Newbie looking for some in-depth advice on choosing an insert

[DuaeGuttae]

Here you go. I am not an artist by any means haha!


I realize the odds against me by it being in a small room, on the end of the house, with the prevailing winds coming from the North West.

I’m not an artist either, but that sketch is good enough. We used to own a raised ranch in Northern Virginia, similar to your layout, except our “den” was a large finished area in a cold basement. We bought an insert to heat down there but after a couple of years started using it to heat the whole house (2500 sq. ft.). The natural gas furnace helped out when it was really cold. (We also had floor vents and floor fans to encourage the convective loop).

When we started 24/7 heating and really pushing that little insert, we did overheat the basement. Before we knew we were moving we actually planned to replace the Revere with a Blaze King Princess Insert (we found an awesome deal on one). We never did make the change because of a necessary relocation, so I can’t speak to the results. Our goal, however, was to be able to have less of a temperature spike at the beginning of the burn and to have more even heating over a slightly longer duration (it would have been a nice step up in firebox size).

The Blaze King inserts don’t perform as well as the freestanders, and the Princess seems to have an advantage over the Sirocco and Ashford. At the same time, owners of the Ashford have generally good reports, and if you have good dry wood, it seems to me that it would be a good fit for your climate and situation. You might run it high a lot during the real cold times, but you have the option of turning it down when you need to. Since you have an existing fireplace, an insert makes sense even if it’s not the perfect location. You have a heat pump; use it to even things out to make life comfortable. All the wood BTUs are doing the heavy lifting.

Now that I’ve written so much, I don’t remember if you said anything about insulation or air sealing. We upgraded both in our house, and that was very important to our comfort.

 

[GooseChaser]

I’m not an artist either, but that sketch is good enough. We used to own a raised ranch in Northern Virginia, similar to your layout, except our “den” was a large finished area in a cold basement. We bought an insert to heat down there but after a couple of years started using it to heat the whole house (2500 sq. ft.). The natural gas furnace helped out when it was really cold. (We also had floor vents and floor fans to encourage the convective loop).

When we started 24/7 heating and really pushing that little insert, we did overheat the basement. Before we knew we were moving we actually planned to replace the Revere with a Blaze King Princess Insert (we found an awesome deal on one). We never did make the change because of a necessary relocation, so I can’t speak to the results. Our goal, however, was to be able to have less of a temperature spike at the beginning of the burn and to have more even heating over a slightly longer duration (it would have been a nice step up in firebox size).

The Blaze King inserts don’t perform as well as the freestanders, and the Princess seems to have an advantage over the Sirocco and Ashford. At the same time, owners of the Ashford have generally good reports, and if you have good dry wood, it seems to me that it would be a good fit for your climate and situation. You might run it high a lot during the real cold times, but you have the option of turning it down when you need to. Since you have an existing fireplace, an insert makes sense even if it’s not the perfect location. You have a heat pump; use it to even things out to make life comfortable. All the wood BTUs are doing the heavy lifting.

Now that I’ve written so much, I don’t remember if you said anything about insulation or air sealing. We upgraded both in our house, and that was very important to our comfort.

Thanks for the input. I've learned a lot just in the few days since I posted this. It's looking like the Ashford might be the best fit for my situation.

 

[SculptureOfSound]

I heat a similar layout to that. Where are you and what are typical winter temps?

I originally was trying to decide between the Ashford 25 and a tube stove and ended up with a tube stove and I think it was the right choice. You can't really utilize the turn down ability of the blaze king with an insert in a location like that. You've got to run it medium high and then use some heavy duty fans to get the air circulating...I'd put one near ceiling heighth right in line of the door blowing towards the hall.

Will elaborate on my setup when I get home

 

[blacktail]

Here you go. I am not an artist by any means haha!


I realize the odds against me by it being in a small room, on the end of the house, with the prevailing winds coming from the North West.

That's the same house shape and stove location I have. The main difference is that my living room and kitchen are reversed, and the den is open to the kitchen and LR with no doorway. For my insert being in a back corner like that it works surprisingly well. The doorway for your den will be the real limiting factor.

 

[GooseChaser]

I heat a similar layout to that. Where are you and what are typical winter temps?

I originally was trying to decide between the Ashford 25 and a tube stove and ended up with a tube stove and I think it was the right choice. You can't really utilize the turn down ability of the blaze king with an insert in a location like that. You've got to run it medium high and then use some heavy duty fans to get the air circulating...I'd put one near ceiling heighth right in line of the door blowing towards the hall.

Will elaborate on my setup when I get home

I am on the northern eastern shore of Maryland. I would say lows in the 20s and highs of 50s are the average of the coldest times of the year.

The more I look into it, the more I am thinking about running some insulated duct work from directly over the stove to about the center of the hallway between the two bedrooms on the end with a fan in it to circulate the air.

That's the same house shape and stove location I have. The main difference is that my living room and kitchen are reversed, and the den is open to the kitchen and LR with no doorway. For my insert being in a back corner like that it works surprisingly well. The doorway for your den will be the real limiting factor.

I have plans to open the den to the living room just like it is to the kitchen. I am thinking more about doing it sooner rather than later.

 

[mark cline]

Can you remember the stove insert brand that your mom had in her house?

 

[GooseChaser]

Can you remember the stove insert brand that your mom had in her house?

Her insert is a Fisher. About all I could figure out not being in front of it.