Majestic Vs Lennox or Something Else

[pdressler]

Building a new large family room open to kitchen with wood burning fireplace mostly for aesthetics. I'm in North NJ and the places I have been thus far have been pushing the Majestic Biltmore 44in and the Lennox Merit 42in. I'm hoping some of you experts can weigh in on either of those or suggest another model in the same price range if applicable. One note is the chimney flu is already framed at 17 in depth so the pipe needs to fit as both of these models do.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Majestic because I like the 27 in firebox height better than the 22 on the Lennox.

Thanks

 

[webbie]

I think you are on the right track with the taller firebox. Both of these are plain everyday fireplaces, that is they are not heaters. These are for the occasional fire - not for heating a room or a house (in emergencies or otherwise).

I think you will find most of the folks here are more attuned to the efficiency end of things- that is, they tend to use their stoves or fireplaces a bit more often and actually save money (and oil or gas) in the process. Nat gas, though, is very cheap these days so it may not pay to supplement it.

If, however, you did want to get a bunch of real heat - you'd have to go with a built-in high efficiency unit such as a RSf, etc
(broken link removed to http://www.icc-rsf.com/en/rsf/the-chameleon-fireplace)

 

[Jack768]

Lennox also makes a line of high-efficiency fireplaces (Montecito, Montecito Estate, Ladera, etc.) that are worth looking at if you want something that's more functional as a heater. I'm very happy with mine, and you can burn it with the door open (with the screen) if you want ambience rather than heat.

 

[pdressler]

Thanks for the info.
Correct me if I am wrong but choosing a high efficiency unit for heat would about double the price.
While I'm not opposed to the concept of heat I really will not use it enough to justify that price nor could my budget take the hit even if I wanted.
I think I need to just make an educated choice on a plain firebox for an occasional fire and ambience.

 

[wkpoor]

I can't steer you on a fireplace selection but I do have a recommendation on the chimney if its not already in place. When we built our house we installed a Heatilator fireplace. Later on we realized we would like to have had a stove instead. Problem is the chimney pipe is a double wall air insulated pipe not rated for stove use. It may not have cost much more to have install a class A in case plans changed in the future which they did in our case. Now we are trapped unless I line it.

 

[FyreBug]

Well I work for a MFG so I'll make some very biased suggestions.

Based on what you are looking at it looks like you are after a 'clean face' ZC. RSF & Valcourt have some very nice clean face that also meet the new EPA for decorative fireplaces (called ASTM low mass). They are not as efficient as a full fledged EPA unit but they provide you with a lot of radiant heat, a huge glass area mounted on a guillotine door and screen (hides from view) and they come closest to what an 'old style' fireplace use to be. Valcourt is coming up with the largest EPA Clean face this month even bigger than the FP7 Antoinette (will post pics later). (broken link removed to http://www.valcourtinc.com/product.aspx?CategoId=31&Id=570)

You can have an EPA Phase II (Washington State 4.5 g/hr) for below $3,000. For an extra $500 you can put an optional programmable forced air kit that will allow you to pump the extra heat in another room, all controlled by a thermostat. You can check this link to see what is available in High efficiency units. (broken link removed to http://www.valcourtinc.com/products.aspx?CategoId=20)

A word of caution, whatever brand/make you look at dont just look at the pretty pictures. Download the installation manual to find out size, clearances etc... this is a big project and want to do it right. Also take into your cost consideration some will vent into a 6" chimney while others will require 10" or more. A huge cost difference.

Ask lots of questions and everybody here will be more than helpful.

 

[Jack768]

The world's first guillotine stove, made in Quebec, is the "Antionette" -- ha!