We've been researching fireplace inserts for the last couple of weeks. Our objective is to reduce our high utility bill. Our home is 3400 sq ft, a finished basement, first floor and bedrooms upstairs. We have followed all the energy saving guidelines from PSE&G, but our monthly utility bill is still high. My question to the forum is if you had the choice of installing a fireplace insert versus replacing a fifteen year old furnace whic option would be the most cost effective? Thanks
Install Wood Fireplace Insert or Replace Furnace
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Welcome. With a big place I can see why you are looking at the furnace option, especially if you want to heat the basement too. If the current furnace is in good working order, what about getting an add-on wood furnace? That way you still have normal backup heat. Or are you considering a multifuel furnace instead?
Good question.
I did the furnace first a few years back, primary heat & resale value. Ease of operation for anybody, turn the T-stat.
then up graded the wood stove last year.
3400 feet is A Huge Home: going to be tough to heat with a (1) wood stove, may need 2 strategically located.
That size house, I'd go with a new furnace.
Woodstove. I don't know if I could keep up with the firewood to heat that much area. No (1) insert that I know of, is going to heat that much area.
If you decide to go wood stove (s), get about 10 to 12 cords of wood soon so it's dry & usable by next winter or the one after.
I did the furnace first a few years back, primary heat & resale value. Ease of operation for anybody, turn the T-stat.
then up graded the wood stove last year.
3400 feet is A Huge Home: going to be tough to heat with a (1) wood stove, may need 2 strategically located.
That size house, I'd go with a new furnace.
Woodstove. I don't know if I could keep up with the firewood to heat that much area. No (1) insert that I know of, is going to heat that much area.
If you decide to go wood stove (s), get about 10 to 12 cords of wood soon so it's dry & usable by next winter or the one after.
If I was trying to heat that without a furnace I would have 2 - 3 cu ft stoves. One in the basement and one on the first floor. Then you can tailor the burning to the outside temps.
Actually, it's rare that we spend any time at all in the basement in the winter. What we are looking to do is make the first floor (living room, family room, kitchen, mud room, dining room) comfortable. My wife and I and two kids all use hot water bottles in our beds. The wood fireplace is in the family room.
Does the 3400 sq ft include the basement sq ftg.? What is the first floor plan? The location of the insert will have a lot to do with how well it heats that floor.
What makes the most sense? - Do your homework before replacing your furnace. Depending on what you have now, the replacement may only be a tiny bit more efficient (83% to 90% isnt much of an improvement. You have 3 options, really, improve the efficiency to deliver BTU, get cheaper BTU, or reduce your heat loss in the house (reduce the BTU required).
1) I suspect replacing your heater with a newer model may take a long time to pay off. So if you replace heat, look at different technology. Replacing the AC unit with a heat pump or putting in a ground source heatpump is probably the only way to substantially increase the efficiency of delivering BTU over the current system in the house.
2) Decrease the BTU required by the house, go insulate the attic and replace your windows. Dont leave your garage door open.
3) Get a heat source that uses cheaper fuel source. Replace your oil furnace with a natural gas furnace, Or get a wood stove! My wood stove is 72% efficient, my oil burner is 81% efficient. BUT, even factoring that in, it costs my oil burner about $32/MBTU delivered, my heat pump costs $22/MBTU, and my wood stove costs $12/MBTU. Even if the wood stove doesnt replace all of your heating needs, it will really help make it cheaper. But a wood stove does take a lot of work to operate, its a lot more work than pressing a button, so make sure you are content with your choices.
Rick
1) I suspect replacing your heater with a newer model may take a long time to pay off. So if you replace heat, look at different technology. Replacing the AC unit with a heat pump or putting in a ground source heatpump is probably the only way to substantially increase the efficiency of delivering BTU over the current system in the house.
2) Decrease the BTU required by the house, go insulate the attic and replace your windows. Dont leave your garage door open.
3) Get a heat source that uses cheaper fuel source. Replace your oil furnace with a natural gas furnace, Or get a wood stove! My wood stove is 72% efficient, my oil burner is 81% efficient. BUT, even factoring that in, it costs my oil burner about $32/MBTU delivered, my heat pump costs $22/MBTU, and my wood stove costs $12/MBTU. Even if the wood stove doesnt replace all of your heating needs, it will really help make it cheaper. But a wood stove does take a lot of work to operate, its a lot more work than pressing a button, so make sure you are content with your choices.
Rick
I have a similar if not larger house. A fireplace in the basement and one on the first floor. I was impressed with my friends Quadra-fire in his new home & that helped me make up my mind to put a insert in the fireplace on the first floor. The biggest I could fit was a I2400 Regency but it does a pretty good job heating the upper two floors. The basement stays cool, around 59 degrees which is OK for using the treadmill. If we have a gathering I will just start the fireplace downstairs.
I am very happy with my insert, the furnace only turns on at night once or twice but I wish I had the room for a standalone stove which I am pretty sure would do a much better job of heating my house.
I am very happy with my insert, the furnace only turns on at night once or twice but I wish I had the room for a standalone stove which I am pretty sure would do a much better job of heating my house.
The insert is an area heater so it's cozier close to the fire.
I think you save money just with that-more hanging around the fire.
I think you save money just with that-more hanging around the fire.
If you can put in it in the main living area and if you run it 24/7(and will season wood correctly), put in the wood stove/insert . Hard to justify furnace upgrade to save 10% vs wood at 50%-70% reduction.
I put in an insert in similar size house(very well insulated); used 2 cord thus far in CT and 1/6th tank of oil. Nice to keep house at 70-77 deg.
I put in an insert in similar size house(very well insulated); used 2 cord thus far in CT and 1/6th tank of oil. Nice to keep house at 70-77 deg.
Other things to look at. Do you have enough area to store the wood. Are you going to buy wood or cut your own. If buying how much does it cost in your area. Most firewood sellers don't really season there wood so its best to buy it the year before so you know its seasoned. If you are going to cut your own Do you have access to wood and equ to process it and the time to do so. It is a lot of work and is not for everyone you either love it or hate it. I happen to love it and would burn wood even if propane was $100 a gallon.
Billy
Billy
Insert, if that is the option we choose, will be in the main living area. Property is on .93 acres so wood storage is not an issue. Around here a cord of wood runs about $160 - 170. Will run 24 hours only on weekends since both of us work during the day and the kids will be in school. Furnace will be used to maintain temperature around 60 degrees when we are not home.
i say go for the insert and give yourself an alternative to burning fossil fuels. if you're like me you'll get a lot more enjoyment out of the stove vs. a new furnace.
Once you get confident with your stove, you will load it up in the morning, right before you go to work, and right when you go to bed. So that "down time" isnt 100% "down". I load it up at night and it keeps the house good most/all of the night. If we are not home in the day, it will still keep the house warm for quite a few hours.
Dont forget, if you are using the fireplace you arent heating your whole house, a new heater is still heating all that temperately unused space.
Dont forget, if you are using the fireplace you arent heating your whole house, a new heater is still heating all that temperately unused space.
Cowboy Billy said:
X2
I got my insert 5 years used from a guy who physically couldn't split and haul wood any longer. Like a lot of guys on this forum I love wood- I like to cut it and split it. I enjoy figuring out how different wood burns. I don't think my wood pile is ugly I think it's beautiful- my parents joke that I have a wood fetish.
phenolic said:
+ 1, it doesn't make alot of sense to upgrade a functioning furnace unless for some reason the efficiency is super low - but you have NG I assume?? which is cheap, it's just that your house is so big.
Go for the insert, the payback will be shorter, it will increase the value of you home, the ambiance of a fire is not to be underrated
AND you will also be more comfortable upstairs.- Status
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