Looking for a WoodStove Insert

[Nemeth27]

Hey Everyone,

Hope you don't mind helping out a newbie! I currently have a masonary fireplace that I would love to turn into a efficient heat source. The fireplace is in a room that measures 25x19 (It's actually a livingroom and kitchen separated by a small wall with a whole in the middle. so the heat should flow smoothly). There is also two other rooms that are down a hallway and a bathroom. Luckily my AC intake is basically in the same heating area as the fireplace, so I think I can use it to circulate the heat to the other rooms. O'yea the told square footage is roughly 1,100 sf. I've gone to a couple of stores and come up with a couple choices.

HearthStone Clydesdale
PE Pacific Insert
QuadraFire 3100I

Could anyone please help me out as to the quality of these products? If soapstone is really that much better in the Hearthstone (although I believe asthetically it's not good looking at all). There are so many calms that I thought it would be better to come from everyone's experiences.

Thanks!

 

[jqgs214]

I have the PE Pacific. Dont know your FP dimensions but I love the stove. Would be a good fit for that size house too. Dont think circulating air through your ducts is gonna help and it may be a safetly concern. I'm sure others will chime in soon.

 

[timfromohio]

I second the PE Pacific. Just starting our third season burning with it and am very happy.

 

[boostnut]

Nemeth, I've got the Jotul 450 insert in a ranch home that is a little larger than yours. I too have the cold air return for my forced air furnace in the same room as the insert. I have used the furnace fan to distribute heat thru the house with good success (including the basement). If you cold air return(s) are in the ceilings make sure to insulate them in the attic. I typically will wait until the room with the insert is above 70 deg. before starting the fan for distribution. Good luck, Aaron

 

[Nemeth27]

Thanks everyone! wxman & timfromohio, which size inserts are you using? Off the top of my head, the fireplace is 35" x 26" x 30". I may be wrong about the height. Do you feel that they have too high of a heat spike?

Nevermind about the size....the Pacific is the insert style, sorry I must need more coffee!

wxman, do you have any specific store to recommend? I'm in Patchogue.

 

[jqgs214]

Man,

Tough question, I got mine in a convoluted round about way. I think there is only one PE dealer on Long Island. In Farmingville if my memory serves correct. PE dealer search was down last time I checked. Mine came straight from the distributor because of a warranty failure on another brand stove. You can search for that thread if you like. I would say the installer quality here on the Island is marginal at best. By the end of the process I knew as much if not more than the guy that installed my stove. Have not heard great things bout the local Patchogue shop with the Jotul and Quads but they did install my moms quad 10 years ago with out any hiccups yet so, sorry I'm not more help on the subject. This is my first season with my PE and so far so good, but I'm gonna run outa wood I know it. I thought I was gonna burn only part time but we love the heat so much that we are burning more frequntly than we had figured. Gotta call my firewood guy ( yes I know he has dry wood still but its too long for my stove I'll have to cut it shorter if I wanna keep burning he syas the short stuff isn't ready yet. )and get some more cause I'll need it by January at the pace were going.

 

[jtp10181]

Quadrafire is quality made product and they stand behind their warranty if anything fails. Lifetime on the firebox and most metal components. If you have any specific questions about the 3100I I would be happy to give a good honest answer.

 

[Nemeth27]

jtp, how long on average do the burns last? Also, I heard that 18" is a bit generous for the 3100i, is that true? Is there anything you think I should know that will help me out? I'm getting it installed this coming monday.

 

[jtp10181]

Unfortunately I don't have much experience actually burning the stove, I do not even own a wood stove. We sell them at the shop I work at, I service them (Quad stoves) occasionally and deal with warranty issues. For that we would need someone who actually owns one.

I guess the questions I could answer would be more technical or operational things, sorry for being misleading.

 

[BrotherBart]

jtp, how long on average do the burns last? Also, I heard that 18" is a bit generous for the 3100i, is that true? Is there anything you think I should know that will help me out? I'm getting it installed this coming monday.

For some reason manufacturers seem to think firebox width is the width of the wood you can put in it. With a 18" box 16" wood will be your optimum split length. It gives room for air to get around the wood. My stove will take 20" max but 16" is my preferred size to burn.

 

[Gooserider]

Just as a note, there are code restrictions on having an HVAC intake w/in 10 feet of your stove / insert. Also there have been lots of people that have tried using their furnace blowers to circulate heated air around their homes, and very few have found that it works well. The heat off a stove is much less than what your furnace puts out, and by the time one figures in duct losses, etc. It's usually a heat loser.

You usually are better off looking at other ways to circulate your heat.

Gooserider

 

[Nemeth27]

Thanks for all the replies.

Gooserider, thanks for the headsup about the HVAC intake. Luckily mine is more like 15 feet. I was told that normally ceiling fans work well and I have one in each room.. I guess we will see how it works.
BrotherBart, now you have me worried, the wood that I'm getting is between 16-18 inches. Can't believe I found seasoned wood and they actually let me see the wood that they are delivering to me. Should I be worried?

 

[BrotherBart]

The wood will probably be fine. You may need to trim some of it but that will give you some startup chunks. With most stoves if it is exactly firebox width length you can diagonally load a couple of pieces during less than full load burning and it works.

 

[Turner-n-Burner]

I have the Clydesdale, as do a few others on this site. I coudn't be happier with it - well maybe if it brought wood inside by itself !! ;-)

I picked in big part because I like the looks of it better than the others, but that's really a personal thing. The PE summit has a great reputation too. Just make sure any unit you get is sized right for your fireplace opening. The clydesdale is too big for most fireboxes. Oh, and remember that an insert can't throw as much heat as a traditional stove because most of it is inside your fireplace. Don't buy one without getting the blowers too.