Does anyone on here have any experience or reviews about the subject fireplace. I am thinking of putting one this particular fireplace in my basement within the week. I live in Minnesota and the chimney will be exposed to the outside temps here which can reach as low as -30 deg. in the winter. My house is new and extremely air tight. I wanted to put a wood burning stove but the retailer suggested a fireplace instead because the wood stoves burn much cleaner than the fireplaces and the chimeny would not heat enough to draft properly on the wood stove. I would appreciate any feedback, reviews, comments, ect..
Stratford II Fireplace - OSBURN
- Thread starter boltman32
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Select a alternate retailer. Your current retailer is simply wrong. You have the opportunity to install the perfect heat producing, efficient wood stove. Put on the brakes and get some opinions here.
I will throw this information out there. The wood stove pipe will neeed to run from the basement up 2 more stories ( up over 32 ft) and according to the retailer that came out he said wood burning stoves are necessarily meant for that long of a chimeny and they burn so clean as I stated before that the chimney will have a hard time heating up and drafting properly. I should also mention the chimeny will not be in an insulated chase, it will be exposed to the outside elements. Hopefully I get some more directions and feedback here on site. Thank you.
Basement heating in a tight house can present problems because of negative pressure. This is compounded by the issues of supplying outside air to a stove when the source is above the stove's firebox due to concerns of reverse draft turning the outside air duct into a chimney. An air break is required.
Maybe start from the top and explain what the goal(s) are. Also, how large an area is the heater hoped to heat.
Maybe start from the top and explain what the goal(s) are. Also, how large an area is the heater hoped to heat.
Your exactly right. My house is new and as stated we live in MN so the house is really tight. The retailer that came out said the exact same thing you said. I just want to burn wood, heat the basement, (1,100 sq ft) and I want to keep the air tightness of the house while doing so. I love the ambiance of burning wood, thats why the retailer suggested a HE Fireplace to 2020 EPA standards. I do not want to create negative pressure in the house. Hence coming here to the forum before making my decision. Any and all help is appreciated.
By nature of the design, I would think a stove would be better. Stoves create a lot of heat and should be able to heat a 30'+ flue, possibly to the point to require a damper to slow the draft down once heated up. I too am looking at the Stratford II for a main level fireplace on a cabin build - wifey ambiance as much as heating capability. It is my compromise to the boss, I'd prefer a stove.
The secondary burn on these stoves burn any gasses ect.. and then the heat going up the chimney is minimal according to the retailer. He’s been in the business for 40 years. Don’t misunderstand me I agree with your point on the initial start up. Just let it get really, hot, heat the chimney and then damp it down for a slow burn. I’m kinda torn at this point. The Stratford II also has secondary burn tubes as well. Nice looking fireplace and it’s the only one I can find that doesn’t have a 3 month back order due to Covid, ect....
The Stafford fireplace will do a good job of heating as well and it would have the option of ducting some of the convection heat output upstairs. Does your dealer handle other fireplace lines too like RSF, Kozy, Pacific Energy, etc.?
Yes the have one made here in MN and a few others. Did you have one in mind thats better construction?
RSF Pearl 3600 was my next choice but they are so far back ordered it would be next year in spring before I could get one, but I really liked the Pearl 3600 latest version.
Not necessarily better construction, but possibly more available. Looks like this place has the Stratford in stock.
Osburn Stratford II Wood Burning Fireplace
Osburn Stratford II Wood Burning Fireplace
www.efireplacestore.com
The cousin of the Osburn Stratford is the Valcourt Lafayette. Both are made by SBI.
Pacific Energy has the FP25 and FP30 fireplaces. Quadrafire has the Pioneer II.
The way a secondary burn stove and a secondary burn fireplace work is the same. If one would have chimney issues, the other also would. Stoves generally heat better than fireplaces because more surface area is exposed to radiate heat. That being said, there are many here who are very happy with their fireplaces.
Begreen makes a good point about the ductwork capability of the Strattford II, which is one reason I am also interested in it.
Well based on your experience and knowledge. Would you recommend a wood stove over a manufactured fireplace? Is one better that’s the other? Is there any validity to the draft issues in a wood stove within a really tightly insulated house. Please be frank. I respect your opinion.Not necessarily better construction, but possibly more available. Looks like this place has the Stratford in stock.
Osburn Stratford II Wood Burning Fireplace
Osburn Stratford II Wood Burning Fireplace
The cousin of the Osburn Stratford is the Valcourt Lafayette. Both are made by SBI.
Pacific Energy has the FP25 and FP30 fireplaces. Quadrafire has the Pioneer II.
Both are going to need combustion air. In a very tight house the question is how is it going to be supplied. This is easier on the main floor. The basement installation is the complication. One solution is an adjustable HRV that balances room air supply and preheats outside air. Another can be an outside air supply with an air break. It looks like a fresh air supply for the Osburn may fit within the requirements of the manual if the air intake is less than 10ft above the fireplace.
It's difficult to assess how this will work out because we do not know
• whether the current basement is a negative pressure zone
• If it is a negative pressure zone, how bad is it?
• if not, will draft be an issue with a very tall chimney?
• are there factors we are not taking into account like a radon system or a high cfm range hood in the kitchen?
It's difficult to assess how this will work out because we do not know
• whether the current basement is a negative pressure zone
• If it is a negative pressure zone, how bad is it?
• if not, will draft be an issue with a very tall chimney?
• are there factors we are not taking into account like a radon system or a high cfm range hood in the kitchen?
Is the wall where this would be placed by chance out of the ground? if so that may make things easier with an OAK.
To answer you as best as possible.
1) don’t know if the basement is a negative pressure zone. How can I found out?
2) fresh air intake for combustion will not be above 10 ft of the fireplace.
3) I don’t know what an HRV is, but will research this.
4) basement is insulted from the outside underground with 2” or 3” solid foam board. The portion of the basement that is not concrete is standard 2x4 construction and the basement is unfinished but insulated with standard insulation on the inside of the walls. No drywall is on the walls yet.
5) no radon system is in place but no fan connected to the system as of yet. Wasn’t included with the home.
6) 3 bathrooms with exhaust fans and 1 range hood that blows air outside
hope this helps
An HRV is a heat recovery ventilation system. It passes outgoing, stale room air by incoming fresh air via a heat exchanger that preheats the incoming cool air with heat from the outgoing room exhaust air.
If you slightly crack open a window in the basement is there a strong inrush of air from outside?
If you slightly crack open a window in the basement is there a strong inrush of air from outside?
Sometimes there is a rush of air. Sometimes not. We do have an air exchanger that replaces air equally within the home.
That could be when an exhaust fan is on, or a clothes dryer. Check to see if the air exchanger's balance between incoming and outgoing air is adjustable or fixed.
Based on what has been indicated so far, it sounds like the fireplace could work with an outside air supply.
The air came through the window when I opened it just now. No exhaust fans are running at all at this point
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