# Fireplace wood burning insert really works ?



## Dima (Nov 13, 2015)

Hi guys, 

I have a fireplace that is currently requires small fixes, however another option is to install a wood buning insert in to it to heat up the house. SO my question is, would insert really heat up the whole house or just the room its in, 
I have apx 2500sqf 2-storey house, so thermostat is located in the same room as fireplace, so if insert starts working, thermostat wont turn on,   so the second floor will be cold. WOuld the insert make enough heat for it too ? 

Thank you!


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## begreen (Nov 13, 2015)

Greetings. Wood stoves and inserts are area heaters. If the area where the stove is located is an open floor plan with a large open staircase then hot air will convect upstairs too. How well this works depends on other factors like house insulation, glass exposure, ceiling height, stove size, wood species and wood dryness.

Is this a masonry or a zero-clearance (metal) fireplace? How large?


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## Fastdonzi (Nov 13, 2015)

I have Heated 2000sf 2 story for 15 yrs 100% with an insert.  a ceiling fan does wonders to move heat around.... I have 12' ceilings in the main part. No Gas, No Electric..... 100% Wood


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## Omaha419 (Nov 13, 2015)

I'll be watching this thread. I intend on doing the same.


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## BrotherBart (Nov 13, 2015)

I heated this place 100% for 21 years with a pre-EPA insert. 2,500 sq. ft. center hall colonial but it isn't in Canada. But on below zero nights it kept the joint warm. My current stove is inside that same fireplace and even though it isn't an insert it gets'er done.


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## msjones2452 (Nov 13, 2015)

As a new wood burner, I can say that my new(er) insert has done a commendable job of keeping my roughly 2200 sqft two story home very comfortable. I do have to admit that we haven't had any seriously cold spells since installation (a few weeks so far of 30 and below nights w/40's/50's during the day.) and it does take the insert blower and one small fan to move the warmth upstairs. I load twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening before bed. Obviously, the room the stove's in is warmer than the rest of the house but the whole house is comfortable. What I think I like the most about heating w/wood is that it's not just the air that gets heated like with a forced air furnace. The radiant heat permeates through the walls/floors/ceilings/furniture/etc. That is nice because as the fire starts dying down the house radiates that heat back. So, unlike forced air heat in which the house immediately begins feeling colder as soon as the furnace shuts off, wood heat maintains living comfort for some time after the fire dies down.

All that being said, there is CONSIDERABLY more work involved in heating with wood. There is also a requirement for some real estate to store all of that wood. As begreen said, there are many factors that will determine how well a wood burning insert/stove will work in your home.   

Good luck in your research and decision making process. You've definitely started off on the right foot by joining this forum. There are many VERY experienced and knowledgeable people here that are willing to help.


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## Dmitry (Nov 14, 2015)

msjones2452 said:


> it's not just the air that gets heated like with a forced air furnace. The radiant heat permeates through the walls/floors/ceilings/furniture/etc. That is nice because as the fire starts dying down the house radiates that heat back. So, unlike forced air heat in which the house immediately begins feeling colder as soon as the furnace shuts off, wood heat maintains living comfort for some time after the fire dies down.


I was just talking to my wife about it . The house that was heated with my wood insert holds heat much longer vs heated with forced air furnace.
I think  that the fact that insert being  installed in interior masonry fireplace helps to keep house warmer as well.
I was somewhat regretting getting insert instead of  free standing stove at first , but now I can feel the heat radiating from stone that surrounds it.
It takes longer to feel the heat, but after couple hours it really works.


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## Dima (Nov 14, 2015)

begreen said:


> Greetings. Wood stoves and inserts are area heaters. If the area where the stove is located is an open floor plan with a large open staircase then hot air will convect upstairs too. How well this works depends on other factors like house insulation, glass exposure, ceiling height, stove size, wood species and wood dryness.
> 
> Is this a masonry or a zero-clearance (metal) fireplace? How large?



masonry


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## Starstuff (Nov 14, 2015)

I bought a poorly insulated 1600sq ft, split level open floor plan home with a large, interior masonry chimney in the center of the living room (thankfully, house has new efficient windows). I have heated 100% with a wood insert for the last two years. We had an uncharacteristically nasty winter last year, but I was able to keep the upper two levels easily into the low/mid 70s  even on the coldest of nights. As others have said, burning with wood is a lot of work and a moderate-to-heavy time commitment to building up a wood supply and maintaining the stove when burning. 

So yes, you can heat your home under the right conditions and if you're willing to put in the time. It is totally worth it to me, but it does require that you absorb it into your lifestyle.


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## Dima (Nov 14, 2015)

I noticed the inserts can be wood or pillet burning. THe question is can I use pillet in the wood burning or opposite ?


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## begreen (Nov 14, 2015)

They make pellet baskets for wood burners. A decent one is ok for steady low heat. An alternative would be highly compressed wood logs or bricks. You can not burn wood splits in a pellet stove. 

The question is what will fit and what is the budget. Is there a particular style desired like contemporary or traditional?


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## Ashful (Nov 14, 2015)

What type of central heating?  Might not be so difficult to zone off second floor.  I save thousands per year by keeping stoves running 24/7, but they're not heating my whole house.  Eleven zones on my heating system make that easy to balance.


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## Dmitry (Nov 14, 2015)

Dima said:


> , so if insert starts working, thermostat wont turn on, so the second floor will be cold. WOuld the insert make enough heat for it too ?


One of the options is to move thermostat or change it to wireless, so you can place it on a second floor and close vents on a first one manually


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## Trogdor (Nov 14, 2015)

Dmitry said:


> One of the options is to move thermostat or change it to wireless



I second the wireless option if you happen to get yourself an insert.

We swapped our thermostat to an Ecobee, and this gadget has been ideal for us in our similar situation as it comes with a remote temp/humidity sensor.  We keep our bedrooms around 17.5*C at night, irregardless of how much heat is pumping out of the insert.


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## Ashful (Nov 14, 2015)

Getting back to the original question, yes, you can carry the majority (sometimes all) of the heating requirement for a 2500 sf house from one stove.  Stove and chimney location, floor plan, insulation, and your tolerance for variation of temperature across the house will dictate how successful you are in that endeavor.  Many of us do as you're already thinking, use the stove to pump as many BTUs into the house as is practical, and use the central heating to carry the balance.  You can figure on an average stove running 3-4 cords per year, depending on your dedication to loading.  A cord of wood will generally replace a 275 gallon tank of oil, all things considered.


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## Pat32rf (Nov 17, 2015)

You WILL get a lot more useable heat out of your fireplace if you put an insert in it. Most fireplaces loose over half their heat up the chimney. An airtight insert prevents that. If you can get free wood from any source it will be cheaper than pellets....if you have any friends out in the country they might even consider buying and sharing a load of logs with you...


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## Dima (Nov 20, 2015)

Attached is the picture of my current fireplace, I just oredered a small insert unit like that
http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI1250.aspx

I know it wont heat up the whole house but I like it. I think even a big unit wont do it for my house looking at my room locations. The unit should be setup in couple of weeks, so will keep you posted. 

There is also another bigger unit similar like that http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI2600.aspx 
but the guys told me he just had 6 calls with last installs people has to clear the glass every time they use it, so he did not suggest it.


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## kennyp2339 (Nov 20, 2015)

Dima said:


> There is also another bigger unit similar like that http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI2600.aspx
> but the guys told me he just had 6 calls with last installs people has to clear the glass every time they use it, so he did not suggest it.


Perhaps the people aren't burning seasoned wood, or burning the stove to low, I wouldn't base the size unit to dirty glass, especially if its a regency, they do make pretty decent products.
Do more research, some people like flush mounted inserts, others like some stove to hang out of the fireplace incase the power goes out, they get some useable heat still.


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## davidmsem (Nov 20, 2015)

Dima said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I have a fireplace that is currently requires small fixes, however another option is to install a wood buning insert in to it to heat up the house. SO my question is, would insert really heat up the whole house or just the room its in,
> I have apx 2500sqf 2-storey house, so thermostat is located in the same room as fireplace, so if insert starts working, thermostat wont turn on,   so the second floor will be cold. WOuld the insert make enough heat for it too ?
> ...



I have a 9 room colonial and switched to an insert last year. I'm amazed how much heat does get upstairs by using a 6" in-line duct fan. In the attic, I've connected a ceiling vent from an upstairs room to a ceiling vent downstairs where the insert is. I drop cold air from the second floor to the first. This evening the first floor heated area was 83 and the upstairs 71. It is in the 40s outside so the temps inside are warmer than normal.

We walk around in underwear a lot in the winter now.

Upstairs is where the bedrooms are so we are content with the coolness for sleeping

Don't get a cheap fan....Can Fan Maxx is what I used.


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## davidmsem (Nov 20, 2015)

Dima said:


> Attached is the picture of my current fireplace, I just oredered a small insert unit like that
> http://www.regency-fire.com/Products/Wood/Wood-Inserts/CI1250.aspx
> 
> I know it wont heat up the whole house but I like it. I think even a big unit wont do it for my house looking at my room locations. The unit should be setup in couple of weeks, so will keep you posted.
> ...


I have the Regency 3100i and it is a BEAST. Love it. Far exceeds my expectations.


kennyp2339 said:


> Perhaps the people aren't burning seasoned wood, or burning the stove to low, I wouldn't base the size unit to dirty glass, especially if its a regency, they do make pretty decent products.
> Do more research, some people like flush mounted inserts, others like some stove to hang out of the fireplace incase the power goes out, they get some useable heat still.


Love Love Love my Regency 3100i.


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## Dmitry (Nov 21, 2015)

Dima said:


> but the guys told me he just had 6 calls with last installs people has to clear the glass every time they use it, so he did not suggest it.


I'm sorry for being rude, but this is just a stupid suggestion. He's got no experience or trying to sell unwanted inventory.  I can assure you that people who just got their stoves installed have no idea what the seasoned wood is and how to burn it.  I remember myself year ago and my glass was so black you couldn't see trough.   Seasoned wood and right burning technique   are  going to  take care of everything in most cases.

Dimas, Call and cancel your order, dude. Do more research. Ask people here on forum, not the salesman in a store. I bet you are going to regret getting insert this small. Get the biggest you can put in your fireplace. I have 3 cu ft  flush insert and I wish the firebox was bigger.  The wood is  not going to be an ideal in shape and size, you going to  load  it west/east, since it's  a flush insert, so  even less wood in your stove.
Don't worry, you goanna find  a way to distribute   the heat.
It's  a  big  long term investment and  you can't trade it like a car, so, do it right.


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## Ashful (Nov 21, 2015)

Dmitry said:


> .
> It's  a  big  long term investment and  you can't trade it like a car, so, do it right.


Excellent post, and I agree with everything you said, except this last sentence.  I'm on stoves number four and five, in my fifth year of burning stoves.  Excepting death, nothing is permanent.


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## JR4AL (Nov 22, 2015)

Back to the original question....If your thermostat is in the same room as the fireplace (soon to be insert) maybe you could try and turn your thermostat to "Fan On" and circulate the warm air from the insert throughout your house? Assuming your air return is close to your thermostat maybe it is close enough to get that warm air from the insert moving throughout your home with the flip of a switch! Hope this helps!


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## firefighterjake (Nov 22, 2015)

Ashful said:


> Excellent post, and I agree with everything you said, except this last sentence.  I'm on stoves number four and five, in my fifth year of burning stoves.  Excepting death, nothing is permanent.



Taxes?


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## Ashful (Nov 22, 2015)

firefighterjake said:


> Taxes?


Not even taxes... ask the Romans.


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## Dmitry (Nov 29, 2015)

Ashful said:


> I'm on stoves number four and five, in my fifth year of burning stoves. Excepting death, nothing is permanent.


How can it be? Are  you trading them? or selling them? or breaking them?


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## begreen (Nov 29, 2015)

Big house. He had 3 Jotul F12s before this.


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## Dmitry (Nov 29, 2015)

I wish I had more stoves to run and compare. I got insert in interior location that heating well my 2000 sq ft  open floor plan ranch. I got  partially insulated  finished  inground basement and in-law apartment in a lower level with nice  big  tall  fireplace asking for a  freestanding stove. I'm trying to justify getting  one of the BK stoves for it. But since  we don't use the basement much and daughter will be out of the in-law apartment soon....
May be I'll find something on craiglist one day.... Don't want to poke my insurance company, though. They've been good about current insert, but who knows.


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## Ashful (Nov 29, 2015)

Short story:  I knew I wanted to stick with catalytic stoves, for their ability to run long and slow.  Unfortunately, the only catalytic stoves on the market that I found aesthetically attractive were the troublesome Vermont Castings designs.  So, I went with my best option at the time, a pair of old Jotul Firelight 12's.  Beautiful stoves, exceedingly well built, and enormous fireboxes.  I eventually picked up a third as a spare / parts stove, since Jotul USA was not real reliable on stocking parts of these old stoves.

I eventually proved to myself that you cannot heat a stone house with a radiant stove placed in a stone fireplace on an exterior wall.  In this situation, the majority of the generated BTU's end up radiating directly into exterior stonework, and then to my back yard.  I noted that my relatively small boiler had very little trouble heating this big joint, with very low run times, using convective copper fin-tube radiators.

Thankfully, Blaze King eventually released a stove that I'd been waiting a few years on, which met all of my requirements.  Visually satisfying, catalytic, and convective design.  It even sports some nice blowers to help really move the heat out of the fireplaces (see avatar) in which I've placed each stove.

So, yes... three Jotul Firelight 12's and two Blaze King Ashford 30.1's in four years.  The Jotuls were bought on three separate occasions from three separate sources.  The Blaze Kings were delivered as a matched pair.


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## Dmitry (Nov 29, 2015)

Off topic:  Does it bother you, veterans, when someone asks for  advice, you give all your wisdom and original poster doesn't seem to give a damn by replaying to the post or just saying  thank you.


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## jatoxico (Nov 29, 2015)

Dmitry said:


> Off topic:  Does it bother you, veterans, when someone asks for  advice, you give all your wisdom and original poster doesn't seem to give a damn by replaying to the post or just saying  thank you.


Not really. Some come get the info they need or as much as they want and they're done. It's part of what Hearth does and there's nothing wrong with that. Hopefully they got good info and took it to heart. If I get a sense from a poster that it's gonna be a pure hit and run I don't invest too much.


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## firefighterjake (Nov 30, 2015)

Dmitry said:


> Off topic:  Does it bother you, veterans, when someone asks for  advice, you give all your wisdom and original poster doesn't seem to give a damn by replaying to the post or just saying  thank you.



Nah . . . I'm just working on increasing my post count here so folks think I am a lot smarter than I actually am . . . that and I like to hear myself talk.


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## mellow (Nov 30, 2015)

Some people's feelings are easily hurt when you tell them they made a mistake,  they will come back in January when they are freezing asking why the insert will not heat their house.  Happens all the time.


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## kennyp2339 (Nov 30, 2015)

Doesn't bother me one bit, when I first started the wood burning thing I would lurk and read as much as possible, someone some where may have a question or a problem that might be similar to another posters and they get great take info from other postings.


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## Squisher (Nov 30, 2015)

All the info shared is greatly appreciated by many more than any of the posters may ever know. 

I sure appreciate the resource of this place, it never ceases to amaze me what can be learned online due to the willingness of others to share their knowledge. 

Thank-you


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## Dima (Dec 19, 2015)

as promised to share the insert when its ready. here is a pic












Wood burning insert regency i2600



__ Dima
__ Dec 19, 2015






However I have a question. On auto mode before it turns on it takes really a while. Does it mean that I am not making fire big enough. I am trying to be caution. How bit is the fire can be ? ALso the draft should be be fully open or I have to partially close it ?


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## begreen (Dec 19, 2015)

Nice. Thanks for posting. On a cold start it takes a while to get the whole stove body warmed up. With dry wood you should be able to cut back the air quite a bit once the fire is burning strongly. That is a relatively small fire. The insert will heat up faster with a larger burn. You will get more used to the insert and will gain confidence the more you burn. If you have specific questions on running the I2600 start a new thread with them. There are several owners of this insert here.


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## Dmitry (Dec 19, 2015)

i can see you have followed our advice and got bigger stove?


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## Dima (Dec 19, 2015)

Dmitry said:


> i can see you have followed our advice and got bigger stove?


yes thats the biggest one I could fit into the space


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## jatoxico (Dec 19, 2015)

Dima said:


> On auto mode before it turns on it takes really a while.



I often turn the fan on manually once the temp is getting up there since as the ash builds it can insulate the snap stat from coming on. After awhile it will pop and I'll put it in auto mode so it shuts down by itself.


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## Dix (Dec 19, 2015)

Dima said:


> yes thats the biggest one I could fit into the space



It's why we do what we do 

I leave my fan on auto, it wakes me up at 5 AM, when it starts cyclying. 

You're breaking it in, you need smaller fires at first, building up temp & time for a few fires. Expect a smell at each temp upgrade, it's normal.  Air wide open to start, I leave the door ajar sometimes, if I am going to be in the room. Wait for a good fire going, then start shutting it down in increments.

Your mileage may vary


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## Pat32rf (Dec 19, 2015)

Dima...Your fireplace looks like the Rumstead we had in our Colonial house in Whitby. Used it to heat the family room/kitchen (16'x32') for 20 years. It never cooled off all winter. When we came downstairs in the morning a bit of kindling would restart it for the next day. 
When we sold the house the new owners put in a gas log......


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