How to Install a Fireplace Insert | Ask This Old House
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- čas přidán 2. 08. 2024
- In this video, This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner supplement their living room heat by installing a wood-burning insert in their existing fireplace.
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Richard Trethewey helps a family deal with a cold addition. The family’s living room was added to the home in the 1980s and only has electric heat to condition it, and would like to use the fireplace in the adjoining room to spread some heat. Once Richard explains how inefficient a fireplace can be, he solves the family’s issue by having a wood-burning insert installed in the fireplace.
A homeowner’s living room needs supplemental heat, and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey knows how to use a fireplace in an adjoining room. The problem is that fireplaces themselves are unbelievably inefficient. While they do emit some radiant heat, they cause a draft that pulls the heated air from the rest of the home and sends it up the chimney.
A better option is a wood-burning fireplace insert, which emits radiant heat and forced hot air, while also preventing warm air from the home escaping. Richard helps the homeowner come up with this solution and then finds a local pro for the installation.
Where to find it?
Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner troubleshoot how to supplement heating their home by using their fireplace. Richard explains fireplace convection, why it’s not an efficient source to heat the home, and why a wood burning insert is a great option for the homeowner. After, a team of installers install a stainless-steel liner and wood burning fireplace insert.
Richard does a demonstration showcasing how fireplace convection works.
The fireplace insert works by:
• Pulling air from the room into the lower chamber.
• Air circulates behind the firebox, picking up the heat. From there, a fan pushes the heated air back out of the front facing vent above the fire.
• The heat from the central burner also emits more radiant heat from the face of the insert, back into the room.
• Combustion fumes and smoke vent out of the top of the insert through an installed chimney liner.
• The insert works as a seal, so even if there’s no fire burning, there are no drafts.
Expert assistance was provided by The Chimney Chap [www.thechimneychap.com/]. The fireplace insert was manufactured by Vermont Casting [www.vermontcastings.com/].
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How to Install a Fireplace Insert | Ask This Old House
/ thisoldhouse - Jak na to + styl
We installed a wood stove insert 16 years ago. Best home improvement you can make, especially if you live in a cold climate. It's like having a back up furnace in case the house's furnace dies.
We installed a wood insert in our open fireplace after 2 winters in the house we just bought. The fireplace was literally burning the wood way too fast and smoke would always sneak in the living area, not to mention the smell during hot humid summers. The best investment ever we did with the wood insert, it burns longer, redistribute a lot of heat with its dual combustion feature and it does not smell smoke in the house at all even during summer time. I just added some insulation between the plate and the rocks around the fireplace opening to keep more heat in the house and completely remove any creosote smell.
I had a Blaze King Sirocco insert installed into my 1939 Heatilator fireplace about 3 years ago and I love it! The install was a real challenge because the top of the old heavy steel firebox had to be cut through to connect the insert into a new steel liner.
We have an insert very much the same. Really helps with the heat! (Even when the power goes out)
Works like a charm! Set it on 2 and it holds 68 degrees whether it is 60 or 16 degrees outside. Good value!
Just what I was looking to learn about on this 90 degree day in June.
If we ever go to mars they need to send the ask this old house crew. I swear these people can do anything.
We just had a direct vent gas insert installed into our fireplace. Best investment in our house and we absolutely love the convenience of gas fireplace, and it will work if we lose power.
We had one of these installed at my folks house and man does it make a difference. No soot inside and it really heats the place up!
Nice insight Richard. I have a insert that was installed when we built our home. The difference is its a posi-preasure insert. It has three intakes from the outside. Two feed the fire and one has a one horse power blower. The blower pulls air in that flows over the firebox and blows hot air into the house. Have in blower create a positive air pressure in the house and if we have any air leaks in the windows, doors, etc, the air pushes the air outward and doesn't allow cold air in. It also has a catalytic converter for the fire to reduce pollution.
Positive pressure- great idea!
After quotes of $6-8000, I had an Osburn unit purchased and installed for $3500. Payback including buying wood was 2.5 years for me vs home heating oil. And that was when oil was $2.10 a gallon. I went from using around 1,000gal of oil per winter to 150gal, and my house is always nice and warm. I load the firebox three times a day and it runs 24/7 in the winter.
I’ll even give a shout out to the shop that did it. Goofy name, but Captain Soot’s House of Fire in NY. He drop shipped the stove to me and his crew installed in the Philadelphia area. Great pricing, haven’t had one problem in 4 years. Good crew.
@@I-Teeethe shop is in ny but it was installed near Philly?
Hi, was that $3500 total with unit and installation?
Just bought a new Lopi Hybrid Large Flush insert. After adding everything up including the liner and high end copper cap, it came to $7,710.
I'm installing myself. There is a $2,000 tax credit for qualifying stoves so my total cost is $5710 for high end stuff.
Installed one last year, excellent purchase, furnace never runs when the insert is fired up...
Awesome video as always 👌 👏 👍 ❤️
I wish that I saw this video before. I used to own a Levittown ranch which had a fire place that was open on the kitchen and living room side. I could only use the fire place in the fall or the house would loose to much heat like in the winter. I don't ever recall this old house doing a program involving a Levittown home. That would be pretty cool and helpful to Levittown home owners.
Quite a clever idea.
Living in California I never heard of stuff like this but that’s smart, only heard of radiants
That's so nice
I liked your incense smoke demo. Nice touch! Now, the system should have been sealed with a blocking plate near the removed damper and/or at the top of the chimney to eliminate air infiltration. I wish this video addressed that. Also, it would be prudent to seal the interface between the backing plate and brick in case there are other unforeseen leaks in the system.
One of the first improvements we made to our home after purchase was a fireplace insert, and a ceiling fan. Makes a huge difference.
hi jamesf, have you become a flat earther yet?
@@flat-earther lol
@@8beef4u BTW 8beef, what do you think about all gubments drawing a line around you(Antarctic Treaty) and saying you are not allowed to leave? If you don't know what I mean, read my about tab.
There’s nothing like wood heat. I had a wood stove insert at our old house and I really miss it.
enjoy it while it last lol
Except it dries the house out so bad and you need to run a humidifier all the time. I grew up in New England and cut, split and stacked more than my fair share of firewood growing up.
GOOD JOB RICHARD
Nice manBun
I'd to hear some discussion on insert/stove features like catalytic and reburners varieties. These are touted as highly efficient and long burn times.
hi cetyl, have you become a flat earther yet?
@@flat-earther no, I don't care about the environmental benefits, I just want to hear about these options.
@@cetyl2626 okay. BTW cetyl, what do you think about all gubments drawing a line around you(Antarctic Treaty) and saying you are not allowed to leave? If you don't know what I mean, read my about tab.
I've had a fire insert for over 10 years now and I'm likly going to take it out, put in a heat pump ductless, and close off the chimney with insulation and brick.
The cold was going from the chimney and it was such an effort to clean and start that new tech was 1000% easier.
Whack
loving richard with the black slip on vans
Will the stove/insert operate as intended even if there is a power outage and the intake fan isn’t working? Also, what is the life span of the intake fan and blowers and are they easy/cheap to replace?
Would something like this work in a framed chimney, there is currently a large gas fireplace insert, would like to change it out for a wood burning one but don’t want to burn my house down. Pretty sure the epa wouldn’t like the change but it’s my house.
No chimney blockoff? No stove cement to seal the connection at the stove top?
That will be $10,000 and 3 hours
Where does the combustion air come from? The chimney?
Comes from inside your home but it's not a big open chimney that literally sucks the air out of your house. Because the flue is only 6" diameter and these newer stoves are so efficient, they don't need alot of air to burn.
Honestly, why is the liner needed if you have a functional brick chimney? I have clay tile liners and a double bricked smoke shelf so there are a few pinch points where a liner can't fit down my chimney. However, the clay tile was meant to be precisely that - a liner - which focuses the toxic gasses on exiting the chimney through the top by narrowing its diameter, increasing the heat shield, and adding layers of insulation.
Because it reduces the size of the chimney for much better draft. Most all inserts require them.
To match the draft, too much draft can over heat the appliance past specific manufacturer temps and damage it / fire hazard. More draft more fire. Sometimes it can even cause it not to burn much 🤷🏼♂️ as unnecessary as it sounds it’s important
I worked for a factory built fireplace installation company, and we did a project where we were there every week, for many months, installing either a gas fireplace or one for wood. The home builder claimed that if he did two things, he would sell every unit. I mentioned the first. The second was a built in microwave oven. They sold like hotcakes.
Why not use outside air for the combustion air so no conditioned inside air is wasted? Just because of the initial installation cost? How long would it take to recoup that cost in home heating energy savings? Wouldn't the stove insert also be a little less "drafty" if it draws air directly from outside?
It uses very little air from inside, especially when the fire has been going for 30 min or so. I had mine (including labor and the stove itself) installed for around $3500. Payback was 2.5 years including the cost of wood vs home heating oil, and that was when oil was $2.10 a gallon.
@@I-Teee Ahhhhhhh! 👍
Air can be added to some of the better wood inserts. Most of the time your just installing a masonry fresh air kit somewhere on chimney.
our fireplace has water damage to the mortar, would this install require all the mortar to be repaired?
Yes
I did it myself, not really very hard to do.
It’s my understanding that some inserts require electricity for the fan which is needed to cool the firebox to prevent overheating. Is this true? If so if the power goes out you wouldn’t be able to use your fireplace, which just seems so wrong.
Power is not REQUIRED for use. Most inserts. The better ones come with a fan pre installed which helps spread heat even more so. But you can run fan on a backup power supply. They’re 199 and last 6-9 hours.
This used to be called a " heatilator "
Mulch never goes bad. It breaks down and becomes rich soil.
Is this the same as a wood stove insert?
Yes
why do the surround thing...don't you lose a lot of heat from blocking the radiant heat from the firebox?
The surround actually somewhat helps with cold air inside the chimney. The smoke chamber area is completely blocked off with a stainless plate custom made on site. All the heat THAT IS radiant come from the front of the unit and the fan helps push it out as well.
How much (ballpark) does it cost to install one of these (minus the insert?)
The inserts go for probably close to $3,000; the liner is stainless and goes for about another $1,000. Labor would be for about 3-4 hours at about a $150 an hour.
@@luistomas7282 the one in the video is wood fired so no gas needed on that one at least
@@AStanton1966 That sounds about right for the install, but the price of the insert is heavily dependent on brand.
@@ginacirelli1581 You're absolutely right. I had mine installed 16 years ago. The price of everything today is outrageous--Let's Go Brandon!
I’m in NJ, last year I was quoted roughly $7k from two diff dealers (and I already have the gas line run)
why haven't toh ever talked about the biggest energy hog in a home. the electric dryer. its electric heat. and sucks condition air in and blow out of the house. seems like it the only machine in a home that hasn't gotten better than first one ever built.
How to Install a Fireplace Insert? Hire a professional! Thanks ToH!
Well i mean if you don't have clue what you are doing...
Our chimney is ridiculously tall and I have no interest scaling the house to do the insert. Yep, paid someone else.
It's not rocket science, I simply don't have the tools and also don't want to take the risk
@@peger He's referring to the ridiculousness of the video title and the solution being a non diy approach 😂
9 years ago This Old House did a DIY segment on the same job. Suddenly it is now "hire a pro" I'm awestruck. What changed?
Yes. I found this show to be useless.
Should have ran an outlet to the inside of old fireplace shell…the cord stretched across the room is a no go.
Which model is that?
It's a Vermont Castings Montpellier II.
Ohthats the one I just had installed, but haven’t been able to use it due to to much smoke. They need to come and extend the flue for a better draft. Hopefully it helps, how do you like yours and any tips on getting a good long fire?
We love it and use it every day. It throws a ton of heat. We use the door as the air control. If you need to get the fire going, don't crank the door closed. The fire is very responsive to how tightly the door is closed. Leave it a little loose until you get a bed of coals. Manual air controls would be better, but this does work. If you put a good amount of crumpled newspaper on top of your beginning stack of kindling, it helps to create a draft, might avoid the smoke.
Thank you for your response. Appreciate it
What does something like this cost?
My quote was just over $7000.
Just bought a new Lopi Hybrid Large Flush insert. After adding everything up including the liner and high end copper cap, it came to $7,710.
I'm installing myself. There is a $2,000 tax credit for qualifying stoves so my total cost is $5710 for high end stuff.
@@helihoot That tax credit only qualifies if installed by an insured professional. Just FYI
@siberwolf33 I have a copy of it right in front of me. No mention of that. I'm guessing you are an insured professional.
www.energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits/biomass_stoves
@helihoot Starting in 2024, the following additional requirements must be met:
The inspection must be conducted by a qualified home energy auditor, defined as an individual who is certified by one of the qualified certification Programs listed on the Department of Energy certification programs for the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (Section 25C) at the time of the audit, or under the supervision of a qualified home energy auditor;
The written report must be prepared and signed by a qualified home energy auditor, be consistent with industry best practices, and include:
The qualified home energy auditor's name and relevant employer identification number (EIN) or other type of appropriate taxpayer identifying number, if the auditor does not have an EIN;
An attestation that the qualified home energy auditor is certified by a qualified certification program; and
The name of such qualified certification program
Electric fireplace much easier , looks cool tho
I wonder if i can take our expensive gas fireplace and put an insert instead..
Thank you is a great idea and the important part is keep carbon monoxide out of the house
What happens when the power goes out!!!!!
The freezer thaws out. Actually the fan isn't required. Keep burning.
This Old Hire a Contractor
LOL
Interesting, my Fireplace is horribly ineffecient?
All open fireplaces are horribly inefficient
That front hearth does not seem to meet code. It needs to extend at least 25 inches and must have an R value of 1. Ceramic tiles do not have that R value. It needs at least 2 inches of cement board or similar underneath.
Underneath the tiles is 2” of cement. A non combustible hearth extension is installed just not shown in video for ascetic purposes.
Oh no, it doesn't meet code!!!
I cringed when that installer used a steel crowbar to lift the left side of the unit. Dang, please protect the paint and metal!!!!
Nobody park over the sidewalks in his neighborhood. Very dangerous for these guys.
Wouldn't it be best to just install glass in front for when they dont use the fireplace? best of both worlds. These insert are ugly and small.
You missed the point. The fireplace sucks the heated air out of the room when burning, not while idle.
HELL YEAH. I LOVE. TOH
Or get a wood burning stove those inserts suck
Too bad you didn’t use a Quadrafire insert.
Both are made by same company. Not much of a difference.
Complete nonsense and lies. This fireplace will create negative pressure in the house, which will lead to cold air being sucked in from the outside through the many openings that are present in every house.
What’s the point of this video if you gotta hire a professional lol
Real men don't wear buns, skinny jeans, earrings, excetera.
Pirates
Or get a wood burning stove those inserts suck