got an open fire with a nice fully tiled surround, so am wondering if an inset might be better so we can keep the original tiles rather than opening it all up for a freestanding stove.

Anyone got an inset stove who would like to post pics?

Are they as good at heating as normal stoves?

Thanks

parents have 2 – one at each end of the house.

regret both.

wish they had put in free standing boxes.

I have an inset stove. It’s built into the stone fireplace

http://www.stovax.com/builtintothewallfires/builtinfires/built_in_wood__multi_fuel/riva_66_multi-fuel_fire.aspx

I’ve never had a freestanding stove so can’t compare it.

Edit : http://imgur.com/gBzvRlT

Inset seems to defeat the purpose of stove, one reason they’re so efficient if because the heat comes from a all around the stove. Putting the inset only get it’s from the front.

MST you can use https://imgur.com for easy hosting and use the BB code option to for the forum.

thanks mst, have seen the riva, should have added i’m looking at the more traditional style insets as they will go better with the tiles and surround

We’ve got a Stockton inset thing, never had a freestanding one but if we put it on when it’s not really cold outside you have to get naked or you’ll melt..

just to clarify the reason they regret it is – its hard work getting the heat to move around the room , the fire wants to heat up the mass of chimney around it.

some of them come with inbuilt air movers around the permiter of the fire box , those might be better.

khani
you have to get naked or you’ll melt..

*Makes mental note never to go to khani’s house on a warm day*

We’ve got a inset Rais 600. Previously had free standing morso’s etc., and the Rais is the best / most efficient. Don’t know why or how but assume its a combination of the external air supply and a very good convection system which pulls all the heat from around the stove to the front. I only burn timber on it but it burns so efficiently I only clean it out every 2 – 3 weeks even when used every day.

We ended up with an inset because the Mrs wanted to keep the surround too – had it checked by a stonemason first to be sure it could withstand the heat the stove generates.

It chucks out some serious heat when lit, most of which seems to be projected forwards although the surround immediately above it can get pretty warm after a few hours. Can’t say that it’s any less or more efficient than a friend’s freestanding jobbie.

Edit: It’s this stove:

In a similar surround.

I fit loads of insets as the install cost is so much less if you have a surround already in place you are happy with.

My experience is that they work great, as long as they are done right. They must be insulated around the back to keep as much heat from disappearing as possible, especially with a gable end chimney.
Losing heat to an intrnal chimney is not such a big deal imo, it just turns into a big storage heater.

I think the most effective ones are those with a double box type system, to draw air from below and convect out the top. Like this,

That is the Aarrow I series stove above. They work well OP in your situation as most tiled cast iron surrounds will allow it to slot in perfectly, after removing the fireback.

Here’s one wot I done. It’s a rubbish pic but you get the idea. It’s an I400. As it sits flush, the wood surround is protected from radiant heat.
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I’ve fitted about six or seven of these now, the I400, 500 and 600. They work very well, just as well really, as two of them were fitted for friends!

*Makes mental note never to go to khani’s house on a warm day*

I wear my least skiddy grey y-fronts if someone’s visiting I’ll have you know…

A friend has had both, started with an insert, then swapped to a free standing and opened up the fire place.

He noticed the difference, the free standing being warmer.

As a observation.

Both me and my neighbor have exactly the same free standing stove (fireline fx5)fitted to identical rooms, but he has his protruding more into the room than mine and I must admit his definitely feels warmer 🙁

We have both a inset and a freestander. The latter heats up quickly and is great.
The inset takes longer to heat up as heat gets put into the substantial fire surround, but this then acts as a storage heater and you can feel the heat emanating from the chimney breast for more than 24hrs after the stove has gone out.

While all the stove people are on, is it OK to burn painted and or varnished wood in a stove? We are getting one as a part of a room refit which has involved taking down a timber dado and skirting which would make great kindling except they are painted. Also have the old mantle which is varnished.

So keep and burn or skip it now?

Thanks

Skip.