Tell me about your fireplace . . .

[Loves Vintage]

Do you have a regular fireplace? Does it actually let off heat?

We have a fireplace wood stove insert that does not really work. It is an insert that goes into a regular fireplace and is supposed to let out heat when a fire is burning via an electric (I think) fan. Fires burn, but the room never heats.

We were considering returning the fireplace to a regular fireplace, no insert, but as I understand it, a regular fireplace won't let off any heat.

There are apparently 2 options. A new wood stove insert -- or-- some type of fireplace "radiator" that sits inside the regular fireplace, is heated by the burning wood, and then blows out via an electric fan.

We aren't looking to heat the house by any means, but if the fireplace would actually warm the family room, that would be nice!

Curious what others are using and how it's working for them! Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Skippy123]

We have a fireplace and do not like it; it only brings in cold air. My parents have a pellet stove insert that makes their home so nice and toasty!!! There is a tax credit through the end of the year 2010 for pellet stoves just an fyi.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Do you have glass doors on your fireplace, Skippy? They should keep the cold air out. Or, a damper (which I *think* goes inside the chimney?)

Your parent's insert must be similar to what we have now, but that does not work, except it is wood-burning. We did learn yesterday that if we get a new wood-burning insert by the end of the year, there is a 30% tax credit. They apparently burn very efficiently. We aren't good candidates for the pellet stove because we live in the woods and have lots of fallen trees, and my DH fancies himself a bit of a lumberjack! Hee-hee. Not really, but "we" do chop our own.

Pellet stoves, I understand, are really very good options for many people looking for alternative sources of heat.

 

[Steel]

Ah...

I am such an addict, I actually got excited when I saw this thread. Yup, I love fireplaces and I'm not afraid to say it.

DH's parents got the stove with the fan and apparently it is worse than useless. DH wanted to get one like theirs (before he visited and saw 1st hand how crap it was - they still insist it works great) when we were building but I was in charge of our purchases and I bought the regular stoves with 8kw output into the room for our kitchen and formal reception. The smaller reception/family room (if we ever have a family) has a 16kw back boiler version which heats one zone of radiators (about 12 rads). And works really well.

Pros of standard log burning stoves:
Pretty
Child and general safety friendly
Can burn over night or if you go out
Can regulate the air intake so fuel burns more quickly or slowly
Prevents heat loss through the chimney (my research said up to 70% of heat is lost through the chimney in an open fire)
Prevents draughts from the chimney

Cons:
Expensive if you don't shop around
Have to pay to install if you can't do it yourself (it is easy if you are handy but is a royal PITA)

 

[NakedFinger]

I love fireplaces! We havent used ours in our new house yet because we've been renovating, so I cant comment on mine. But I cant wait to use it. We were thinking of getting a wood burning stove insert for cleanliness, but I guess I will look into that more now.

My in-laws have a wood burning stove and it heats the entire house. They typically dont even put their heat on in the winter, unless its REALLY cold out. You may want to look into getting one of those.

 

[katamari]

We have a gas fireplace in our apartment. I like it because it does add some heat, but not a ton. It is, of course, not a real fireplace. It is drafty and (I believe) makes our apartment more dusty. You also have to periodically clean them out and deal with the occasional bird trapped in the chimney.

We had a wood-burning stove that circulates air growing up. I actually remember hating it because it would make our family room excessively hot (to where we would often have to open doors and windows). And, because our bedrooms were on the floor above the family room, the heat wouldn't circulate all that well. Leaving us with freezing bedrooms and a sweltering living room. This was 20 years ago, so maybe they have gotten better, but I am not a fan.

 

[Steel]

Hmmm.... I thought I had more photo's.

This is the formal reception. It is an 8kw standard multi-fuel stove. We are using the other reception at the moment so this is a work in progress...


This was my one mistake. The stove is too close for comfort to the marble. I will change it out from the 16kw bb to a 8 or maybe 12kw bb version. Live and learn!


I don't seem to have closer pics but if you are interested I will get some tomorrow.

 

[Tuckins1]

Yes, we have a real fireplace. It's original to the house (1923) brick, with a large mantle. It's somewhat small, so if you make too big of a fire, it can make the house smoky. We recently put on a chimney cap and it really has made a difference with down drafts and with stinky campfire smell when it rains. It does not have an insert, but it does keep the living room warm. However, because it keeps the main floor warm (and the thermostat is on the main floor), upstairs tends to get colder because the heat is not kicking on as frequently. We really only light it for holidays or warm snuggly nights in. Here's a pic.

ETA- we also have an old pot belly stove in the basement (from 1908- still works!) It's really great. Again, we rarely use it because it causes the upstairs to get a little colder, but when our furnace went out one year (it was -16 outside!!) We kept the potbelly stove kicking, and it kept the house at 65 degrees until we could get the furnace fixed!

 

[Autumnovember]

We love our fireplace! Although it is gas operated, it brings in so much heat. It actually gets TOO warm in our house if we leave it on for too long. My parents fireplace is 'operated' by wood and it also gives off tons of heat.

 

[artdecogirl]

Hello Lovesvintage, We have 3 fireplaces, one natural gas, one woodstove and one regular fireplace. The fireplace is in the formal dining room so we do not use it much, it is heatilator brand and has a fan that blows the hot air from around the firebox out into the room and while it warms up that room I would not use that to heat a larger area. The gas fireplace we put in when we turned our attached garage into a family room and that is furnace rated and is on a thermostat, it was do that or put a new furnace in because our existing one could not handle another 500 square feet to heat, that thing throws out the heat big time and then we have a wood stove in our downstairs family room, it is a Lopi (the brand) and we use it to heat the house whenever we are home to keep the fire going, it makes the downstairs very warm and dry and we had to put grates in the floor upstairs so it would heat that too and not stay so hot downstairs, the woodstove has a fan on it but we never use it. I would think maybe you just need a better insert? like I said the one we have does heat that room and it has very high ceilings so it has to put out more heat or if you do not like the mess a gas insert is convenient and clean.

 

[Laughinggravy0]

Ha, I got excited too at the name of the tread, I love mine! My big luxury when I bought my flat.
Now then, how to attach a pic I wonder.....

 

[Laughinggravy0]

Sorry distracted by seeing if I could upload a pic... just to add that mine is a much needed addition to the central heating. I get a lot of warmth from it and have grilles half way up the chimney that funnel heat into the bedroom.

I think the op referred to a different insert - good idea. Also, when the chimney sweep came round this year, he took out a metal 'flap' which had been inserted into the bottom of the chimney, to damp down the rate of burning. That made a big difference and shouldn't have been put in at all since they are used for much taller chimneys with fierce drafts.

I'd suggest getting a technician in to check yours is set up as it should be. Good luck, I really think it is worth getting it to work well.

 

[diamondringlover]

Gosh I wish I had a fireplace or pellet stove or something, I really like the way they look, my living room is just too small to put one in

 

[Dancing Fire]

my fireplace is a 23 yrs old VIRGIN never been lit...

 

[manderz]

I wish I had a fireplace! It would be so great for the winter around here! I've been thinking about one of the wall mounted ones.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EAZZVI/ref=asc_df_B002EAZZVI1353450?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B002EAZZVI

http://home-decor.hsn.com/indoor-outdoor-wall-mounted-gel-fueled-copper-fireplace_p-4470545_xp.aspx?ocm=hd|hd0060|hd0088&cm_re=

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Fireplace lovers may I thread-jack for a moment? Where is the best place to get gas logs? Our house has a fire place, but I have no experience with them. I know it's gas and we have a propane tank to use with it. I really want one of those sets with a remote!

 

[Steel]

Ha, I got excited too at the name of the tread, I love mine! My big luxury when I bought my flat.
Now then, how to attach a pic I wonder.....

Welcome to PS ,

Well done for mastering the photo upload skill. I think your living room looks like something from a movie set.

 

[Laughinggravy0]

Steal, how kind of you - that's a lovely thing to say. I'm a bookbinder some of the time and the room is one big workshop with the far space that comes off it a little, my living room. The fire place and my cocker spaniel make it home.

And thanks so much for the welcome, but I'm the old laughinggravy who lost her password and didn't see Ella's mail so re registered as the newer model.

 

[Steel]

Steal, how kind of you - that's a lovely thing to say. I'm a bookbinder some of the time and the room is one big workshop with the far space that comes off it a little, my living room. The fire place and my cocker spaniel make it home.

And thanks so much for the welcome, but I'm the old laughinggravy who lost her password and didn't see Ella's mail so re registered as the newer model.

Ah, I see.

Bookbinding sounds like a fascinating endeavour. I'm the same, it isn't home unless my DH is there and the drifts of cat/dog hair tumbleweed across the kitchen floor.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Thank you all for sharing your FP experiences!

Steal - I never tire of seeing pictures of your house! That's amazing that one of your FPs heats 12 radiators!! So smart!!

Laughinggravy - That rooms looks so incredibly cozy!!! I wish I had a knack for decorating like that! Indeed, something is going on with the insert. We did have a chimney sweep come out. He informed us that the building codes had changed since the insert had been installed, and that we should have a steel lining in our chimney now, which is what led us to the fireplace shop and the 3 options. I'd be happy to return it to a regular fireplace and give that a go. DH wants to try the other type of insert, where we would not need the steel liner. We need to do more research for sure! Oh, and I did tell the chimney sweep that our insert did not produce heat. He said, it should. I said, it doesn't. He said, it should. And, so it went. Haha.

SarahLovesJS - Sorry, can't help you with the gas logs. Maybe home depot? Anyway, glad to see you around here. It's been a while. I know law school takes its toll on one's spare time! Hope it's going well for you.

diamondrnglover - Maybe you have room for something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Corner-Fireplace-Painted-Faux-Copper/dp/B003UL4ING to achieve the look you like?

Decogirl - Thank you! Wow, you've got the options covered. That's great that the stove you have downstairs is enough to heat the upstairs as well. I think you are right, the insert that we have is just old and not functioning properly.

Tuckins - Of course, I remember your fireplace from when you re-did the leaded glass doors!! What a pretty picture you posted, too!! It's good to know that regular f/ps let off some heat too. Both DH and the FP shop guy insist they don't!

 

[Steel]

About the open fireplaces. We 'have' to do a BER survey on houses for sale and they suggest that

"An open coal fire is approx 30% efficient and a gas fire is 20% efficient. Chimneys increase heat loss in a dwelling by allowing approximately 70% of the energy in the room to escape, adversely affecting the BER rating.

There are typically 3 upgrade options available.
(a) Installing a closed-in stove (costing between €600 to €6,000 depending on the product) will reduce heat loss, being approximately twice as efficient as an open fire. The BER rating is also greatly enhanced.

(b) Jetmaster - a high efficiency fire with a damper can be installed keeping the open fire effect but improving the efficiency from 20% to 55%. This re-directs heat that would normally go up the chimney back into the room. Approximate cost > €2,500.

(c) Chimney Closure - If one prefers not to replace the existing open fire, then a closure device may be installed allowing the chimney to be closed when not in use. This will reduce the heat loss of a single room by up to 70%. Cost approximately €350. "


Just so you know . But obviously I love stoves over open fireplaces. I own 4. Yup I collect solid fuel stoves & cats; both in equal measures.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Thank you, Steal. There does seem to be yet another option available. Unfortunately, I do not recall the name of it, but it is some sort of metal tubing that goes in the fireplace, that heats up by the wood, and blows hot air out into the room. For this option, the steel liner is not required. This option was about $900 USD (€670), plus glass doors. The doors I liked were $1100 USD (€820). Insane. Anyway, have you heard of anything like this?

And, speaking of cats, didn't a cat just appear at your house one day not too long ago? Did you keep him/her?

 

[Steel]

Thank you, Steal. There does seem to be yet another option available. Unfortunately, I do not recall the name of it, but it is some sort of metal tubing that goes in the fireplace, that heats up by the wood, and blows hot air out into the room. For this option, the steel liner is not required. This option was about $900 USD (€670), plus glass doors. The doors I liked were $1100 USD (€820). Insane. Anyway, have you heard of anything like this?

And, speaking of cats, didn't a cat just appear at your house one day not too long ago? Did you keep him/her?

Meeeeeeooooowww. He has been rehomed to another country house with 3 kids under 10. I was so sad to see him go, but our 4 drive me batty as it is. Thanks for asking.

I read about that option. It is not something I would consider, because I was set on the solid fuel stoves. I am a very basic girl and feel that the more knobs I have to twiddle*; the greater chance of something falling off or getting broken. So I like things to be simple and to me, anything fancy or gadgety is out.

"Heatalators:
This is a brand name for a product that is made by many different manufacturers and often refereed to as a grate heater. The concept is usually the same though. Some steel tubes with an internally mounted fan are mounted or set in the fireplace around the location of the burn. The tubes heat during the burn and a fan blows the heated air through the tubes and out into the room. They are mildly effective at harnessing the BTUs that the fire would normally spit out the chimney. They also allow a person to keep the glass doors of the fireplace closed and still enjoy the heat of the fire."

*yes, I know how that sounds, but I'm talking to a preggo lady, first base was a long time ago.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Oo, we have 4 fireplaces in our house, but I only use two. One is the main fireplace in our kitchen/dining room that I use when hosting a dinner. It still has the original pot holder and bread oven from 1775. It doesn't put out a ton of heat, but it looks nice.

The other I use is our wood-burning stove, which I loooove. When we first moved I was bummed that they'd replaced one of the original fireplaces with a wood-burning stove. But now I am in love with that stove, it keeps the living room so toasty!

 

[waterlilly]

we have a large brick fireplace that we inserted a wood stove into. it is our main heat source in the winter and it cranks! a wood stove will heat your home like nobodies business (whatever that means!). the enclosed fireplaces seem to be hit or miss though and are mostly for ambiance rather than function and unless sealed and ventilated properly they will actually suck warm air out of your home when using them - heat rises and it will create a current of air going out of your chimney pulling the warm air with it!

i love having our stove, but it is a lot of work - keeping wood stocked throughout the season is a year round job if you are cutting your own. it takes a season to dry so you can't just cut it and use it, you have to cut the current winter's wood the spring before...and have a place to store it to dry...we keep saying "this is the last year" and that we are going to just have wood delivered, but we always get sucked back in to doing it ourselves somehow!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Thanks Loves Vintage! Law school definitely keeps me busy and so do the baby animals! Haha hubby gets some time, too.

 

[Laughinggravy0]

Loves Vintage, I love those conversations with technicians. 'I live with this thingy and this what happens daily', 'No it doesn't', 'Um..... yesssss it does.'

I had that with my central heating which won't really go high enough to heat my flat comfortably (and I like low temps) in a cold spell unless...... I turn on the hot water. That fires up the boiler which then keeps ticking over and feeds the radiators. So I explain that when the nice guy comes to do the annual service: 'No it doesn't'... 'Yesss it does, LOOOOOK.' His response? 'That's just a coincidence.' too funny.

 

[Pandora II]

I don't have a fireplace here in London, but my parents have a gorgeous old inglenook one in their house. It's in the oldest part of the house which dates from around 1650 and has seats right inside the fireplace. You can look up inside the chimney and when we first moved there my father found all sorts of things that had been hidden up there by previous occupants - most dating to the early 1800's.

It has a big cast-iron fireback with a coat-of-arms and takes huge logs in the grate. I love Christmas time there with a big fire going. My parents cats also love it and have often got singed tails to prove it!