What Pellet stove insert to buy? And from Whom?

[jr2775]

I have 3000 sf of open living space in my house (two story family room). I want to replace the gas fireplace I have now with a pellet insert. I have heard Harmon and quadra are good choices. Does anyone know where to find a good insert? Also, will I be able to use the non-lined fire box for the insert? Not sure of code. Current gas fireplace is vented to a fake chimney about 5 ft tall on outside of house. Any advise is appreciated. Also, where do you get pellets the cheapest? I am willing to buy in bulk?

Thanks!!

 

[kom526]

I have 3000 sf of open living space in my house (two story family room). I want to replace the gas fireplace I have now with a pellet insert. I have heard Harmon and quadra are good choices. Does anyone know where to find a good insert? Also, will I be able to use the non-lined fire box for the insert? Not sure of code. Current gas fireplace is vented to a fake chimney about 5 ft tall on outside of house. Any advise is appreciated. Also, where do you get pellets the cheapest? I am willing to buy in bulk?

Thanks!!

I have a Quadra Fire insert that we purchased from American Hardware in Waldorf and we have no complaints about the stove. The guys at American Hardware can be challenging to work with at times so you may need to put their feet to the fire to get results.

My stove is a "zero clearance stove" and is safe for use in mobile homes without a masonry lining. Not all stoves are zero clearance and you may need to buy a fire box that surrounds the backside of the insert. Your current chimney may be ok to use but I am no expert and your installers will have to help you with that.

Pellets- Quality over price point ALWAYS! There are plenty of places in SoMD to get pellets.

Also, you may want to make use of the [SEARCH] function on this site, there are approximately 2,957 threads about pellet stoves on here.

 

[jr2775]

How Much?

could you tell me how much and what model you got? Also how much was the insert?

Thanks!

 

[kom526]

could you tell me how much and what model you got? Also how much was the insert?

Thanks!

2500 to 3000 or so installed? It was 4 years ago when we got it so I'm not real sure. The pellets I use are 249.50 a ton now and last year I used almost 2 tons.

 

[Vince]

Bought mine about 5 or 6 years ago. Breckwell. Heard Quadrafire is also very good. I get it cleaned once a year and have never had a problem (keeping my fingers crossed). I go through about 2.5 ton of pellets a winter at a cost of approx $700 a winter to heat a 4 bedroom Cape Cod. And this is a stove I don't have to worry about keeping running when I'm at work. If the door is open or it loses power, it shuts down. Haven't had to get the chimney cleaned since I had it installed. No soot. Chimney is just a vent. No smoke. Can't even tell if it's running from outside the house.

 

[GWguy]

QuadraFire insert, must be 15 years old now. Replaced a heater element a couple of years ago, other than that, been really reliable. I heat 3000 sq ft, went thru 3 tons last season.

 

[BadGirl]

I have 3000 sf of open living space in my house (two story family room). I want to replace the gas fireplace I have now with a pellet insert. I have heard Harmon and quadra are good choices. Does anyone know where to find a good insert? Also, will I be able to use the non-lined fire box for the insert? Not sure of code. Current gas fireplace is vented to a fake chimney about 5 ft tall on outside of house. Any advise is appreciated. Also, where do you get pellets the cheapest? I am willing to buy in bulk?

Thanks!!

Because we are considering a gas fireplace, I'm curious as to why you'd replace it with a pellet stove. I had a gas fireplace in my last two homes, and I loved that I could turn them on, and within just a few minutes the houses would be toasty warm. They were efficient, very quick to heat, and very reasonably priced.....perhaps in large part because I had pretty small homes (< 1,600 sq ft). Maybe larger homes are too costly to provide supplemental heat with gas? The new house is ~ 3,500 sq ft.

Thanks!

 

[Christy]

I have a Lopi insert. Love it.

Product Guide - Detail - Lopi

I bought it and had it installed by Tri-County Hearth and Patio. I don't even remember how many years ago. I initially had it in my basement fireplace but moved it up to the fireplace in my family room.

The only downside to an insert over a free standing stove is having to clean out the ash pan a lot more often. I clean out the ash pan after about two bags of pellets. My sister has a freestanding pellet stove and she cleans her ash pan maybe once or twice a season.

 

[OldHillcrestGuy]

I have a Breckwell free standing and love it, went through about 2 1/2 to 3 tons last year. I have a splitfoyer 26 by 40 both floors finished and my stove heats the whole house, very seldom does my oil furnace ever kicks on.

Try Tri-County in Waldorf as another option along with American Hardware.

 

[jsouthan]

I don't own a pellet stove, but happened to see some pellets at Wood Floors Plus in Glen Burnie when we were picking up some flooring last weekend. They were Greenway brand and $189/ton. I know it's a hike, but if you need a lot, then the savings may be worth it.

Wood Floors Plus :: Product Search :: pellets

 

[Vince]

I have a Lopi insert. Love it.

Product Guide - Detail - Lopi

I bought it and had it installed by Tri-County Hearth and Patio. I don't even remember how many years ago. I initially had it in my basement fireplace but moved it up to the fireplace in my family room.

The only downside to an insert over a free standing stove is having to clean out the ash pan a lot more often. I clean out the ash pan after about two bags of pellets. My sister has a freestanding pellet stove and she cleans her ash pan maybe once or twice a season.

You're kidding? Only twice a season? With my insert, I clean mine out every two to three days of use and then I brush the inside and vacuum it. If you are going to vacuum the stuff from a pellet stove make sure and get a good vacuum with a filter that can take the fine dust. The first time I tried it with my shop vac. After about 5 sec I saw all the dust coming out the vac exhaust and into my living room. Had to clean walls, etc.

 

[GWguy]

You're kidding? Only twice a season? With my insert, I clean mine out every two to three days of use and then I brush the inside and vacuum it. If you are going to vacuum the stuff from a pellet stove make sure and get a good vacuum with a filter that can take the fine dust. The first time I tried it with my shop vac. After about 5 sec I saw all the dust coming out the vac exhaust and into my living room. Had to clean walls, etc.

I usually get a big puff of dust when I turn on the shop-vac, then it's ok.... I was thinking of investing in one of those vacuums made just for fireplaces.

 

[Vince]

I usually get a big puff of dust when I turn on the shop-vac, then it's ok.... I was thinking of investing in one of those vacuums made just for fireplaces.

Bought a Rigid from Home Depot. Use a medium or #5 filter I think. Does a great job and I can get one or two cleanings on the filter with my compressor and air hose.

 

[GWguy]

Bought a Rigid from Home Depot. Use a medium or #5 filter I think. Does a great job and I can get one or two cleanings on the filter with my compressor and air hose.

I was thinking along the lines like this:
Ash Vacuum - Plow & Hearth

There's a couple of ash vacs out there, need to do some research.

Fireplace Vacuum - Home & Garden - Compare Prices, Reviews and Buy at NexTag - Price - Review

Actually, this is interesting... a pre-filter that uses your existing vacuum.
Ash fireplace and water pickup vacuum

 

[Vince]

I was thinking along the lines like this:
Ash Vacuum - Plow & Hearth

There's a couple of ash vacs out there, need to do some research.

Fireplace Vacuum - Home & Garden - Compare Prices, Reviews and Buy at NexTag - Price - Review

Actually, this is interesting... a pre-filter that uses your existing vacuum.
Ash fireplace and water pickup vacuum

Only reason I picked this one was that the guy who came and cleaned my stove out used it. Saw it work. Not real expensive except for the filters, but then I only go through about 2 filters a year.

 

[JMILL24]

I have a Breckwell free standing and love it, went through about 2 1/2 to 3 tons last year. I have a splitfoyer 26 by 40 both floors finished and my stove heats the whole house, very seldom does my oil furnace ever kicks on.

Try Tri-County in Waldorf as another option along with American Hardware.

Call Jodi at Tri-County hearth and patio in Waldorf (301-843-1771)ours from her two years ago and she was really helpful and freindly. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[Vince]

Call Jodi at Tri-County hearth and patio in Waldorf (301-843-3259), she can answer any question you have. My husband and I bought ours from her two years ago and she was really helpful and freindly. Good luck with your purchase.

That's where I got mine about 5 years ago or so. I call them for cleaning as well.

 

[jr2775]

I have been very, very disappointed with the gas fireplace. House is two years old. Maybe cause its in a two story room. Also it goes through the propane. Confirmed this with Suburbane. Was going through 1500 gallons a winter at 2.50 gal. Thermostat set on 67 degrees.

 

[jr2775]

Thanks.

 

[kwillia]

I have been very, very disappointed with the gas fireplace. House is two years old. Maybe cause its in a two story room. Also it goes through the propane. Confirmed this with Suburbane. Was going through 1500 gallons a winter at 2.50 gal. Thermostat set on 67 degrees.

$3570.... and to think prices are expected to be higher this winter...