Another woodbrning stove question

[ozarkyehti]

I have a traditional fireplace in my home. the hearth sits about 14-18 inches of the floor, and the top is also about 14-18 inches wide.

Because fireplaces are notariously inafficient, I am thinking about making the hearth wider ( 24 inches or more) and closing off the fireplace and installing a free standing wood burning stove that is vented thru the fireplace .

But friends have also suggested a wood burning insert for the fireplace.

What are the pros and cons of either? I think that a free standing would put out more heat as it radiates of the stove sides. Am I right?

I am confused on what would be more efficient.

Also,my wife loves being able to view the fire as its burning, she says its romantic. So a large viewing window would be nice. She would also like to be able to cook simple meals with it if possible, when we lose power.

I have considered a soap stone stove because of its beauty, we would like a great functioning stove with a beauty to match.

Any help or suggestions?

[turtlehead]

We have a soapstone stove with glass in the doors and it is absolutely lovely having a cup of coffee on a winter morning in front of the stove, gazing at the fire.

You can't cook on them though, other than *maybe* keep some soup warmish - at least, that's been my experience, and I read once on here someone else's experience was the same. The soapstone stores the heat and dissipates it differently than an iron wood stove, so you don't get the really hot spots on soapstone that you can get on iron. So you'll have to pick beauty vs. cooking. Which would you and your wife really enjoy more?

Regarding the efficiency, I don't know. I know my grandparents used to heat their house with only coal in the fireplace, and a baseboard heater in the bathroom during bath times only. They eventually put in an iron stove and vented it through the fireplace but that's been decades ago and inserts (and stoves) are surely more efficient now than they were back then. I'd contact a place that sells both inserts and wood stoves and ask for their input.

[Marilyn]

I vented a Vermont Castings woodstove out through the fireplace in my last home. Even though the fireplace/woodstove was at one end of the house in an addition, with one well-placed doorway fan, the entire house was comfortably warm on weekends when we burned it consistently. We just removed the existing damper, sent the flue up to the top of the chimney, then rebuilt a custom damper around the stovepipe at the pre-existing damper level. A friend had an insert and needed to run a noisy blower in order to get much heat, so I knew that a woodstove would be a better choice for me. (The doorway fans are so much more quiet - I think they are computer fans).

I liked the Vermont Castings woodstove so much, that when I built this cabin, a fireplace wasn't even a consideration. I went right back to the Vermont Castings store. There have been some major improvements, namely glass doors and ash pans. It still has a nice iron griddle top that is wonderful to cook on!

[Danny]

I have the insert in my fireplace and it works pretty well. My insert sticks out about 10 inches into the room so that helps some with the heating and you can cook on it.
But I believe to close the fireplace and use a stove would be the most efficient.
Which ever way you go consider, if you haven't, adding a flexible stainless steel liner up the chimney. It is much easier to keep clean and not nearly as much danger of a chimney fire. I added one last year and wish I had done it much sooner.

[motivated]

We have a Regency insert- and it has a place on top for cooking and a pot for humidifying. It also has a nice big window. We really like it- had it for 6 years now. Be sure to get a thermometer
motivated

[Bubba Can Dance]

We have a Buck Stove insert in our fireplace. We have been very pleased with it. Our house is about 2350 sq.ft. and it keeps us very comfortable. However, we do not have long hallways. The three bedrooms all open into our living, cooking area. The biggest complaint is the noise of the fan. We were hoping it would be quiter. The insert extends about 8 inches, so you would not be able to cook on it, but for heat, it is great. We do live in the south so cannot speak for how well it would do where the temp is below freezing for long periods of time.

[neolady]

chimney cleaning with an insert installed in the fireplace can be a major pain in the derriere. It's easier to clean your chimney witha hearth mount installation.

[cathryn]

We have a Regency insert also and we LOVE IT. It has a big window, so we can enjoy the beautiful fire. It is really well sealed, so no smoke smell in the house. It is also very clean burning, so not too much to clean up inside.

We got a stainless steel liner also, and it works great. Easy to clean, and SAFE.

It is mid November here in CT and our furnace hasn't been on yet to heat the house (just little bursts to heat the water). Gotta love not getting an oil bill.

I like the insert because it doesn't take up a lot of space in the room (which is small). My husband and I have had discussions about which would give off more heat. We can't decide, but I would probably go with a stove if we had the space. That said, each has good points.

There is a fan under the window (looks like part of the stove) that pushes the hot air out. I would rather not use the electricity, but it really uses very little and helps move the heat away from the stove and around the house. If you want more heat you can put it on high, for less you put it on low. Getting warm? You can turn down the damper, and turn the fan off. I think that it is easier to control the amount of heat you are getting with the insert.

Either way, I would recommend doing it. It is the best heat.

Peace, cathryn