Need a wood burning insert for my fireplace

[Jeremy1066]

The general rundown: 2400 sq' ranch on a full finished (and climate controlled) basement. House is 100% electric, no gas, and runs on a 4 ton electric heat pump. At ~ 0 degrees F, heat pump switches to auxiliary heat which is a 20kw (20,000 watts!!) strip heater. The fireplace is at the opposite end of the house from the bedrooms. The fireplace (with doors closed and blowers on) does a good job at keeping that end of the house comfortable when I turn off the auxiliary heat (did I mention 20,000 watts?!) but can't get heat to the bedrooms and only burns for about 2.5-3 hours before needing a refill. My plan is to add a wood burning insert (much longer burn time, much more heat), install an intake in the ceiling above the fireplace and an exhaust (with a switchable fan) to the other end of the house. My attic is wide open so running duct through it won't be a problem. I will also need to add a stainless flue liner as my current flue is clay.

A couple questions:
Does this sound like it will work?
Has anyone else done something similar?
Can anyone recommend a good fireplace insert and a contractor to do the work of installing it? (northeast IN)
Any recommendations or advice is appreciated

 

[BobDaniels]

We had a Pacific Energy Summit installed this past fall and am happy with the insert. It sounds like you're familiar with wood heat so I won't drone on about properly seasoned firewood.

Fortunately you are not in the Indy area and would not have to be subjected to the Pacific Energy dealer I used and go back and fix their f-ups.

There's a ton of manufactures to choose from. Pacific Energy, Jotul, and a few others (who's names are escaping me) kept coming to the top of the list. What finally sold me on the Pacific Energy is the way it convects heat without use of the blower and PE seems to really stand behind their product.

As for your idea of running a vent from the fireplace room to the other side of the house, I have no idea but it does sound like it could work. Churchmouse is the resident expert and can provide much better advice than myself on that question.

Good luck with your search and don't crap yourself at sticker shock!

PS: Would a stove in the basement on the opposite end of the house be an option?

 

[jdude]

You might check with Old Smokeys in Ashley, they can be a little on the pricey side but do good work and have a lot of options available.

 

[Jeremy1066]

We had a Pacific Energy Summit installed this past fall and am happy with the insert. It sounds like you're familiar with wood heat so I won't drone on about properly seasoned firewood.

Fortunately you are not in the Indy area and would not have to be subjected to the Pacific Energy dealer I used and go back and fix their f-ups.

There's a ton of manufactures to choose from. Pacific Energy, Jotul, and a few others (who's names are escaping me) kept coming to the top of the list. What finally sold me on the Pacific Energy is the way it convects heat without use of the blower and PE seems to really stand behind their product.

As for your idea of running a vent from the fireplace room to the other side of the house, I have no idea but it does sound like it could work. Churchmouse is the resident expert and can provide much better advice than myself on that question.

Good luck with your search and don't crap yourself at sticker shock!

PS: Would a stove in the basement on the opposite end of the house be an option?

I've been waiting for churchmouse to show up but he's been at Fenway's house "polishing the Bugatti" today....errrrrr.... I mean helping with his HVAC!

As for adding a stove in the basement, I've read that this can cause draft issue, but I will ask a contractor once I find one

 

[Jeremy1066]

You might check with Old Smokeys in Ashley, they can be a little on the pricey side but do good work and have a lot of options available.

Do they sell and install? I will check them out!

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I have a wood stove that I need to install. Haven't been able to find anyone online that will admit to doing that, so I'm figuring on doing it myself. If anyone has a recommendation that's not outrageously expensive, I would appreciate that, but from the research I've done, it shouldn't be too hard to just up and do it.

 

[ruger1800]

If you have enough return vents, you can leave the furnace fan on full time,to circulate the heat,or just put a stove in the basement that hooks up to your existing ductwork.

 

[BobDaniels]

I've been waiting for churchmouse to show up but he's been at Fenway's house "polishing the Bugatti" today....errrrrr.... I mean helping with his HVAC!



As for adding a stove in the basement, I've read that this can cause draft issue, but I will ask a contractor once I find one

Well, I did have to bribe him to get him out to my house.

I did not know that about draft issues with a basement stove and will keep it in mind.

I have a wood stove that I need to install. Haven't been able to find anyone online that will admit to doing that, so I'm figuring on doing it myself. If anyone has a recommendation that's not outrageously expensive, I would appreciate that, but from the research I've done, it shouldn't be too hard to just up and do it.

If you are handy, the install should be easy if you do your homework. (of course I say this AFTER watching mine being installed) The thing that kept me from doing my own install was having to cut a notch in the damper plate. I have the tools and the skills but something about it concerned me, but it turned out to be no big deal.

If you have enough return vents, you can leave the furnace fan on full time,to circulate the heat,or just put a stove in the basement that hooks up to your existing ductwork.

This works to an extent at my place. It does distribute the warm air and it does warm up the extremities of the house. In my case, it doesn't warm up the extremities enough and cools off the fireplace area too much!

 

[red_zr24x4]

Since you're in Ft.Wayne, there's a place in Nappanee or Bremen that might come over that way. I'll have to look around and see if I can find them.
Cemetery-man on here lives over that way, maybe pm him and see what he knows of them.

 

[Leadeye]

My fireplace insert is in the basement, air runs across the ceiling to the stairs and up. You can feel the colder main floor air returning down the steps.

 

[Jeremy1066]

After thinking about it, if I added a stove to the basement, I would have to run a 2nd chimney through the dining room and up through the roof. I don't think my wife will go for that.

 

[atvdave]

I like my Lopi insert, it's a secondary burn insert, by brother has a Buck insert with is a CAT burn insert, he likes his insert also.

 

[jdude]

Do they sell and install? I will check them out!

Yes they do !

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Hitzer's in Berne. Salty, but nice.

My personal fave, Blaze King.

Pacific E's are good, woodstocks, jotuls, and Lopis.

 

[looney2ns]

Get a better thermostat for the heat pump. There are models that will efficiently cycle and handle the AUX heat along with the HP, not just dump it over to AUX.
I have one, at it does it's job well.
Honeywell and a couple of others have them.