My wife and I are considering replacing the original Heatilator fireplace (which puts off little heat - even with the blower on) with a newer high efficiency insert or fireplace. Just wondering if anyone has had any experience in how much their gas bill was been reduced by using the newer wood burning fireplaces or inserts. The tax credit makes it seem like a good time to make the move. thanks
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New wood fireplace
- Thread starter saltyg
- Start date
anonomoose
New member
If you opt for the insert, remember that the more stove you have exposed to the interior of the home (not buried in the fireplace opening and reliant upon the blower to extract heat) the better.
I stayed at a cottage a couple weeks ago when the outside temps were single digits..large open span place with just a normal small non- blower wood stove with glass front and not only was it just as good a looking fire with the glass front, but that baby heated the place to 80 degrees and I had to shed clothing to keep from over heating.
These things work, and didn't use very much wood and was nice to look at too. I am sold on this process, and regret the day I put in heatolator fireplace in my house. I would get a regular wood stove to sit on hearth any day of the week now...and use the heck out of it.
Only caveat is with kids....got to watchout for hot stove.
I stayed at a cottage a couple weeks ago when the outside temps were single digits..large open span place with just a normal small non- blower wood stove with glass front and not only was it just as good a looking fire with the glass front, but that baby heated the place to 80 degrees and I had to shed clothing to keep from over heating.
These things work, and didn't use very much wood and was nice to look at too. I am sold on this process, and regret the day I put in heatolator fireplace in my house. I would get a regular wood stove to sit on hearth any day of the week now...and use the heck out of it.
Only caveat is with kids....got to watchout for hot stove.
Moose your warning is right on, I went to school with a lovely young woman who fell on an old wood stove and it scared her face and hand horribly.
I also chuckled when I read it, the warnings posted in our cabin in the Ontario outback reads "don't touch the stove THAT SUCKA IS HOT".
I also chuckled when I read it, the warnings posted in our cabin in the Ontario outback reads "don't touch the stove THAT SUCKA IS HOT".
yamahauler
Active member
My parents just built and about 2 yr before they moved they replaced their wood burning fireplace insert. You could put in 4 pieces (split) and it would burn those for 6-8 hours easily (depending on how you set the damper). With the blower on low it was easy 80 in there, I was in shorts an T-shirt and was cooking. Usually had to crack a window. They are efficient as the doors are sealed but there is glass so you can see it. Even though they burn nice clean oak, the glass needed to be wiped down every 2-3 burnings so you could see the fire.
Now they just built a new house and put in something similar and holy cats, it heat like no tomorrow. I always wondered though if somehow you could have a duct go to the basement so it would blow some up and some down as theirs was on the may floor in both houses.
Your insurance is the only thing you will see go up. Depending on who you have, it may go up drastically.
Now they just built a new house and put in something similar and holy cats, it heat like no tomorrow. I always wondered though if somehow you could have a duct go to the basement so it would blow some up and some down as theirs was on the may floor in both houses.
Your insurance is the only thing you will see go up. Depending on who you have, it may go up drastically.
anonomoose
New member
While the insurance may go up, your heat bill will go down.
Remember that wood stoves require maintenance more so than any other type heat. You need to get a hot fire going at least once per day to burn out the residue that can form from a slower fire. I believe I read that a handful of salt will also help to get the residue from forming. I use a temp guage on the smoke stack to get the fire good and hot usually first thing in the morning, and then you can shut it down and run it all day on low.
When my kids were young they used to roller skate in the basement with a wood stove running. Though they knew it was hot, I have often thought about it and if I had to do it again, I would have fenced it off or done something to keep them from accidentally getting over on it. They never did, but I wouldn't take the chance today...guess I am more cautious then when I was younger.
Just not worth a permanent scar, so be sure you don't have young ones, and if you do, make sure they can't get by the stove.
Remember that wood stoves require maintenance more so than any other type heat. You need to get a hot fire going at least once per day to burn out the residue that can form from a slower fire. I believe I read that a handful of salt will also help to get the residue from forming. I use a temp guage on the smoke stack to get the fire good and hot usually first thing in the morning, and then you can shut it down and run it all day on low.
When my kids were young they used to roller skate in the basement with a wood stove running. Though they knew it was hot, I have often thought about it and if I had to do it again, I would have fenced it off or done something to keep them from accidentally getting over on it. They never did, but I wouldn't take the chance today...guess I am more cautious then when I was younger.
Just not worth a permanent scar, so be sure you don't have young ones, and if you do, make sure they can't get by the stove.