Open Fireplace options?

[BCM1323654788]

I'd be interested to know if I can have my pre-manufactured fireplace removed and have a masonry fireplace built to accept a wood stove insert at some point in the future (has steel tube insert chimney and is a wood burning fireplace currently).

Just built a fire the other night and the wood burned fast and didn't heat the room very much (open pre-man fireplace w/screens).

Has anyone done this, or if not, what did you do to get decent heat out of your fireplace?

At this point, the fireplace is not very efficient but may be useful on really cold days, or for burning all day when I'm around.

I'd like a wood stove insert if I can get one.

 

[bulletpaluza]

Heat-A-lator, basically takes the space between your insert and the walls and blows the hot air put into the room.

I use a box fan and turn my central air/heat recerc. On even on a 10° day I can heat my house up to the mid 70's this way no the two rooms up stairs top out at about 66° but all of downstairs will get uncomfortable hot.

All I have is your set up. Also I try to keep more coals then flame going just to slow down consumption of wood.

 

[rockyfatcat]

I did just that. The house was built in the 70’s and I bought a used wood stove and bought a diamond blade for an angle grinder to cut the bricks for a better fit.

Some of the best heaters have catalytic converters. The wood gets the catalytic unit up to 700 degrees of temperature and when it lights off the catalytic unit reaches 1600 degrees. So the wood brings the catalytic converter up to light off temperature and then the smoke from the wood fuels the converter that ends up heating your house.

Some of the best stoves are Buck and there are others. Don’t buy some unit that you cannot find a specs sheet on. Figure out what square footage you have and what the stove is rated for unless you like having to open all the doors. A buddy will fill up his Buck and it’ll get that room so hot it’ll chase you out of the room.

Know what you have in terms of chimney size. They make 4” 6” and 8” ducts. Bigger isn’t always better. If it isn’t appropriately sized, you can send your heat up the chimney. Again check your spec sheet.

Also check the options as opposed to straight wood. Wood is dirty and the mess and bugs will be an issue. They make automatic pellet stoves and stoves that burn corn.

Just another option. Measure your opening and do your research.

 

[Pistolier60]

In theory, an open fireplace actually makes your house colder. The bigger the fire you build the more air the fire draws from every crack in the house. Women seem to love the look of a fireplace and it took me years to talk my wife into a wood stove.The guy at the wood stove store was a master salesman and he's the one that swayed her because of this fireplace theory. Now I rarely even use my gas furnace and heat with wood unless it gets really cold. Mine is a conventional Buck stove, not a catalytic.The only issue with the catalytic stoves is eventually the tubes may burn out and need to be replaced. Best of luck to you

 

[jeep78]

Install a free standing woodstove. Go with a proper engineered, insulated stovepipe system. Lowes sells the systems.

Far better than trying to retrofit a cheapie prefab installed fireplace.

While I do have a heatpump, my heat has been via woodstove for 30+ years. I installed my current woodstove 15 years ago using the stovepipe system sold at Lowe's.

 

[Cornholio]

stoves are 80 % plus effeciency
fireplaces are 10%

 

[BIKER13]

gonna put a fake one in the deer room in basement and day dream

 

[BCM1323654788]

Thanks, I'd never heard of catalytic or corn & pellet burning systems or different size chimney flue's, will also look into the free-standing option. I was thinking that I need to make sure the fireplace vent that runs to the outside of the house is open next time I run it, this would help draw air from the outside and save the air inside the house (I think they installed an incorrect vent that doesn't allow it to open under draft). I like the fan on recirculate idea as well.

bulletpaluza do you have a link to the heat-a-lator? I've seen something similar, like hollow grates with fans. A cast iron box in the back or under the grate with a fan would be nice. Along with some glass doors that could be closed at night with the damper left open to prevent heat from escaping and prevent hot coals from popping out that might get past the screens.

 

[bulletpaluza]

Thanks, I'd never heard of catalytic or corn & pellet burning systems or different size chimney flue's, will also look into the free-standing option. I was thinking that I need to make sure the fireplace vent that runs to the outside of the house is open next time I run it, this would help draw air from the outside and save the air inside the house (I think they installed an incorrect vent that doesn't allow it to open under draft). I like the fan on recirculate idea as well.

bulletpaluza do you have a link to the heat-a-lator? I've seen something similar, like hollow grates with fans. A cast iron box in the back or under the grate with a fan would be nice. Along with some glass doors that could be closed at night with the damper left open to prevent heat from escaping and prevent hot coals from popping out that might get past the screens.

https://www.arcat.com/arcatcos/cos4...BIedp8GnDcfyi-MEcUUi4u12RmqmiRGoaAgNcEALw_wcB

 

[jeep78]

Pellet or corn is nice, but more expensive than wood, and more difficulr to store. Wet cotn or pellets are ruined. You can grow and harvest your own wood, not practicle with other fuels, and creates supply line problems in shtf conditions (ice or snow storms), and gets you dependant on electricity to run the feed system and blower.