Strange 'heatilator' fireplace question

[Maren]

I have a masonry fireplace and chimney built before 1960 on a 200 yr old colonial. The interior has the brick floor but a metal back, sides and damper. The surrounding mantel is a traditional painted wood with pilasters, etc. At the bottom of two pilasters, on the brick hearth you can pull out pieces of ventilated wood. I assume these are cold air intakes. On the top of the mantel are 2 openings each 3 x 12 inches where heat comes out. Bifold glass doors (with vents at top and bottom of the door unit) were added about 40 years ago. Is this a heatilator or circulating fireplace? (I wrote to the Heatilator company but they didn't know.) Should I be worried that the mantel top openings are up against the wallpapered walls?
Does anyone have experience with this type of fireplace?

With a heating oil contract about $8000 for this year, I need to find some alternatives. I'm considering a) a woodburning insert fueled with highly compressed natural wood logs, or b) a fireplace grate with blower.
Any ideas on whether I would get significantly more heat from either of these?
With the higher heat, am I risking a fire from the top of the mantel openings?
Any and all advice is welcome!

 

[begreen]

A wood stove may save some money. It depends on the cost of fuel in the area. The openings shouldn't be an issue, but the clearance from the stove top to the mantle might be one.

The best payback is going to come by reducing the heat loss of the house. Your fuel bill is painful. Have you investigated caulking, sealing all leaks, insulation and storm windows as a permanent way of reducing the heating bill?

 

[Todd]

I have a similar fireplace except the vents where the heat comes out is below the mantel and surrounded by brick. Heatalator is a brand name. Yours could be another brand, mine is a Superior Heatform. Look for a metal information tag inside the firebox somewhere. These fireplaces can really put out the heat, but are not very efficient unless they have airtight doors and outside combustion air. What is behind the wallpaper? When mine is burning hot I can't keep my hand on the vent, so there is no way I'd have any kind of paper close to my vent.

If your serious about wood heat I would go check out some local wood stove dealers and see what they have to offer. Bring inside and outside measurements of your fireplace and maybe some pictures as well.

 

[PMA1908]

I have a similar fireplace except the vents where the heat comes out is below the mantel and surrounded by brick. Heatalator is a brand name. Yours could be another brand, mine is a Superior Heatform. Look for a metal information tag inside the firebox somewhere. These fireplaces can really put out the heat, but are not very efficient unless they have airtight doors and outside combustion air. What is behind the wallpaper? When mine is burning hot I can't keep my hand on the vent, so there is no way I'd have any kind of paper close to my vent.

If your serious about wood heat I would go check out some local wood stove dealers and see what they have to offer. Bring inside and outside measurements of your fireplace and maybe some pictures as well.

I was looking at some old posts on metal heatform fireplaces and read the above from you. I have a metal heatform Mfg by Hutch and I can't get any heat out of the thing. It has the fans they are working properly buy little heated air comes out of the vents. It does not have the tubes across the top only a double wall. Your post says you can't keep your hand over the vent!
Any suggestings about what's wrong with mine?

 

[Todd]

Wet wood? That would be the first thing to check. Are you burning with the doors open or closed? Keep them closed so all the heat doesn't get sucked from the room up and out the chimney. Heatforms can throw the heat but take some time to get hot. Use smaller splits at first til you get a good fire and coal bed established then you can add larger splits.