# Fireplace Inserts and Room Humidity



## TurkII (Nov 12, 2013)

I have a wood burning fireplace insert that does a decent job of heating part of my house, but it also dries out the rooms quite a bit. I know with a wood stove some people put a cast iron kettle on top, but obviously there's no way to do that with my insert. I also don't think a fireplace crane would be a good idea since I'd have to mount it to the inset drilling extra holes in the side of the firebox. Any advice on how to maintain or replaces one of the humidity in conjunction with an insert?


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## Phoenix Hatchling (Nov 12, 2013)

TurkII said:


> I have a wood burning fireplace insert that does a decent job of heating part of my house, but it also dries out the rooms quite a bit. I know with a wood stove some people put a cast iron kettle on top, but obviously there's no way to do that with my insert. I also don't think a fireplace crane would be a good idea since I'd have to mount it to the inset drilling extra holes in the side of the firebox. Any advice on how to maintain or replaces one of the humidity in conjunction with an insert?


I have two humidifiers which I need to refill three times a day to maintain @ 45% RH. Total throughput is maybe 12 gallons per day so you could get a larger one, but watch for the cost if there are filters or "wicks" involved. Mine does not use any replaceables, but cost a bit more initially.


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## Grisu (Nov 12, 2013)

Humidifiers(s) is the obvious answer. We also put our laundry on a drying rack close to the stove; saves energy twice.

However, it seems your insert is just doing a marginal job in giving you heat. Would you like to open a new thread stating make/model? Maybe we can help you with that.


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## Phoenix Hatchling (Nov 12, 2013)

Grisu said:


> Humidifiers(s) is the obvious answer. We also put our laundry on a drying rack close to the stove; saves energy twice.
> 
> However, it seems your insert is just doing a marginal job in giving you heat. Would you like to open a new thread stating make/model? Maybe we can help you with that.


Shouldn't one present the obvious and effective solution first? Perhaps if you have an alternate solution for folks with a wood stove insert, you could share them. I too would love to hear your solutions, let's say given a Quad 2700i insert in the basement, and Harman Accentra freestanding pellet on the first floor.


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## DickRussell (Nov 12, 2013)

Excessive dryness in a house in winter almost always is due to too much air leakage. To be sure, any device that uses air and exhausts to the outside (wood stove, clothes dryer, range hood) simply draws that much more dry outside air into the house through all those cracks and holes. A woodstove of course doesn't draw anywhere near as much air as an open fireplace would, and what it does draw likely is just a small part of what comes in through some leaks and pushes inside air out through other leaks. One of the first things to consider when addressing very dry inside air is tightening up the house. Go into the attic and plug all those penetrations for wiring, can lights, etc. Plug those leaks around the sill in the basement. Bear in mind that when you put a lot of water into the air with humidification, that is all water that finds its way out through those leaks in the walls. You really don't want to be dumping a lot of water vapor into your walls or into the attic in winter. It's well known that a new, very tight house needs mechanical ventilation to keep interior humidity DOWN in winter with normal occupancy.


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