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How To Use A Wood Burning Fireplace Insert

How do you circulate the heat from a fireplace insert?

If You Have a Fireplace or Wood-Burning or Pellet-Burning Furnace… First, if you also have forced air, turn the fan on to help circulate heat. Make sure your ceiling fans rotate clockwise so they pull cool air up off the floor and push warm air down. And also keep them running at their lowest speed.

How do you work a fireplace insert?

Fireplace inserts equipped with a blower are designed to draw air from the room into heating chambers before expelling it back into the room. These blowers use an electric fan mounted inside a vent that wraps around the outside of the firebox.

How do you stack wood in a fireplace insert?

First, you place your largest pieces of wood on the bottom of the fireplace—ends at front and back. Next, place 4-5 smaller levels of wood on top until that stack fills about ½ the height of the fireplace. The kindling will be on top, and can begin as sticks, and end with wood shavings and crumbled bits of paper.

Will a wood-burning insert heat my house?

Wood-burning inserts can heat anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 sq. ft., depending on their size. Inserts are small enough to fit into most traditional masonry fireplaces.

How do you heat your house with a wood-burning fireplace?

How to Increase Heat From a Wood-Burning Fireplace Burn seasoned firewood. Open the damper as wide as possible to increase the amount of air to the fire. Clean your chimney once a year. Replace the screen in front of the fireplace with tempered glass doors, and keep the doors closed while a fire is burning.

Are wood-burning fireplace inserts worth it?

Studies have shown that as much as 95 percent of the residual heat in a traditional wood fireplace is expelled outside. A wood-burning fireplace insert offers a slower, more efficient burn rate providing up to five hours of uninterrupted heat. It consumes less fuel and has heating efficiencies of 80+ percent!.

Does a fireplace insert need a chimney?

Do Electric Inserts Need a Chimney? Unlike wood-burning and direct vent systems, electric fireplaces do not need a chimney to vent combustible byproducts. However, they do have other unique needs that wood and gas burning inserts may not require.

Are wood-burning fireplace inserts safe?

When properly installed, wood-burning inserts are very safe and are much safer than an open fire.

How do you stack kindling?

To stack wood in a fireplace: Arrange the kindling in a crisscross formation so that the bits of wood are laid on top of each other while also allowing plenty of space between the bits of wood for airflow. Lay logs in a fireplace overlapping each other.

Can a fireplace insert heat a whole house?

Absolutely! And many houses already have a fireplace. It’s just a matter of using it to bring some much-desired warmth into your home. That said, unlike central air, no fireplace is going to be able to properly heat your entire home at once.

Which is better fireplace insert or wood stove?

If you want to maximize the heating efficiency of an existing fireplace, then an insert is the best option. But if you want to heat a home or room that doesn’t have a fireplace, then a free-standing wood stove is an excellent choice.

What heats better wood stove or insert?

Wood Stove Pros More efficient – Wood stoves burn more efficiently than fireplace inserts, creating more heat. Larger capacities – Wood stoves tend to have larger capacities than fireplace inserts, so it’s possible to heat your entire home with a large model.

Why does my fireplace not heat the room?

As the cooler air is sucked into the chimney, the heavier heated air rises to the top and is vented through the chimney along with smoke, soot and other contaminants. This continuous down draft flow of cold air is causing your home to be insufficiently heated.

Does a fire in the fireplace make the house colder?

A–Although they add a nice warm glow to a room, a fireplace, especially a wood-burning fireplace, usually draws more heat out of a home than it adds. Almost all of the heat generated by the fire is also sucked up that chimney and out of the house. It’s the furnace or boiler warmth that you should be concerned about.

How do you heat a 2 story house with a wood stove?

In a two-story home, wood stoves should be installed on the lower level, since heat rises. An air duct somewhere near the wood stove could be cut through the ceiling and the second-story floor, to allow air to pass directly upstairs. A fan and grate on the floor can be installed, to improve the flow of heated air.

Do wood-burning fireplace inserts need electricity?

As with freestanding wood stoves, wood fireplace inserts won’t typically require a source of electricity. If a wood insert has a blower then it will typically require an electrical supply in order to operate.

Do fireplace inserts increase home value?

Return on Investment A homeowner can often recover over 100 percent of the expenses associated with adding a fireplace upon selling their home. According to the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers, adding a fireplace to home can increase the resale value of the home by as much as 6-12 percent.

How long do fireplace inserts last?

However, when properly maintained, a fireplace insert can last 20-30 years or more, making them a great investment in the future of your home.

Does a wood fireplace insert need to be vented?

Venting Explained Fireplaces, stoves and fireplace inserts need to be vented to the outdoors (except for electric fireplace models).

How much does a wood fireplace insert cost?

How much does a fireplace insert cost? Most fireplace inserts and a professional installation cost about $2,000 to $4,000, depending on the state of your existing chimney and the model you select.

Can I put a fireplace insert in my fireplace?

Professionals can install a fireplace insert into your existing fireplace with a masonry chimney. This not only enhances the beauty and performance of your fireplace but also allowing you to enjoy the warmth of a clean, safe fireplace from within your home.

What is the safest fireplace insert?

A direct-vent is safer because it draws air in and releases the gas through the chimney. The ventless inserts are more efficient, but the exhaust fumes stay in your home, which may be a reason for concern.

How hot does a fireplace insert get?

In general, most fireplaces reach temperatures between 700 and 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. This can provide plenty of warmth for a room, but it’s important to keep in mind that the temperature will vary depending on the type of fuel being used.