Im building an A frame with an open floor plan and really want to build a nice stone fire place. I live in Idaho and wood is my primary source of heat. Im wondering if I would be able to do an insert instead of a free standing stove and how well it would heat the place compared to the stove. Also are there any specific designs to the system that would help?
Wood stove instert - will it give me the heat I need?
- Thread starter shredit
- Start date
-
Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.
We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.
We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
You don't want to go to the trouble and expense of building a full masonry fireplace just to put an insert and liner in it. You will want a high efficency prefab fireplace or a freestanding. Whether it will heat or not will depend on size of the stove and square footage. A frames are not the easiest to heat due to high cubic feet compared to square footage
It is a wood stove. Just one made to be built into a wall. They work but they do cost allot more than a freestanding and they rely heavily on fans
Still less expensive than building a fireplace then spending more for insert and liner.
You can install a ZC fireplace, and have the massive stone look if that what you want. It can be achieved with framing, cement board & cultured stone. A hell of a lot cheaper than building a massive masonry fireplace & chimney, then filling that with an insert.
If you leave a portion of the A frame open on front or back to top, the heated air may circulate ok. Plan on a large ceiling fan.
If you leave a portion of the A frame open on front or back to top, the heated air may circulate ok. Plan on a large ceiling fan.
Bad LP
Minister of Fire
Had an A frame house in SW New Hampshire. 3 BR (2 up 1 down) that was easily heated with a Consolidated Dutchwest long before VC bought them. I forget the model stove but it was the biggest (or second) stove they made at the time. Ceiling fan is a must or you need to run a duct chase from near the peak down an interior wall and move that heat down to the first floor area.
Having had both an insert and now free standing stoves, I found the free standing stoves to to give more heat than the insert. All were EPA units and had blowers. Without the fans, the heat output of my insert (Regency i2400) was pretty limited. Keep that in mind for power outages.
I would not go back to using an insert unless a space constraints made a free standing unit impractical.
I would not go back to using an insert unless a space constraints made a free standing unit impractical.
The op probably isn't going with an insert either. He has no fireplace to put one in
Similar threads
