Insert or woodburning stove with outside air draw?

[Wife'nHubby]

I'm doing a little research on either a fireplace insert or fireplace mounted stove and am looking for brands that are equipped with an outside air termination.

So far, all I can find is the Dutchwest that only has a 63% efficiency with 1.31 EPA emissions, theoretically with a 14 hr. burn. I like the fan option and the stated long burn time but don't how much of that burn time is manufacturer hype. (The model I am looking at is #2479 here: http://www.vermontcastings.com/content/products/productdetails.cfm?id=314

Does anyone know of any other inserts or stoves that offer the outside air termination kits with a stated overnight burn? Possibly a rear flue might be best for us. Non-cat please.

Shari

 

[Hoping4Heat]

Ok, I'm not sure about all the things you are asking about, but we have an Avalon Olympic fireplace insert and love it.

 

[trouba]

I have a lopi wood insert and they show a outside air kit for their stoves it's in the accessories. Lopi Endeavor, Efficiency 70.4%, 1.9 Grams Per Hour, Maximum Burn Time 10 Hours.

http://www.lopistoves.com/product_guide/detail.aspx?id=209

instructions for outside air kit

http://www.lopistoves.com/TravisDocs/17601452.pdf

As far as the burn times the longer the time the more you have to close the damper = dirty glass and less heat. I can get 8 hours (the stated burn time) out of my Lopi Answer but it is highly dependent on the type and quality of wood, 6 is a more realistic time.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

my Hearthstone has an outside air supply

 

[savageactor7]

Shari if I were you I'd stay away from a VC stove...the company has been reorganized and they have some issues yet to be ironed out.

Keep in mind a free standing stove will radiate a lot more heat than an insert so if the clearances allow it go for the free standing stove.

With a disabled husband I'm thinking an Englander stove like an NC30 would serve you well and save you a lot of coin.
All the stated burn times will disappoint you...it's useful heat you're really interested in if you live in a colder climate. So called long burn times are more important to those that are away from they house at work or for those that are young enough that can actually sleep for 10 hrs at a time...that ain't us.

So the longer burn times have a lot of 'just hot coals' time factored in their stats. Don't get me wrong hot coals are important too, With hot coals you can get a fire up to warp speed in short order...unlike starting a fire from scratch...just my 2cents.

 

[Echo-man]

As far as the burn times the longer the time the more you have to close the damper = dirty glass and less heat. I can get 8 hours (the stated burn time) out of my Lopi Answer buy it is highly dependit on the type and quality of wood, 6 is a more realistic time.

Yep. I got the same insert and get the same burn time. Someone (the wife- she's a light sleeper) has to get up in the night and throw on another log if you want hot coals in the morning.

 

[Locoweed]

My Regency wood stove has the outside air option and I use it.

 

[NDtreehugger]

I use a Vermont Castings http://www.vermontcastings.com/content/stoves/

nice stuff I get all night burn with a small stove

 

[Wife'nHubby]

You are all giving great advise! Keep it coming! I am trying to learn as-fast-as-I-can so we can be ready for this winter if we decide to get a wood burner to replace our fireplace. I am so confused on this! I do agree with one of those who posted that I too was thinking I would get more heat from a stove mounted inside the fireplace versus an insert.

Our fireplace is just about dead center in our 1 story home and acts as a divider wall between our foyer, living room and kitchen. It is sided on 3 sides with feather edge lannon stone so the fireplace kind of acts like a thermal heat source when we keep a fire going on cold days. The fireplace is only open to the living room with a stone wall that is about 8' long, the kitchen stone wall (back side of the fireplace) is about 8' long and the depth of the entire stone wall is about 3-1/2'.

I can see where we might have to open up a transom area where the bedroom wing of the house leads away from the heat source in order to increase air flow but maybe just some small fans to increase circulation would do for the first winter.

So, keep the ideas coming. I will check out each and every suggestion made. Thanks so much!

Shari

 

[Wife'nHubby]

I forgot to ask: If you have a stove mounted in your fireplace, could you post a picture so I can get some ideas?

Shari

 

[Deadman]

search for LOPI or QUADRAFIRE they'll have top quality burners.