" stainless steel insulated liner/etc around $3800
Less: Tax credit -$1,500
Net cost: $2,300

compared to about an average of 4 tanks of oil per winter (250/275 gallons), oil at, what average, $3 or $4 per gallon (depending on what 'crisis' the oil industry is then going through - I figure the stove will be paid off in the first full heating season which pocket change to spare. Most of my wood is either scrounged or very inexpensive and we can cut/split if needed.

Shari

 

[BigE]

Stove/installation/6" stainless steel insulated liner/etc around $3800
Less: Tax credit -$1,500
Net cost: $2,300
Shari

Tax credit is 30% (max $1500), so only $1140 savings, but still a good deal.

I did similar, but in Oregon I also get a 25% credit on Oregon income tax, so that really sweetened the deal.

 

[Wife'nHubby]

Yup, my math was wrong but did intend to say max was $1500.

Shari

 

[tibikedad]

I've had an insert in my former house (2800 square feet), a wood stove in my current house (2700 square feet), and a wood boiler in my current house. The insert looked really good, but was useless without the built-in fan, since it only stuck out about 7 inches in front of the fireplace bricks. The wood stove worked well with or without the fan (better with the fan), but only heated that one room (80 degrees), with some heat spilling out to adjacent rooms. The wood boiler (in the basement) is hooked up to my forced-hot water radiators, and it heats the entire house at 70 degrees all winter. Since getting the boiler, I don't run the stove much any more (just on really cold nights when the wife needs some extra heat). The boiler is so much more efficient, and I get very even heat throughout the house.

With either the insert or the wood stove, if you aren't positively sure of the clearance and other installation requirements, I recommend you have it professionally installed. It's only a few hundred dollars to get it installed, and you won't have to worry about burning your house down.

After burning wood for 15 years, I would never go back to oil.

 

[Newf_Caper]

measure you fireplace opening and see if you can fit a medium or large insert.

 

[SkyP]

The only reason you would get the insert is if you 1. Dont Have The Room For A Stove. & 2. Have The Money.

Reason 3. Wife did not want a free standing stove in the "great room". I know, I know, could have have done it anyway but then the bedroom is colder....:taped:

 

[stevohut]

I've had an insert in my former house (2800 square feet), a wood stove in my current house (2700 square feet), and a wood boiler in my current house. The insert looked really good, but was useless without the built-in fan, since it only stuck out about 7 inches in front of the fireplace bricks. The wood stove worked well with or without the fan (better with the fan), but only heated that one room (80 degrees), with some heat spilling out to adjacent rooms. The wood boiler (in the basement) is hooked up to my forced-hot water radiators, and it heats the entire house at 70 degrees all winter. Since getting the boiler, I don't run the stove much any more (just on really cold nights when the wife needs some extra heat). The boiler is so much more efficient, and I get very even heat throughout the house.

With either the insert or the wood stove, if you aren't positively sure of the clearance and other installation requirements, I recommend you have it professionally installed. It's only a few hundred dollars to get it installed, and you won't have to worry about burning your house down.

After burning wood for 15 years, I would never go back to oil.

I would never think of doing it myself this is one thing I would def hire a pro for. You are right about the electric boiler, they are 100% efficient. Same with an electric furnace also 100%. 1 watt in of energy equals 1 watt out of energy.

steve