Wood burning insert recommendation

[slabnabbin]

I am wanting to add a wood burning insert to put home to replace our inefficient traditional fireplace. This recent storm has been an eye opener to living in central Texas now and I want to be better prepared. If you have an wood burning insert or experience with them, what are some key features to look for? I have always lived close to the coast and had gas appliances so these colder temps and all electric appliances are new to me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[friscopaint]

We have an Ashley and love it, got it going right now. Has an electric fan but had generator ready to go if lost power

[Draco]

For some people. looks matter. If looks are not that big of a deal to you, I would just use a regular one and have it venter through your fire place chimney. Getting heat off of all the sides makes that stove a lot more efficient.

[Jon B]

Buddy of mine added a pellet burning insert to his fireplace. He swears by it. I will try to get the brand. All I know is it is pretty ugly.

[Killer]

For some people. looks matter. If looks are not that big of a deal to you, I would just use a regular one and have it venter through your fire place chimney. Getting heat off of all the sides makes that stove a lot more efficient.

How would you do this? Just set it in front of the fireplace? I think I would have to set it in the fireplace momma would not like the looks of that

[wytex]

A good insert will radiate that heat out to your room, the fans are wonderful for that.
Get one that is flush with your fireplace opening and it vents up the chimney.
You can get pellet inserts or wood burning. Pellet inserts have a different type flame than a wood burning but may run for hours on one filling.

[softpoint]

I just got a Lopi insert installed in my fireplace the end of this summer. i had used my traditional fireplace for 30 years as the primary heat source for my home. I wish I would have got the insert put in when I built the house. I went from about 3+ cords of wood to about 1/4 to 1/3 cord this winter. Put wood in it about every 6 to 7 hours, and it kept my whole house at 75 degrees through this cold spell. (My wife likes it warm in the house!) It does have an electric fan, but will work without it. The fan would run off a very small power supply. I've certainly been impressed with mine.

[Man]

Sorry if this is a dumb question...What do these things do different to the fireplace? Adds door and fan?

[Smokeater]

Sorry if this is a dumb question...What do these things do different to the fireplace? Adds door and fan?

Ha! Kinda...and a heck of a lot more efficiency.

[texaspacker]

They work great! An insert will use 75% less wood but they start at about $3500 and some need a to have a special high dollar chimney stack installed. We just had an estimate done to my dead FIL fireplace insert and chimney cleaned and a stack put in. $10,000!

[softpoint]

Sorry if this is a dumb question...What do these things do different to the fireplace? Adds door and fan?

A LOT more efficient. Mine has heat tubes in the top of it and combustion air control. My old fireplace had blowers, but this insert is several times more efficient.

[softpoint]

They work great! An insert will use 75% less wood but they start at about $3500 and some need a to have a special high dollar chimney stack installed. We just had an estimate done to my dead FIL fireplace insert and chimney cleaned and a stack put in. $10,000!

Yes, i gave about $5500 for mine, installed.

[John Paul]

This is ours.

[Roscoe]

Wood burning insert recommendation

I don’t know anything about inserts from Lopi, but I would put them on the list to check out. We have a 25 yr old free standing Lopi and absolutely love it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[texaspacker]

Yes, i gave about $5500 for mine, installed.

Forgot to mention $3000 of that was to clean 60 years of creosol out & reline the old chimney.