Hello to everyone! We are thinking of installing a wood burning insert in our existing masonry firebox. It will be in a smaller room (23x12 ish) and not for heating the entire house. Do I NEED to use a surround? I'm not nuts about the way they look, and neither is my wife. Can we just install the insert and seal the existing flue using a block off plate with a hole in it for the liner?
We also have not decided on a brand yet, but have looked at LOPI, and some of the small Englander and Summers Heat brand. Are the Home Depot/Lowes units to be avoided? We love to have fires, but they are inefficient....so we figured why not install something that will help heat a bit. I don't want to spend $4K on this, but don't want total crap either! Any way to fall in the middle?? I plan to do the liner myself with a friend who has done a few.
Thanks in advance!
We also have not decided on a brand yet, but have looked at LOPI, and some of the small Englander and Summers Heat brand. Are the Home Depot/Lowes units to be avoided? We love to have fires, but they are inefficient....so we figured why not install something that will help heat a bit. I don't want to spend $4K on this, but don't want total crap either! Any way to fall in the middle?? I plan to do the liner myself with a friend who has done a few.
Thanks in advance!