I don't miss having a fireplace

[AZjeff]

I recall normal wood burning fireplaces being energy inefficient, more heat up the chimney than provided into the house unless some sort of heat exchanger insert is used. Electric fireplaces are called 100% efficient. Unless the electric is out.

 

[UncleDave]

We bought a BK Ashford 30 last January. It was definitely a little hard to get used to, but it won’t heat you out of the house and has very long run times.

The pug approves. View attachment 190615

Awesome pict. Love pugs.

When you say hard to get used to- does it fall out of the cat window easily?

I used a BK princess one winter in Tahoe, and it was dead easy to run within the window of operation.
What was hard was getting used to seeing a black box with no visible fire providing heat.

 

[billt460]

Awesome pict. Love pugs.

Me too. A Pug is cuter than a Bulldog with half the problems, and twice the life expectancy.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I enjoy my wood stove. It has a cold air intake, burns hot and is fairly efficient. If the temp is below 27 F I burn wood in the morning as that is the temp where my propane boiler fires up. My wood stove is about 25% cheaper than my propane boiler, even taking into account the efficiency of each, and I like the ambience. When the zombies come out, I’ll be burning wood.

 

[dlundblad]

Awesome pict. Love pugs.

When you say hard to get used to- does it fall out of the cat window easily?

I used a BK princess one winter in Tahoe, and it was dead easy to run within the window of operation.
What was hard was getting used to seeing a black box with no visible fire providing heat.

With my old stove, I liked being able to light a fire and warm up the living room almost immediately.

It’s hard to do this with the new stove, but once it’s established, it’s hot and will have long run times. I haven’t ran it on the lowest setting yet for reasons you’ve mentioned too. It’s weird.

 

[UncleDave]

With my old stove, I liked being able to light a fire and warm up the living room almost immediately.

It’s hard to do this with the new stove, but once it’s established, it’s hot and will have long run times. I haven’t ran it on the lowest setting yet for reasons you’ve mentioned too. It’s weird.

Yeah these stoves are long vs quick. Cat stoves are a different animal.

I had a "special batch" of super dry rounds that would burn for like 10-12 hours.
Toss one on, and ignore for half a day/ go all night.

In this place I have a valor gas stove that works great - but I miss wood, but not the work and mess, although I preferred it to just about any other kind of outdoor work. There was something extremely satisfying about seeing months of "paid for" heat stacked and ready to go.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Comes in handy in the winter when the power goes out. Wasn't a problem winter 2022/2023, but in February 2021 ... It was a big problem. The dogs love it when it's on.

 

[mattd]

I’m putting a wood stove insert in mine. The fire place is so inefficient that it makes the room cooler rather than warming it (unless directly in front of the fire). They are nice to look at but are terrible in practicality.

 

[4WD]

Through the years I've owned homes both with and without a fireplace. Given the choice I would rather have one. They appeal to others even if they don't to you. So if and when you sell it, it very well could help, by giving the home added appeal to potential buyers.

Besides, if you don't want one, and end up buying a house with one, just keep the flue closed and don't use it. Nothing lost, but again, it might help with a future sale.

It's not like a swimming pool, that you have to maintain by constantly cleaning and adding chemicals, regardless if you use it or not. I grew tired of our pool in the last house we had. It became too much work and expense for the amount we used it....... Which was almost never.

But our realtor told us the people who bought it absolutely loved the pool. And for them it was a deal maker. So in that regard, it was worth it. Pools are like boats. The 2 greatest days are the day you buy it, and the day you sell it.

I resemble that - would fill in my pool but city does not allow

 

[Dave Hess]

I see many houses here in Florida with fireplaces and I’ve always thought it was dumb to build a house with one.

 

[Nick1994]

Through the years I've owned homes both with and without a fireplace. Given the choice I would rather have one. They appeal to others even if they don't to you. So if and when you sell it, it very well could help, by giving the home added appeal to potential buyers.

Besides, if you don't want one, and end up buying a house with one, just keep the flue closed and don't use it. Nothing lost, but again, it might help with a future sale.

It's not like a swimming pool, that you have to maintain by constantly cleaning and adding chemicals, regardless if you use it or not. I grew tired of our pool in the last house we had. It became too much work and expense for the amount we used it....... Which was almost never.

But our realtor told us the people who bought it absolutely loved the pool. And for them it was a deal maker. So in that regard, it was worth it. Pools are like boats. The 2 greatest days are the day you buy it, and the day you sell it.

I like your comparison to a swimming pool. Here in Phoenix I don't want a pool. Used to have one, too much work maintaining it with all the dust storms all summer. Then it is actually too hot for a pool, late July and into August it's just a warm bath. However, if I lived somewhere like L.A., a pool would be really nice. Perfect water temperature and they don't really get big storms to mess the pool up.

While I have no desire for a chimney here, maybe it would be nice if I lived in New England.

 

[billt460]

Chimneys aren't really an issue in most homes built after the 80's. Because most of them are nothing but a wood and stucco frame or siding built around a piece of double lined and capped galvanized pipe for the chimney. They require no additional support or attention to construct. And no masonary work, which is expensive.

One of the more recent concerns of pools in the Phoenix Metro area, and even out here, is the use of water. In this part of the country with very low humidity coupled with high Summer temperatures, depending on size and surface area, a pool can lose over an inch or more a day in evaporation.

On very hot, dry, windy days that can increase substantially. Most people pay it no mind, because most all pools constructed today have an auto fill feature... Which amounts to little more than a toilet type float valve that opens when the water level drops.

One of the reasons they become too warm in the Summer months, is due to the fact most in ground pools built today are only 5-1/2 ft. deep. Years ago most all pools were dug to a depth of 8 ft, and had diving boards.

The shallow depth allows the water to reach much higher temperatures. The reason for shallow 5 ft. "play pools" today is mostly construction costs and insurance. The deeper the water, the easier it is to drown. Especially kids. That along with higher excavation costs.

 

[Danno]

I enjoy my wood stove. It has a cold air intake, burns hot and is fairly efficient. If the temp is below 27 F I burn wood in the morning as that is the temp where my propane boiler fires up. My wood stove is about 25% cheaper than my propane boiler, even taking into account the efficiency of each, and I like the ambience. When the zombies come out, I’ll be burning wood.

Agree on all your points. New Build, main room is about 1,000 sq. ft. Load some maple at bedtime. Stove still hot to the touch in the morning.
Primary heat is propane in floor water loop. Supplementary is woodstove, and forced air propane setup as part of AC setup as a redundant choice.
Nice to have choices.

 

[billt460]

Question: What is the reason for the chimney going halfway up the interior wall, instead of exiting directly behind, or at the top of the stove?

 

[Skippy722]

Question: What is the reason for the chimney going halfway up the interior wall, instead of exiting directly behind, or at the top of the stove?

Stack effect. Hot air naturally wants to rise, if you immediately turn it 90 you’ll have almost 0 stack effect and it won’t vent properly which will result in smoke in the house.

There is also the “10x3x2” rule. “The chimney must extend at least 2 feet above any portion of any structure within 10 feet (measured horizontally) and must extend at least 3 feet above the highest point of its roof penetration.”

 

[ragtoplvr]

There is a cost for wood. China saw does not run for free. Hauling the wood uses gas. Heat pumps are very efficient. I I could only save money for wood if it was going to be 15 F or less. With the way our climate changed that seldom happens. Long power failures are the other reason, then the utility rebuilt our lines, raised and 3 phase to supply electricity to all the center pivots so I power so seldom fails now. I would rather have a vented between the studs no power needed propane heater. Much less cost and no wood dirt.


Rod

 

[Snagglefoot]

The temp dropped to 18 F last night. That means my 12 year old heat pump has switched to the propane boiler and heat exchanger. I can burn wood in my airtight stove for less money and my in-floor electric heat in the bathrooms is now competitive with the propane boiler = Comfy toes.

 

[NormanBuntz]

I miss my Avalon wood stove that I had in my PA and VA homes. When I sold the VA home, the shyster buyer insisted on me including the wood stove with the sale. I should have told him to shove it. I enjoyed that stove for many years and found it to be both efficient and relaxing.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I just got my fireplace cleaned. They used a rotary brush fed in on flex rods through the stove. No more climbing on the roof. It has not been cleaned in 12 years since new. I burn fir at very high temps (500 F) and there was virtually no creosote. Those double walled insulated stainless steel chimneys keep things hot enough to keep any creosote formation from happening.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I had a wood burning fireplace in my previous home and liked the idea of having it but only used it a few times. I since had a custom home built without a fireplace and don't miss having one at all. I think fireplaces in the majority of U.S. homes are for show.

I fixed your last sentence.
Quote
''I think fireplaces in the majority of US homes are for show (and emergencies)''

I don't miss ours in our former Detroit home (1974-1983) either. But our current home has never been without furnace-generating power for more than several hours. That's only happened once.