Wood Burning Fireplace Insert
The problem with an ordinary conventional fireplace is the fact that it pulls air from inside the house and sends it up the chimney creating a draft in the house and pulling more cold air into the house.
If you like your fireplace but don’t like the draft and the increased burden on your furnace, a wood burning fireplace insert may be the answer. A wood burning firplace insert uses the same technological improvements of wood stoves but fits into a conventional open fireplace. Like wood stoves, new wood burning fireplace inserts must be certified by the EPA.
These new inserts that are made from plate steel or cast iron are clean burning and highly efficient. They are built with glass doors to allow for a view of the flames. They fit right into the opening of and existing fireplace, with some models protruding onto the hearth. These inserts which extend out may be more efficient because the sides, top, and bottom provide for the release of additional radiant heat.
Fireplace inserts typically have blowers, which improve efficiency and heat circulation, mounted in the front or along the sides of the insert. Depending on the system the blowers may be controlled manually or automatically by a thermostat.
Installation of a Wood Burning Firplace Insert
Wood inserts must have a positive connection between the outlet and the first section of the flue liner. This allows the smoke and any unburned gases to go up the chimney more directly and minimizes combustible deposits that can condense in the fireplace. A full relining of the chimney is an even better choice since the smaller pipe size provides a better draft and an added margin of safety.
If you install a full relining system, a stainless steel pipe that connects to the insert and goes to the top of the chimney you can avoid the need to remove the insert to clean the chimney. Since most fireplace inserts are heavy and difficult to move this can be a real benefit.
