Need help narrowing down which wood burner to buy. Too many choices
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You can use Roxul mineral insulation available at big box stores. Here is a an article on block-off plates. There are several example links at the bottom of the article.
https://www.hearth.com/talk/wiki/why-damper-seal-is-needed/
Climb up on roof, make sure fire is cold, and door closed.
Hold hand over top of chimney...is hot air coming out?
If so, problem solved. You need to fix block off plate.
I have a 4100 insert and it heats 2600sq ft in NC. Ok, it's not freeze your nuts off MN
but it puts out a ton of heat. Sounds like your ranch is losing the heat.
Hold hand over top of chimney...is hot air coming out?
If so, problem solved. You need to fix block off plate.
I have a 4100 insert and it heats 2600sq ft in NC. Ok, it's not freeze your nuts off MN
but it puts out a ton of heat. Sounds like your ranch is losing the heat.
I have a nice flat trapezoidal opening between the lintel and the back of the fireplace. I just cut a piece of Roxul to fit. Seemed like it would be easier to modify when I put a different stove in, rather than having the more-permanent glued-in, screwed-in sheet metal plate.
Yes but it also is not air tight. Yes it is better than nothing but not as good as it could be
Block off plates are easier to remove if needed, then to install.Insulation is not an air barrier.
Squisher
Minister of Fire
And as Begreen points out often. You don't want insulation bits being blown around your house by a stove blower.
We've got only two rooms, main and bedroom..."we don't need no steenking blower."
Keystone has none, Dutchwest has one but it's a little loud, even on low.I guess I'll go ahead and do the block-off plate, though. Not sure if it will make a big difference as the Roxul is a fairly thick batt and probably seals air to a fair degree. Even if I need to use the Dutchwest, it will probably bolt right up without altering the block-off like it does with just the Roxul. I was thinking that if I got a secondary stove to play with, I might have to re-do the block-off. Might be a non-issue as long as I don't have to shove the stove back to get it to fit on the hearth.
I wonder how much difference insulating the box in our masonry fireplace would make? I have the rear heat shield on the Keystone, so that makes it more convective and also keeps the back of the stove from radiating into the brick. I guess I should feel the bricks when it's very cold out to see how much heat I might be losing..
If your only using the stove on weekends ,i dont think anything will be high maintenance. A cat stoves would go many years with only occasional use before needing a new cat. My harman downdraft which needs the combustion package replaced every 3 to 5 years is going over 10 years just fine now cuz i only use it occasionally. A stove with burn tubes would likely go for decades with occasional use. Your biggest concern is probably sizing your stove.
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