# Large Wood Burning Fireplace Insert Recommendations Please



## WIT Performance (Nov 29, 2012)

New to the forum looking for a large wood burning fireplace insert for a 2500 sq ft house to compliment my oil heating system. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated with regard to brand, model and where to purchase. I'm located in Smithtown, Long Island NY 

Have been looking into the following inserts below:

vermont casting merrimack
pacific energy summit
regency classic i3100
Jotul C 550 rockland

Thanks,

-Rob


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## Huntindog1 (Nov 29, 2012)

Whats your fireplace like, could you sit a free standing stove on the front ledge of the fireplace you have?

Whats the condition of your chimney are you installing an insulated liner?

Whats the dimensions of the opening?

Whats the size of the room its going to be in?

A picture would help us also.


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## WIT Performance (Nov 29, 2012)

Huntindog1 said:


> Whats your fireplace like, could you sit a free standing stove on the front ledge of the fireplace you have?
> 
> Whats the condition of your chimney are you installing an insulated liner?
> 
> ...


 
The chimney is in good shape, not sure if a insulated liner or just a 6" stainless liner (does a insulated liner help allot?

the opening is slightly  arched 41.5" wide 28.5 at peak 25 on both sides of arch the firebox is 24" deep

The room is 18 x 28 the house is 2500 sq ft

Would not be able to set a free standing stove it would have to be a insert

Thanks


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## Huntindog1 (Nov 29, 2012)

Insulated Liner helps the draw as it keeps the flue gases warm all the way up an out of the flue. Plus protects you fron flue fires as in its much safer.

You need to have your chimney inspected.


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## WIT Performance (Nov 29, 2012)

Huntindog1 said:


> Insulated Liner helps the draw as it keeps the flue gases warm all the way up an out of the flue. Plus protects you fron flue fires as in its much safer.
> 
> You need to have your chimney inspected.


there are no issues with the chimney it was inspected


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 29, 2012)

None of the three liners I have are insulated. All of them draft quite well.

I would also look at:
Lopi Freedom Bay
Buck 91 (takes an 8" liner)
Quadrafire 5100i
Regency i3100


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## rkofler (Nov 29, 2012)

I am very happy with the 550. I live nearby, will send you a pm with some info


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## flyingpig (Nov 29, 2012)

Welcome to the forum.

I can't speak for other model except for the Lopi Declaration that I have. My place is about 2400 sq.ft. medium insulated and I have been pretty happy with it so far. I can get consistent 8-10 hours of productive heat from one full load. The new model has single door with larger glass so the view should be better than mine with two door.

Cheers......Som


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## Huntindog1 (Nov 29, 2012)

Sounds like your set then for an insert.
Looks like your fire place opening will take most of the inserts.
Your room looks like its big and open so you wont get roasted out of there.

Whats your price range?

14 hour burn time is nice on that QuadraFire 5100i that BrowningBar mentioned.
It most likely wont get the full 14 but the other inserts dont come close to that.


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## Huntindog1 (Nov 29, 2012)

FYI , Here is a Youtube of the Vermont Casting Merrimack you were looking into :


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## WIT Performance (Nov 29, 2012)

Thanks for the help guys, has anyone installed the insert themselves or would you recommend having the distributor install it saw a few videos looks like a pretty straight forward install. What is a fair price for the install?


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 29, 2012)

Huntindog1 said:


> 14 hour burn time is nice on that QuadraFire 5100i that BrowningBar mentioned.
> It most likely wont get the full 14 but the other inserts dont come close to that.


Neither will the Quad.


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## WoodpileOCD (Nov 29, 2012)

WIT Performance said:


> Thanks for the help guys, has anyone installed the insert themselves or would you recommend having the distributor install it saw a few videos looks like a pretty straight forward install. What is a fair price for the install?


 
You asked about a 'large' insert so you should at least consider the Buck 91.  I love mine and did the install myself without too much difficulty.  Did the liner last year after suffering the first winter with a 'slammer' install that really didn't let the monster shine like it can.   Here is a link to my thread for the install.   Good luck in your hunt.   GREAT looking fireplace and hearth by the way.   https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads...re-progress-fire-again-woohoo-new-pics.77014/


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## weatherguy (Nov 30, 2012)

If you can get on your roof fairly easily its not too hard to install a liner yourself, is the fireplace on an outside wall? If it is your better off insulating the liner, also measure the size of your flue to make sure you can get a liner down, shouldnt be a problem but there have been some surprises, a block off plate is a good idea too as it will keep more heat in the house than up the flue.


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## Bluerubi (Nov 30, 2012)

I have the Merrimack installed, and this is my third winter with it. My house is 3000sqft above ground, with two propane furnaces, neither will be run this season. Amazing amount of heat put out, and nice long burn times. I wake up to a mid seventies downstairs everyday, and upstairs rarely drops below mid 60's which I prefer for sleeping. Liner is not insulated, and I already pull too much draft, so I'm happy with the single wall stainless I had installed. After both seasons I had essentially no creosote when cleaning.


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## BrowningBAR (Nov 30, 2012)

Bluerubi said:


> I have the Merrimack installed, and this is my third winter with it. My house is 3000sqft above ground, with two propane furnaces, neither will be run this season. Amazing amount of heat put out, and nice long burn times. I wake up to a mid seventies downstairs everyday, and upstairs rarely drops below mid 60's which I prefer for sleeping. Liner is not insulated, and I already pull too much draft, so I'm happy with the single wall stainless I had installed. After both seasons I had essentially no creosote when cleaning.


You are running a Merrimack AND the Firelight?


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## Bluerubi (Nov 30, 2012)

BrowningBAR said:


> You are running a Merrimack AND the Firelight?



Merrimack all the time, firelight 12 for fun. If things get really cold I'll try running both, but since the firelight is in the basement I don't expect to get the full value out of it. For the past two seasons I've only run the Merrimack.


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## NextEndeavor (Nov 30, 2012)

Extremely happy with our Freedom Bay.  It boasts a 3.1 cuft box that will accept 24 inch logs east-west.  On year #3 and have never needed to take full advantage to heat only 1,500 ft home.  I installed it with help from a very capable buddy.  First two seasons the liner was uninsulated in an outside masonary chimney.  Now insulated and realizing I shoulda done that during the first DIY install.  Lopi has the bypass damper that I'd hate to go without now that I'm spoiled.


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## dafattkidd (Dec 1, 2012)

Welcome to the forum.  My Osburn 2400 has a large firebox. Osburn lists it as 3.2 cf but it actually measures out closer to 3.5 cf.  This things a beast. I found a great deal on www.dynamitebuys.com

Good luck!


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## WoodpileOCD (Dec 1, 2012)

NextEndeavor said:


> Extremely happy with our Freedom Bay. It boasts a 3.1 cuft box that will accept 24 inch logs east-west. On year #3 and have never needed to take full advantage to heat only 1,500 ft home. I installed it with help from a very capable buddy. *First two seasons the liner was uninsulated in an outside masonary chimney. Now insulated and realizing I shoulda done that during the first DIY install.* Lopi has the bypass damper that I'd hate to go without now that I'm spoiled.


Can you detail what the differences are now that you have an insulated liner.  Faster takeoffs, longer burns, less creosote etc.  Just trying to get a real understanding of what effects you see.  Thanks.


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## NextEndeavor (Dec 1, 2012)

Insulated liner: yes on the quicker light ups. Probably no on the longer burn times, that is mainly a function of inlet air and wood quality. As for creosote, the jury will be out for 30 days on that.  I expect it to be near none but will sweep at end of December to know.  I can tell you with the better draft that it keeps pulling well even near the end of burn cycle leaving only ash dust now, before some coal chunks often left behind.


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## WIT Performance (Dec 1, 2012)

Went to a local store today and saw a Hearthstone Clydesdale looked real nice and had a soap stone liner any feedback on the Clydesdale? Thanks!


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## CT-Mike (Dec 1, 2012)

I am sitting in front of my toasty Lopi Freedom in its' fifth season. Love this thing and highly recommend it.


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## Huntindog1 (Dec 1, 2012)

Soapstone stores heat very well thats why they use soap stone with wood stoves. Sounds like the Hearthstone Clydesdale use thick soapstone panels inside the stove. This adds mass to the stove using thick panels using the best stone for storing heat. Mass alone gives you heat storage then the added mass being soapstone gives you even greater heat storage ability. They claim 10 hour burn time then they say the heat storage gives you heat much longer after the 10 hour burn time is over.


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## ClydesdaleBurner (Dec 2, 2012)

Very happy with the Clydesdale going into my 5th yr with it.  It will give an honest 8-10 hr burn with the right wood packed well.  I do overnight burns without too much trouble.


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## bearclaw27 (Feb 12, 2013)

flyingpig said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> 
> I can't speak for other model except for the Lopi Declaration that I have. My place is about 2400 sq.ft. medium insulated and I have been pretty happy with it so far. I can get consistent 8-10 hours of productive heat from one full load. The new model has single door with larger glass so the view should be better than mine with two door.
> 
> Cheers......Som


 I am shopping for an insert now and The Lopi Declaration and Fpx 33 are at the the top of my list of choices.. A few questions for you.. Are you able to heat your entire living space with it , how much did you pay for it (if I may ask), and have you had any problems with it...?

Thanks

bearclaw


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## flyingpig (Feb 12, 2013)

I'd say the insert is capable of heating 2000 sq.ft. easily in the condition I have (medium insulate, mild winter). But the Colonial home layout doesn't allow heat to spread out that well compare with the newer open floor plan. The insert is in living room on one far end of the house. It can be a tad too hot in that room, but kitchen & dining will be at comfortable 72*F. The 2nd floor will be around 68 in the hallway, which is not bad consider it doesn't have any other air path except for the narrow stair opening.

Do I like it?  Yes.   Problem?  Nothing beside the relatively loud fan. But if I can redo it again, I may want to lift it up 6 - 8 inches off the floor so that I have no need to "craw" to check secondary combustion. And with the mild winter that we have in mid Atlantic, I may opt for a CAT stove/insert for lower heat and longer burn instead.

The insert + surround costed me about $3500 back in 2010. 

Cheers....Som


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## begreen (Feb 12, 2013)

bearclaw27 said:


> I am shopping for an insert now and The Lopi Declaration and Fpx 33 are at the the top of my list of choices.. A few questions for you.. Are you able to heat your entire living space with it , how much did you pay for it (if I may ask), and have you had any problems with it...?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> bearclaw


 
Do you have frequent or extended power outages? A flush insert is going to under perform one that extend out onto the hearth when naturally convecting.


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## bearclaw27 (Feb 13, 2013)

begreen said:


> Do you have frequent or extended power outages? A flush insert is going to under perform one that extend out onto the hearth when naturally convecting.


Not many power outages, but the last one lasted for almost 2 weeks... Hurricane Sandy... They say it is a once every 100 yrs storm...  I hope they were right.  Nonetheless, I cant imagine that 5 inches of stove extending out onto the hearth would make the place that much warmer.


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## Redlegs (Feb 13, 2013)

I have and would recommend the Osburn 2400 (3.2 cu ft firebox).  It gives great heat output, and burn times of 10 hours are easy.  A good friend of mine installed a Lopi Freedom and I like his insert.  If I had seen the Buck 91, I might have loked at that ...4.4 cu ft firebox is BIG.


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## flyingpig (Feb 13, 2013)

There are lots of stove/insert with great performance. But very few of them are easy to the eye. That's one reason I picked the FPX33. At least it a bit closer to those contemporary ones in Europe.


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## claybe (Feb 13, 2013)

If you are looking for big go for the buck 91. I think the box is 4.4 cubic feet  I also think it has an efficiency rating of 82%.  I have the princess insert and love it.  I would highly recommend it!  I went with the princess over the buck because it has the same efficiency rating and a longer burn time. And a smaller box which means less wood. You should consider the princess.


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## dafattkidd (Feb 14, 2013)

Also worth mentioning the Buck requires an 8" chimney liner and the Princess (and most other inserts) takes 6". Many chimneys won't fit an 8" liner.


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## Hiram Maxim (Feb 15, 2013)

claybe said:


> If you are looking for big go for the buck 91. I think the box is 4.4 cubic feet I also think it has an efficiency rating of 82%. I have the princess insert and love it. I would highly recommend it! I went with the princess over the buck because it has the same efficiency rating and a longer burn time. And a smaller box which means less wood. You should consider the princess.


+1


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