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Hearth Solutions: Wood Inserts
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What are Wood Inserts? |
Click to learn more about: Gas Inserts |
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Wood inserts are designed to be installed into an existing open wood burning fireplace to transform it into energy efficient zone fireplace. Best Fire wood inserts are all EPA-certified, are non-catalytic, and ultilize clean-burning technology. An EPA-certified wood burning insert reduces smoke emissions by approximately 90 percent as compared older models. Clean-burning technology allows for the insert to obtain a more "complete-combustion" burn cycle. A more complete combustion cycle equates into greater operating efficiences, longer burn times, lower maintainence costs, and lower overall fuel costs. Today's inserts have simplified air controls which give a great deal of control over the burn rate of the fire inside. |
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Why would I purchase a Wood Insert?
To convert an un-efficient fireplace into into an efficient heat source for your home.
To lower your heating bills by ultilize the plentiful natural resouce of wood.
To lower your heating bills by zone-heating the rooms you spend the most time in.
To eliminate heat loss due to the from the home heat escaping up your fireplace flue.
To experience the steady even heat you get when you burn wood, it's un-paralleled.
To retire or replace an older non-EPA-certified and un-attractive wood insert.
To add a back-up heat source to your home in the case of a power outage. |
Typical Projects for Wood Inserts:
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There are a few different Gas insert installations which Best Fire installs regularly. Review below to find out which one will work best for your project. The following are only a sample of the Gas insert project that Best Fire can help you with. |
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Wood Insert - New: |
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Situation: |
You have a wood fireplace that you rarely use. You like burning wood, and can get good wood on an annual basis, but your fireplace just does not produce enough heat. You've lost power in the past and you without heat for an extended period of time. Your heating bills are getting out of control....is a wood insert a solution?
Or maybe you have an older wood insert that is hard to control, is beginning to warp and break and has a catalytic converter that needs replacement. Is dumping more money and frustration into the older wood insert worth it??? |
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Solution: |
Best Fire, in one day of on-site time will completely change the warmth in your room and more importantly the way you feel about your fireplace. By adding an efficient wood burning insert, Best Fire allow you to use your fireplace as an significant supplimental heat source. Best Fire will install the insert, venting, decorative surround, accessories, and instruct you on the operation of your new insert. Sometimes customers take the opportunity to completely change the look of the fireplace by installing new facing materials such as granite, marble, stone, mantels and other design features. Oh, almost forgot, during the installation Best Fire will be completely re-insulating around the damper area, no more cold drafts!!!
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Before-Wood Fireplace?? |
After-Wood Insert |
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Click here to view more "Before-After" pictures... |
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Installation Basics-Wood Inserts:
Wood Inserts need to be installed into an existing masonry or factory-built fireplace with a structurally sound chimney. (do I have a masonry or factory-built fireplace?) The insert's body will be "inserted" into the exisitng fireplace's firebox, exhaust liner will be attached and will be extended into the existing flue, and terminated with a new cap on-top of your chimney. Wood inserts come in various sizes to accommodate different sized fireplaces. See the measuring guide below to identify the key dimensions of your fireplace in order to select the correct wood insert. Inserts will be visible from the front only, with the back of the insert being concealed within the your existing fireplace. Once "inserted" the remaining gap around the insert will be closed off and concealed with the use of model specific surround panels and decorative doors. If power is needed for optional fan kits, power will be run to a near-by outlet.
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Measure the following dimensions as shown above:
Opening Height:
Opening Width: Rear Width:
Depth (from opening to rear wall-top and bottom):
Depth of Hearth Extension (from opeing out to end of stone hearth):
Distance to above combustibles (from opening up to first piece of combustible materials-sheetroock, wood, paper, etc.): |
Venting Requirements - Wood Inserts:
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Wood Inserts are natural draft appliances which consume air from the room/fireplace for combustion and exhaust the by-products (smoke) to the exterior. The preferred method for venting a wood insert is to use a stainless steel liner, attach it to the flue collar on the insert and to extend it to the top of the existing flue. This is called "re-lining" the flue. The existing flue cavity will be used as the passage way for the new liner. Existing chimney caps and shrouds may be used, or a new rain cap will be installed. Re-lining the flue will ensure proper performance and safety when burning live fire in the wood insert.
The other method for venting a wood insert is to "direct-connect" the insert into the existing flue. This means that a short section of stainless liner or stainless pipe is connected to the insert and extends through the damper and just beyod the smoke shelf of the fireplace, allowing the exhaust gases to reach the flue. This method can only be taken if the size of the flue collar on the insert and the size of the existing flue are within specific ranges. If out of range the insert will not perform well, and your flue may be susceptible to a rapid build up of creosote. When is doubt, RE-LINE!
Special Note, NYS customers: Your fireplace's existing flue (the flue tiles in your chimney) need NOT be in working order. For example if your wood fireplace failed inspection and is not able to be used because of minor cracks or flaws in the flue tiles, a wood insert is a great solution to get your fireplace working again. Your flue acts as a non-combustible passage way in which the liner will travel to the termination. However if significant, major deterioration of the flue and chimney have occured then a wood insert cannot be used.
Wood insert liners can only be installed into a dedicated flues. This means that the flue cannot serve multiple appliances such as water heater, furnaces, other wood stoves, dryer vents, or anything else.
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Each model insert with have specific clearances, restrictions, and requirements that must be adhered to during installation. Fore more information about Wood inserts, venting, and installation details, contact one of Best Fire's design consultants (518) 869-9600. |
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Click here to learn more about the different types of wood insert venting..... |
The illustration below shows the air flow typical of a "clean-burning" wood stove, fireplace or insert.
Roll your mouse over the word below to view the air flow for each segment.
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