Fireplace insert

[omegabrock]

Figured the homesteading would be a good place for this, didn't see another place for it...

Anyways, I have a fireplace insert in the new house I bought. It's seems like when the temps are decent (50-60) this thing really heats up the house a lot. The past couple of days, it's been 20's and it seems like it just isn't cutting it for heat. I have electric heat that turns on when it gets to 65 in the house but it seems like it is constantly on. I think I'm doing this wrong because the people we bought the house from (we stay in contact a bit) say they used it every winter and never had to use the electric heat. I was thinking about getting them to come out but with their new house, I feel bad asking them to come out to show me how to use this Damn thing properly lol.

[1moretoy]

Explain insert. Is it a full metal box with doors and a blower? Could be the majority of heat is going up the chimney.

[omegabrock]

Yeah it's a full metal box with the blower. I don't think te issue is heat escaping so much as maybe I don't have the fire strong enough before I close the doors and turn the blower on. The flame dies way down (stays lit a bit) but it's mainly coals the whole time.

[James m]

Air comes in, air goes out. I will have to ask if it sucks air in. From where and if its clogged.

[omegabrock]

Hmm, I will have to check the intake and get back to you.

[omegabrock]

I think the problem is the wood. Used some of the old wood that was here and it stayed lit with doors closed closed and kep constant heat. I didn't need to really pay any attention to it until it was time to add more wood. So, I guess I need to season my wood before using it?

[1moretoy]

So, I guess I need to season my wood before using it?

Yes...definitely. Green wood will boil out water and cause the temp to drop.

[Coppertop]

Not that we have the same system, but my stove heats a plate above the fire and that is what heats the air that goes out of the blower. I have found that I had to crack the air intake to the fire itself, or it does the same thing. It burns as coals and lasts a lot longer, but doesn't heat up the plate above it. It's kind of a trade off in my stove.

And dry wood vs fresher cut wood makes a huge difference.

Thanks

[omegabrock]

I've noticed since I started using the older wood, the fire catches faster and gets hotter. What I'll do now, I'll let the fire burn hard for a little while (until I feel the blower is hot) then I'll toss a new log on and let the fire die down some to the coals and the blower is pretty constantly hot. I really think it was just the wood. Now, every morning I clean out all of the ash and start new. I think it's going to give me some good practice at starting fires if I stop being lazy with the starter logs lok

[RWalls]

Its easy to tell if the wood isn't dry enough, it sizzles like bacon.

[omegabrock]

What's a good way to tell before you burn it lol

[omegabrock]

Had an old dead tree that fell on its own a while back. Seemed to be starting to dry rot from the inside out...the weight of a maul split it. Using it for heat today, doesn't seem the best wood to use lol. It's maintaining the temperature right at 72, which leaves the rest of the house colder...perfect for the wife but I prefer 75+ throughout the whole house. Guess I'll have to keep it going more today

[bigwheel]

Not sure what you have going on there..but typically fireplaces/inserts put out good heat until the fire starts dying down then it starts taking the heat it has delivered previously and carries it out up the chimney for a net loss on the operation. The process can be short circuited by shutting off the fire from the room in which it sets. We have some glass doors which work well on that angle. Just got to shut it off when the fire dies down. Picking out good wood is whole nother story. It should have cracks radiating out from the center of the log..sound like a bell ringing when you bang the logs end to end as opposed to making a dull thud which happens with green wood..and it should be quite a bit lighter in weight than when it was first cut. Best of fortunes.