What would you do?

[iceman]

Shipper, I really think you have to take a couple weeks with this thing. A block off at the bottom will definitely help. There is no magic bullet (like a PE) - we have members with PE's that cannot raise their house to the degree that you are trying to.

I'm not saying that you will be satisfied in the end, but it does not sound like the stove is falling far short. Perhaps the better block-off and some more time with it will raise your level of satisfaction and give you a longer time to consider exactly what action (if any) you want to take with the dealer.

Could you or anyone else tell me where to get this block off plate? What is another couple of $$$ when I have already spent thousands.

Also, If this block off plate allows me another 10 degrees in my house, drinks are on me as its never been more than 67 in the house with the insert running full air and wood.

Shipper

shipper, listen, you need to get block off plate
https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/9630/
and you cannot run the stove wide open for long periods of time... they are designed to work with less air at high temps......
if you have a high ceiling then ceiling fans will be a dramatic help
turn your heat on as log homes do take time to absorb heat turn your thermostat to 70 and run your stove maybe you can get the logs to absorb quicker
when your stove gets hot turn the air down you should see flames doing crazy stuff thtas when you know your secondary is burning = higher temp
it takes time to raise the temp in a house (most of the time) it will not got up 10 degrees over the entire house in 15-20 minutes most people go up a couple of degrees an hour

 

[KateC]

I would like to suggest lowering your blower speed. Might seem counter-intuitive but I've found that running my blower on low-medium gets and keeps the stove hotter longer. I have a small fan on the floor directing cold air at the stove and the ceiling fan moves the warm air along---with a good air current established the low blower speed is actually more efficient.

 

[Shipper50]

Thanks again for all the replies. I have 20 ft plus ceilings with fans going in the correct direction for winter mode. I have taken temp reading at the peak of my ceilings and the most its been is 71. As for me asking the dealer to take my insert in trade? He showed me on the phone how he does business after me telling him the insert wasn't putting out the heat he said it would. So will I be asking him for anything? Not in this life time.

I am surprised not one person on this board has asked who the dealer was? I mean I do live in Indiana and see most people on here are from the east coast?

So I am still playing with the air control, my house with my heat pump is a toasty 64 with the insert going and if I turn up the heat on my heat pump, my electric bill would be $300-400. When one is on a pension, that kind of money takes a big chunk out of ones funds.

Shipper

 

[Hogwildz]

Shipper, if your mechanically inclined, do the lower block off plate, can't hurt, might help alot, will definitely make a safer setup.
I see one or so advised that your fine with the top plate only, and the heat will absorb into the stone and radiate back into the house. I believe you stated the chimney is on an outside wall. If this is so, the heat that stone absorbs, is being transfered & radiated alright, right out the stone to the outside of the house. Plain & simple, no debate necessary. The block off plate will keep more heat in the house and not up the chimney and sucked into the stone, only to be transfered outside. With that outside wall based chimney, any advice not to put a block off plate at the damper, is just pain ill informed, bad advice. You have been given some decent advice from some of the veterans on here, I can only suggest considering some of it.

 

[TheFlame]

Shipper, correct me if any of the below is wrong.

Based on the information in this thread we have the following facts:
1. Your home is 1850 sq ft
2. It is a log home with 6" log walls which is the equivalent of R-10 or so insulation
3. You have 20+ ft ceilings
4. Your INSERT, the Regency I3100 is rated at 75,000 BTUs.
5. You live in an area where it was 5 degrees out this morning.

Based on the above, I think you are seeing the exact results I would expect given the volume of air you are trying to heat, with the insulation you have in the climate you live in. I don't think that you are going to do any better with the setup you have. As far as I can tell the 20+ft ceilings coupled with the insulation level are really sinking you. That insert would heat a normal 1850 sq ft home just fine, but your home has probably twice the air volume of a normal 1850 sq ft home, and your insert is simply inadequate to heat that volume of air to the level you desire when it is extremely cold out. In your case I would have gone for the largest free standing stove possible.

If the dealer had a good understanding of your home prior to the purchase, then he really is responsible for a bad recommendation in this case. If you did inform him properly about your home then you are suffering because of his bad judgement, and as much as you probably want to cut the cord, I'd go after him to take the insert back and sell you a large freestanding stove. The others in this thread have given some good advice already, so I'll end here.

 

[iceman]

Thanks again for all the replies. I have 20 ft plus ceilings with fans going in the correct direction for winter mode. I have taken temp reading at the peak of my ceilings and the most its been is 71. As for me asking the dealer to take my insert in trade? He showed me on the phone how he does business after me telling him the insert wasn't putting out the heat he said it would. So will I be asking him for anything? Not in this life time.

I am surprised not one person on this board has asked who the dealer was? I mean I do live in Indiana and see most people on here are from the east coast?

So I am still playing with the air control, my house with my heat pump is a toasty 64 with the insert going and if I turn up the heat on my heat pump, my electric bill would be $300-400. When one is on a pension, that kind of money takes a big chunk out of ones funds.

Shipper

wow are you sure your switch on the fan is up???? many people get it confused your switch should be up on the fan ...20ft ceilings...my god that is definitely a lot of space to heat now i am starting to think that once you learn to operate your stove, install a block off plate you will get better results but most of you heat is up in the air ... how fast are your fans going? they shouldn't be on high try med

 

[iceman]

Shipper, correct me if any of the below is wrong.

Based on the information in this thread we have the following facts:
1. Your home is 1850 sq ft
2. It is a log home with 6" log walls which is the equivalent of R-10 or so insulation
3. You have 20+ ft ceilings
4. Your INSERT, the Regency I3100 is rated at 75,000 BTUs.
5. You live in an area where it was 5 degrees out this morning.

Based on the above, I think you are seeing the exact results I would expect given the volume of air you are trying to heat, with the insulation you have in the climate you live in. I don't think that you are going to do any better with the setup you have. As far as I can tell the 20+ft ceilings coupled with the insulation level are really sinking you. That insert would heat a normal 1850 sq ft home just fine, but your home has probably twice the air volume of a normal 1850 sq ft home, and your insert is simply inadequate to heat that volume of air to the level you desire when it is extremely cold out. In your case I would have gone for the largest free standing stove possible.

If the dealer had a good understanding of your home prior to the purchase, then he really is responsible for a bad recommendation in this case. If you did inform him properly about your home then you are suffering because of his bad judgement, and as much as you probably want to cut the cord, I'd go after him to take the insert back and sell you a large freestanding stove. The others in this thread have given some good advice already, so I'll end here.

1850 with 20 ft ceilings???? and an outside cimmney?????? did they insulate the liner ... you need block off plate FORSURE! you might also want to insulate the inside of the fireplace (back wall)
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[webbie]

My goodness this thread has taken on a life of it's own!

I think most of the information is out on the table. I'm going to close 'er down since no real new info is coming into play. We can start a new thread (or see some existing ones) on ceiling fans, etc.